Speaker’s wife Dilara Hafiz’s Janaza held at Parliament’s South Plaza

The Namaz-e-Janaza of Dilara Hafiz, wife of Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin, was held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament today (30 March), attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and others.

The Janaza was completed at 12 noon, with family members, relatives, and people from political and social circles present.

According to a press release from the National Parliament Secretariat, Dilara Hafiz passed away while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital on Saturday at 11:29am.

Her body was brought back to Bangladesh on Biman Bangladesh flight BG-585 at 6:01pm yesterday.

Family members said she had been taken to Singapore General Hospital from Dhaka’s Combined Military Hospital by air ambulance on 21 March.

She was under ventilation and received treatment under a medical board formed with specialist doctors.

Professor Dilara Hafiz was 78. She is survived by her husband, two sons, and a daughter.

She was born on 2 January 1949 in Sunamganj to Mohammad Abul Hossain Chowdhury and Karimunnessa Khatun Chowdhury.

After achieving strong results in secondary and higher secondary examinations, she enrolled at Dhaka University, where she completed her Bachelor’s (Honours) and Master’s degrees in History in 1968.

She began her career as a lecturer at Government Eden Mohila College. She later served as principal of Suhrawardy College and Eden Mohila College.

Professor Dilara Hafiz also served as chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board and as director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.

The deputy speaker, chief whip, other whips, members of parliament, and officials and staff of the National Parliament Secretariat expressed shock and sorrow at her death.