Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali died at Singapore General Hospital yesterday morning. He was 67.
“He breathed his last at 10:59am [Singapore time],” Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore Mahbub Uz Zaman told The Daily Star.
The minister was admitted to capital’s Birdem hospital with pneumonia on September 3 and was on life support since then. As his condition deteriorated, he was flown to Singapore by an air ambulance on September 5.
Mohsin, a veteran freedom fighter, was a diabetic patient and also suffered from heart diseases. He left behind his wife and three daughters.
His body will be brought home tonight.
“A namaz-e-janaza will be held on Wednesday morning [tomorrow] at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from where the body will be taken to his village home in Moulvibazar,” said Mayedul Islam, public relations officer at the social welfare ministry.
Mohsin, a lawmaker from Habiganj-3 constituency, started his political career by joining Chhatra League.
He served as president of Moulvibar Awami League unit between 1998 and 2005.
He was a member of Sector Commanders’ Forum and also former chairman of Moulvibar Pourasava.
Mohsin became a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry after being elected a lawmaker in the ninth parliamentary election.
At its weekly meeting yesterday, the cabinet observed a minute of silence in his honour and adopted a condolence motion.
President Abdul Hamid, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, other ministers, political leaders and party leaders expressed profound shock at his death.
“The nation has lost a dedicated politician and valiant freedom fighter… His sad demise is really an irreparable loss to the country’s political arena,” the president said in a condolence message.
