Jamiruddin Sircar is no more

Former Acting President, former Speaker, BNP Standing Committee Member and senior lawyer Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar passed away on Sunday, report agencies.

He breathed his last at a private hospital in the capital at 4:19 am, a press release from the Supreme Court said.

Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar was 94.

He was laid to rest at the Parliament graveyard following his namaz-e-janaza at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on the day.

Sircar was buried with state honours after the second janaza held following Asr prayers inside the entrance tunnel of the Parliament complex, as inclement weather forced the venue to be shifted from the South Plaza.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman joined the janaza along with cabinet members, lawmakers, senior political leaders, government officials and members of Sircar's family.

Following the janaza, a wreath was first placed on Sircar's coffin on behalf of President Mohammed Shahabuddin by his Military Secretary Major General ASM Bahauddin.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman then paid his last respects by placing a wreath on the coffin.

He also laid another wreath on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), accompanied by party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior party leaders.

Speaker Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni and other whips, as well as officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat, also paid their respects by placing wreaths.

After the wreath-laying ceremony, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni recalled Sircar's long political career and his contributions to the country and Parliament.

Earlier in the day, Parliament expressed profound grief over Sircar's death.

Lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches paid tribute to the veteran politician, followed by a one-minute silence and special prayers for the eternal peace of his departed soul.

BNP on Sunday announced a nationwide mourning programme for today (Monday) following his death.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

"The BNP has announced a one-day mourning programme following the death of Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar. A nationwide day of mourning will be observed on Monday," he said.

As part of the programme, black flags will be hoisted at BNP offices across the country and party leaders and activists will wear black badges.

A founding member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Sircar served as Speaker of the Eighth Jatiya Sangsad and as Acting President from June 21 to September 6, 2002, following the resignation of then President Professor AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury.

During his long political career, he held several key ministerial portfolios, including housing and public works, foreign affairs, land, education, science and technology, and law.

He was also widely respected as a Supreme Court lawyer for his contribution to constitutional law, parliamentary practice and democratic politics.

He is survived by a daughter, Nilufar Jamir, and two sons, Barrister Naoshad Jamir, MP, and Naufel Jamir.

Tributes and condolences continued to pour in for the former acting President.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Deputy Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Barrister Kayser Kamal, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, ministers, chief whip, whips, and state ministers have expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Jamiruddin Sircar.

Political parties, socio-cultural and professional organizations, government and private institutions also mourned the death of Sircar.

In separate condolence messages, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed their deepest sympathies to the bereaved family.

Besides, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad), Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan, Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Mohammad Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid, Water Resources Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman, Science and Technology and Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam mourned the death of Sircar.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of the veteran BNP leader.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman and the National Citizen Party (NCP) on Sunday expressed deep sorrow at the death of the former acting President.