Tofail Ahmed to be laid to rest in Bhola after final janaza today

Veteran politician, nine-time Member of Parliament Tofail Ahmed, will be buried in his hometown Bhola today (2 June), reports Prothom Alo. 

Preparations for the burial of the Liberation War organiser and former industries and commerce minister began early in the morning at his ancestral home in Koralia village under South Dighaldi Union of Bhola Sadar upazila.

According to Prothom Alo’s report, citing family members and party sources, Tofail Ahmed’s body will be flown to Bhola by helicopter this afternoon. His second janaza is scheduled to be held at 2pm at Bhola Government High School ground, following Zuhr prayers.

His first funeral prayer was held yesterday evening at Takwa Mosque in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

After the second janaza, the body will be taken to Koralia village, where a third janaza will be held at a local mosque. He will then be buried at the family graveyard beside the graves of his parents.

Born on 22 October 1943 in Bhola district, Tofail Ahmed rose to prominence as vice president of Dhaka University’s student union between 1967 and 1969 and later emerged as a key figure in the 1969 uprising against military rule.

At the age of 27, he was elected to Pakistan’s National Assembly in 1970. 

He was one of the organiSers of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and acted as one of the chiefs of Bangladesh Liberation Front.

Ahmed joined the Awami League (now party activities banned) and in support of the 1966 six-point movement and was involved in the 1969 mass uprising in East Pakistan as a student leader. He was the vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union.

Besides that, after 1975, he spent about five years in jails of Dhaka, Mymensing, Sylhet, Cumilla, Barishal, Kushtia and Rajshahi.

He was a veteran Parliamentarian and earned the love and respect of Parliament Members and people from all walks of life for his speeches in parliamentary debate on various national issues.

He was the Minister for Commerce and Industries from June 1996 to December 1999. He continued as the Minister for Industries up to 2001, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Industry from 2009-2013. He was also Minister for Housing & Public Works and Industries from November 2013 to January 2014.

He continued as the Minister for Commerce Ministry from January 2014 to December 2018. In 1970, Ahmed was a political secretary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.