The Namaj-e-Janaza of top war criminal Ghulam Azam, the doyen of anti-liberation forces, will be held on Saturday.
His son Abdullahil Amaan Azmi on Friday told reporters that he would conduct the funeral prayers at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after the Zuhr prayer.
Ghulam Azam, who left no stone unturned to abort Bangladesh’s birth in 1971, will be buried at his family graveyard at Moghbazar in Dhaka.
The 92-year old died on Thursday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital.
Azam, who led the Jamaat during 1971, became synonymous with the anti-liberation effort for his notorious role during the War of Independence from Pakistan.
He was serving a 90-year prison sentence handed down last year by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the bloody battle for freedom.
The war criminal, who never apologised or regretted going against the cause of his country’s liberation, only served one year and three months for his war-time atrocities.
His body was handed over to his family on Friday morning after a post-mortem at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
Son Azmi said none of his five brothers who live abroad would be able to join the funeral prayers. But some of their wives and children would be attending.
Ghulam Azam’s body will be kept at the family’s Moghbazar residence in an air-conditioned ambulance on Friday night.
Earlier in the afternoon, the body of the Jamaat ideologue was kept in front of the house for party leaders and activists to pay last tributes.
Azam’s lawyer Tajul Islam on Thursday night said preparations were underway to bury him at Moghbazar’s family graveyard in keeping with his ‘last wish’.
Abdullahil Amaan Azmi had said his father’s wish was that either Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee or Motiur Rahman Nizami would conduct his funeral prayers.
But since both are behind bars, the party and family members would decide who would conduct the Janaza.
Sayedee is a convicted war criminal and Jamaat chief Nizami is being tried on war crimes charges.
Reacting to Azam’s ‘last wish’, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim on Friday said there was no ‘logic’ behind Nizami or Sayedee seeking a parole to lead the funeral prayers.
Meanwhile, several organisations including Bangladesh Online Activist Forum demonstrated in the capital demanding that the Azam’s body should be sent to Pakistan instead of burying it in Bangladesh.
Source: Bd news24
