Ershad no more

Former President and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad died while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital on Sunday morning, report agencies.

He died at 7:45am, said Rezaul Shamim, an assistant director of ISPR.

He had been shuttling between his home and hospital for the last few months as his health condition deteriorated.

Ershad, also the Leader of the Opposition Leader in Parliament, had captured power in 1982 when he was the army chief and declared himself the President the next year. He later formed the Jatiya Party and won the controversial election of 1986.

The military dictator was ousted through a mass uprising in the early '90s.

After four funeral prayers, Ershad will be laid to rest at the army graveyard in Dhaka tomorrow (Tuesday).

Party Secretary General Moshiur Rahman Ranga briefed the media on Ershad's namaz-e-janaza.

The first namaz-e-janaza for Ershad was held at the Army Central Mosque in Dhaka on Sunday after Zohr prayers.

His second namaz-e-janaza will be held at South Plaza of the parliamentary building at 10.00am today (Monday).

Later, the body will be taken to the party's central office in the city's Kakrail for the party leaders and activists to pay tribute from noon to 3.00pm.

A third namaz-e-janaza will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Asr prayers on the same day.

Ershad will be flown by helicopter to Rangpur, his hometown, on Tuesday morning. The fourth funeral prayers will be held at 10:30am at the Rangpur Eidgah ground. He will be brought back to Dhaka for burial after Zohr prayers.

His Qulkhwani will be held at Azad Mosque in Gulshan on Wednesday after Asr prayers.

Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad.

In a condolence message, Sheikh Hasina recalled Ershad's constructive role in Parliament as the opposition leader.

In separate messages, the President and the Prime Minister prayed for salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to Ershad's bereaved family members.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and the Chief Whip also mourned the death of Ershad.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also expressed deep shock at the death of Ershad.

In a condolence message, Fakhrul prayed for the salvation of Ershad's soul and conveyed profound sympathy to his bereaved family members and well-wishers.