Ex-president, chief justice Shahabuddin dies at 92

President, PM mourn

FE Team | Published: March 19, 2022 23:12:14

Shahabuddin Ahmed, the former president and chief justice of Bangladesh, died on Saturday at the age of 92 while receiving care at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka, reports bdnews24.com.
"He has passed away at CMH at 10:20 am," said his son-in-law, Prof Ahaduzz-aman Mohammad Ali.
The former president had been suffering from complications due to old age for some time.
He was hospitalised on Feb 21 after his condition deteriorated, his household aide Abdul Motalib told the news agency.
The first namaj-e-janaza of Shahabuddin Ahmed was held on Saturday at Pemoi village of Kendua upazila in Netrokona.
Ahmed was given a guard of honour before the janaza prayer.
Netrokona Superintendent of Police Akbar Ali Munshi, Local Government Division Deputy Director Zia Ahmed Sumon and other officials were present at the janaza.
Supreme Court spokesperson Mohammad Saifur Rahman told the news agency that the second namaz-e-janaza would be held at National Eidgah at 10 am today (Sunday).
According to family sources, the former president would be laid to the eternal rest at Banani graveyard on the day.
Ahmed was born in Pemal village in Netrokona's Kendua on Feb 1, 1930. He went to Dhaka University and obtained his bachelor's degree in economics in 1951 and his master's in international relations in 1952.
He entered the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1954. He worked for a time in the executive branch before he was transferred to the judicial branch in 1960. He served as additional district and sessions judge and district and sessions judge before he was appointed as Registrar of the Dhaka High Court in 1967 and elevated to the High Court in 1972. He was then appointed to the Appellate Division in 1980. He also served as chairman of the Bangladesh Red Cross Society from 1978 to 1982.
Ahmed was appointed as the chief justice of Bangladesh in 1990. Later that year, Ahmed would oversee a landmark change in Bangladesh's government.
Military dictator HM Ershad, bowing to pressure from opposition political parties amid an uprising, handed over power to the then Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who became the head of the government as acting president of Bangladesh.
Ahmed formed a caretaker government with non-political persons and held a 'free and fair' election in the country in February 1991. During this period, he gave back freedom of the press by amending a number of laws, including the Special Powers Act.
Ahmed was chosen by all political parties, including Ershad, to run the interim government that would oversee the neutral election to parliament.
After the national parliamentary election in 1991, Ahmed handed over the parliamentary ruling power to the newly elected Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. He later resigned from the presidency and returned to his previous post of chief justice from which he eventually retired in 1995.
In 1996, Shahabuddin was nominated for the presidency by the Awami League government and was elected unopposed. He fell out with the Awami League after it lost the parliamentary election in 2001. Ahmed retired from the presidency that same year.
BSS adds: Condolences continue to pour in for former President and Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed who passed away at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) here today at the age of 92.
Immediately after his demise, people from all walks of life as well as different political parties and leaders expressed their shock and sent condolences.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed their profound shock and sorrow at the death of Shahabuddin Ahmed.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud , Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Ahmed, in separate condolence messages.
State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Swapan Bhattacharjee, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mohammad Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain and State Minister for Social Welfare Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru also condoled his death in separate condolence messages.
Family sources said Ahmed breathed his last around 10:25 this morning. He had been suffering from old age complications for a long time, they said.
In February, he got admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the CMH as his physical condition deteriorated. More on Page 2