The body of the late Abul Harris Chowdhury, former BNP central joint secretary-general and political secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, will be reburied beside the Shafiqul Haque Chowdhury Memorial Orphanage in Kanaighat, Sylhet.
On Friday this decision was made in the presence of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farzana Nasrin, along with Harris Chowdhury’s daughter, Samira Tanzim Chowdhury, and BNP leaders
The orphanage was established by Harris Chowdhury in his father's name.
The burial site has already been designated, and following legal formalities, his body will be brought to his village according to his wishes.
The exact date of the reburial has not yet been confirmed. However, it is expected to take place later this month once legal processes are completed.
UNO Farzana Nasrin said: "Following a High Court directive, the late BNP leader and freedom fighter Harris Chowdhury’s burial will be carried out with state honors, in line with the family’s decision. The burial site has been marked accordingly."
Barrister Samira Chowdhury, Harish Chowdhury’s daughter, said: “The Awami League government has harassed us in various ways. We received no justice after my father’s death. However, after legal battles, we can now fulfill my father’s last wish to be buried in Kanaighat. That is our greatest solace.”
Harris Chowdhury passed away on September 3, 2021, while in hiding, at a private hospital in Dhaka.
On September 4, his body was buried in a madrasa in Savar under the name of “Professor Mahmudur Rahman.”
Samira Chowdhury later filed a petition with the High Court, claiming the body was that of her father, and requested identification through legal means.
The High Court's recent decision follows a DNA test confirming that the exhumed remains, previously buried under the name Mahmudur Rahman in Savar, belong to BNP leader Abul Harris Chowdhury.
In 2021, Harris Chowdhury, former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was reportedly buried under a false name after fleeing Bangladesh during the 2007 state of emergency.
He faced charges for the August 21 grenade attack, resulting in a life sentence in 2018, alongside a seven-year sentence in the Zia Charitable Trust case.
His body is currently preserved at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.