Former parliament speaker Sheikh Razzak Ali died in his residence in Khulna’s Farazi Para yesterday at the age of 86.
The veteran politician had been battling cancer since 2012. He left behind his wife, five daughters, grandchildren and many well wishers to mourn him.
Born on August 28, 1928, in Hitampur village of Khulna’s Paikgachha upazila, Razzak holds master’s degrees in Bangla and economics as well as earning his bachelor of law degree. During his student years, he actively participated in the Language Movement of 1952.
During the Liberation War, he worked with the Red Cross to treat wounded freedom fighters.
As a BNP leader, Razaak was thrice elected to the parliament from the Khulna 6 constituency. He was made the state minister for law in 1991, while he went on to be elected as the deputy speaker and eventually as the parliament speaker later that same year.
He was appointed as the Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK in 2002. He left the BNP in 2006 and formed the Liberal Democratic Party with Colonel Oli Ahmed.