She says sorry to those whom she couldn’t meet
Dhaka, Jan 28 (UNB) – BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday expressed her deep gratitude to the people of all walks of life for offering their condolences to her following the death of her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and joining his janaza.
In a statement, Khaleda also said sorry to those who could not met her after coming to her office to console her. “I hope all will look at it with grace and forgiveness considering the situation.”
“As a mother, I’m naturally deeply saddened and mentally devastated over the sudden and premature death of Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of martyr President Ziaur Rahman and mine,” the BNP chief said.
Though he was raised in a political family, Khaleda said Koko was not involved in politics as he only engaged himself in sports. “It’s a matter of regret that he had been subjected to various tortures, harassments and propaganda only for being a member of the Zia Family. He even couldn’t get rid of extreme vindictive adversities when he was undergoing treatment abroad.”
Khaleda deplored that she was deprived of getting a chance to see the face of her ailing son for about eight years. “At last, I had to receive my son’s dead body.”
The BNP chief expressed her gratitude to the Bangladeshi expatriates living in Malaysia for joining the first namaz-e-janaza for Koko at Kuala Lumpur breaking all the previous records of presence of people in such funeral prayer there. “The sympathy and compassion I received from all at this time of deep grief and shocks have genuinely touched me.”
She also thanked Bangladeshi expatriates living in other countries and country’s people for joining the gayebana janazas arranged for Koko.
Khaleda said she was deeply moved and encouraged as ‘lakhs of people’ from all walks of life set an unforgettable record by joining Koko’s janaza at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and thanked all.
“I’m overwhelmed by the presence of the huge people and it’ll enormously help me to come to the terms,” the BNP chief observed.
Khaleda also voiced gratitude to the leaders of different foreign countries who sent condolence messages to her and to the foreign envoys, the representatives of international organisations and diplomatic missions who either sent messages to her or visited her office offering condolences.
Khaleda urged all to pray for Koko. “I want to tell the country’s people that I’m among you and will remain so until my death.”
Arafat Rahman Koko died in Malaysia on Saturday at the age of 45 and was buried at Banani Graveyard on Tuesday.
Source: UNB
