The first namaz-e-janaza of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, who died late Sunday night due to old-age complications at the age of 87, was held in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur.
The namaz-e-Janaza was held at around 11:13am at MN Academy school grounds.
It was attended by several politicians, including Mirza Azam, distinct unit Awami League President Shamim Haque, General Secretary Shah Md Ishtiaq Arif and others.
Her body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar at Dhaka University for people of all walks of life to pay tribute to the veteran Awami League leader.
Later, she will be laid to eternal rest with state honors at Banani graveyard after her second namaz-e-janaza at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque following the Asr prayers, Awami League Office Secretary Biplob Barua confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
The Faridpur-2 lawmaker breathed her last while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka at 11:40pm on Sunday. She was admitted to the hospital with post-Covid-19 complications two weeks ago. On Saturday, Shahdab said his mother was improving.
President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Deputy Leader of Opposition GM Quader have expressed deep condolence at the sudden demise of the senior party leader.
Sajeda Chowdhury was Sheikh Hasina’s long-time companion on the street movements. She got the Independence Award in 2010.
She became the party’s general secretary in 1986 and held the position till 1992 when she was inducted into the Presidium.
Following the landslide victory of the Awami League in the 2008 elections, she was initially appointed deputy leader of the house in 2009.
After the Awami League won the 2014 elections, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury was reappointed to the same position.
In 2019, she was elected member of the parliament from Faridpur-2 constituency for the seventh time and elected deputy leader of the House for the third time.
Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, one of the organizers of the Liberation War, was born in a respected Muslim family in Magura in 1935.
She joined Awami League in 1956. She served as the founding general secretary of Mohila Awami League from 1969-1975.
She was the founding director of Kolkata Gobra Nursing Camp during the Liberation War.
The veteran leader also served as the acting general secretary of Awami League.
Apart from politics, she also engaged herself in social works and contributed to the development of sports, cultural and religious institutions.