Mohiuddin laid to rest with thousands' love

Rezaul Karim, Chittagong: Former Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor and city Awami League President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury was buried at his family graveyard at Chashma Hill in the city's Sholoshahar area with state honour.

Earlier, thousands of people joined his Namaz-e-Janaza held at Laldighi Maidan in the city on Friday afternoon.

Apart from the party leaders and activists, thousands of common people took part in the janaza conducted by Mawlana Anisuzzaman, the Khatib of Garibullah Shah Mazar Mosque, after Asar prayers.

Relatives, party men and well-wishers in their tearful eyes prayed for the eternal peace of the popular political figure.

People from all walks of life gathered at the party office to pay their last tributes to him.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Chittagong divisional commissioner Dr Abdul Mannan, deputy commissioner Jillur Rahman, Chittagong Metropolitan Police commissioner Iqbal Bahar, superintendent of police of the district Nure Alam Mina, BNP standing committee member Abdullah Al Noman were, among others, joined the janaza.

Earlier, Mohiuddin Chowdhury, 73, breathed his last around 3:00am at Max Hospital where he had been on life support as his condition deteriorated on Thursday night, said Mohiul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, the elder son of the former mayor and organising secretary of Awami League.

He was taken to the hospital earlier in the evening and later shifted to its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) around 10pm, and put on life support, said his son-in-law Dr Selim Jahangir, also head of the CCC Health Department.

On November 11 last, Mohiuddin Chowdhury was admitted to the ICU of the same hospital as he had been suffering from kidney and heart ailments. Later, he was shifted to Square Hospitals in Dhaka and then taken to Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore.

After the news of his death spread around, hundreds of Awami League leaders and activists and common people thronged the hospital.

Born on December 1, 1944 at Gohira village in Raojan upazila of Chittagong district, Mohiuddin Chowdhury got involved in Chhatra League politics in his college life.

He was elected Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation first in 1994, while for the second time in 2000 and for the third consecutive time in 2005. He was the President of Chittagong City Awami League until his death.

Mohiuddin Chowdhury joined different movements under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman before the country’s Liberation War. He was arrested several times by the then Pakistanis rulers.

During the Liberation War, he was sent to jail in Chittagong and tortured by the Pakistani Army. Four months later he fled to India from the jail. After receiving training there, Mohiuddin Chowdhury joined the Liberation War under the Mountain Division of Indo-Bangla joint force.

After the assassination of Bangabandhu, Mohiuddin Chowdhury fled to India again and returned home after a long time as per a party directive.

During the anti-Ershad movement, he was arrested as he declared the former military ruler as persona non-grata in Chittagong.

In 2007, the army-backed government arrested Mohiuddin Chowdhury and other politicians in the country in an overnight raid on March 7 and sent him to a remote jail in Bandarban.

President Abdul Hamid expressed deep shock at the death Mohiuddin Chowdhury.
 

Recalling his contributions to the country and its people, President Hamid said the loss caused by his death in the country’s political arena is really irreparable.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of Mohiuddin Chowdhury saying that the former Chittagong city had played important roles from the front in all the democratic movements since the Liberation War of the country. "He never bowed down but embraced jail and faced repression on various occasions in his life. His contributions to the welfare of the people of Chittagong will ever be remembered," the Prime Minister said.

She mentioned that this 'leader of the people' will remain alive in the hearts of the mass people.

The Prime Minister prayed for salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Deputy Speaker M Fajle Rabbi Miah, Deputy Leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Chief Whip ASM Firoj expressed profound shock at his death. 

They also prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed their heart-felt sympathies to his bereaved family members.

 

risingbd/Chittagong/December 15, 2017/Rezaul/A K Azad