Ex-chief justice Habibur Rahman dies

Staff Correspondent, DHAKA, Jan 12: Former chief justice and caretaker government chief Muhammad Habibur Rahman passed away at the city’s United Hospital on Saturday night. He was 85.

The hospital sources said Habibur Rahman, who was the chief adviser of the 1996 caretaker government which oversaw the country’s seventh parliamentary elections, was declared dead at 9:53pm.

According to the sources, Habibur Rahman perhaps had died before he was taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of Habibur Rahman and conveyed their deep sympathies to his bereaved family members.

Recalling the contributions of Habibur Rahman to the country’s judiciary, Sheikh Hasina said the former chief justice had played a strong role in establishing democracy and its march forward in the country.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also condoled the death of Habibur Rahman and conveyed her profound sympathy his family members.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith also expressed his deep at Habibur Rahman’s death.

Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr Mizanur Rahman and many of his well-wishers visited the hospital to pay their last respect to Habibur Rahman.

Educated in Kolkata, Dhaka, Oxford and London, the former chief justice Habibur Rahman was an activist of the Bengali Language Movement.

Habibur Rahman was a Fellow of Bangla Academy and Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, and also Honorary Bencher of Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London.

He was the author of seventy books in Bengali on law, language, literature, poetry and religion, and five books in English, including two books of verse.

 

risingbd/BHM