Nure Alam Siddique, one of the key organizers behind Bangladesh's liberation birth through the 1971 war and witness to some of the major political events in the country's history, has died aged 79.
The former student leader breathed his last at 4:37am on Wednesday at United Hospital in Dhaka, his press secretary Aniket Rajesh confirmed.
Nure Alam's body was scheduled to be taken to Jhenidah by helicopter in the morning for his first namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayers).
His second namaz-e-janaza will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque in Dhaka, where he will be given a guard of honour.
CollectedThe convener of Swadhin Bangla Kendriya Chhatra Sangram Parishad and former president of Chhatra League will be buried next to a mosque he built in Savar.
Nure Alam Siddique was one of the leaders of Mujib Bahini, also known as Bangladesh Liberation Force.
He played an active role in all crucial political activities of the time, including participation in the Six-point Movement and Language Movement.
The former student leader was known as one of the four caliphs, or “Char Khalifa,” of Chhatra League loyal to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman before the war. The other three were Shahjahan Siraj, ASM Abdur Rab and Abdul Kuddus Makhan.
Nure Alam Siddique was elected member of parliament from Jessore-2 as a candidate of the Awami League in the first general election of independent Bangladesh.
He contested the seventh and eighth parliamentary elections in 1996 and 2001 from Jhenaidah-2, also from the Awami League.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of Nure Alam Siddique.
In a condolence message, she said Nure Alam Siddique remained steadfast to the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and played an important role in the anti-Ayub movement, the Six-point Movement and the 1970 election.
The premier said he served as an organizer of the Liberation War. “The contribution of this brave son of the nation in the establishment of independent Bangladesh will be remembered with reverence forever by the next generations.”
Sheikh Hasina also prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.