Veteran politician Pankaj Bhattacharya passes away

Veteran left-leaning politician and 1971 freedom fighter Pankaj Bhattacharya passed away at a private hospital in the capital in the wee hour of Monday as he was being treated under life support for various complications including breathing problems. He was 83, reports BSS.

"He died at 12:28 am on the day," said Manas Bose, a relative of the deceased politician who was the president of Oikya NAP (National Awami Party).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Pankaj Bhattacharya. In a message of condolence, she prayed for salvation of his departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Pankaj Bhattacharya.

Earlier reports said Liberation War veteran Bhattacharya was admitted to the capital's Health and Hope Hospital on Monday and doctors there put him on life support system on Saturday morning as his condition deteriorated.

According to family sources, his funeral will be held at Postagola Mahashashan crematorium in the capital on Tuesday in line with a decision by his Oikya NAP.

Oikya NAP, meanwhile, in a statement said the body would be kept at the Central Shaheed Miniar from 4pm to 6:30pm on Tuesday to enable people to pay their respect ahead of cremation.

His wife prominent women leader Rakhi Das Puraykayastha died in April, 2022 while the couple had no surviving siblings.

Bhattacharya was respected by fellow politicians across the political lines alongside a large number of people because of his integrity while he was a key witness and organiser of the pre-and post-independence pro-democracy movements and events since 1960s.

On the eve of the ouster of autocratic regime in 1990, he played a crucial role in formulating the framework of the three-political alliance outlining the country's political course.

He was born on 6 August, 1939 in Noapara village of Raozan upazila of Chattogram while he studied at different institutions in Dhaka and Chattogram when he was appreciated also as a good footballer and cultural activist alongside his role as a student political worker.

He was expelled from Chattogram Collegiate School in 1959 due to his involvement with the student movement.