Former deputy speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, who was also one of the accused in the infamous Agartala Conspiracy Case, has passed away at the age of 83.
With kidney issues, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and pneumonia, he breathed his last at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Monday, says a press release of the National Parliament.
Previously, he was put on life-support on November 5 after his physical condition deteriorated.
A number of cabinet members, including the prime minister, expressed their condolences at his demises.
He served as the deputy speaker of the ninth parliament.
Shawkat Ali was the 26th accused in the historic “Agartala Conspiracy Case” which was filed against Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1969 by the then Pakistani rulers.
He had to live with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in jail due to the case.
Shawkat was elected MP from Shariatpur-2 constituency six times. He was the founding chairman of Muktijoddha Sanghati Parishad and chief advisor of 71 Foundation.
The body of Shawkat will be kept at Shaheed Minar around 3:30 pm where people from all of walks of life will pay their last respect to him.
The namaz-e-janaza of Shawakat Ali will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Maghrib prayer.
Later, his body will be taken to Naria in Shariatpur district by a helicopter around 10am on Tuesday where he will be buried at his family graveyard following a namaz-e-janaza.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the demise Shawkat Ali.
They prayed for eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
Sheikh Hasina said: "The nation will forever remember the contributions of Shawkat Ali for the struggle of independence, great Liberation War and strengthening parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh.”
She also mentioned that the country has lost a senior leader while she has lost a trusted colleague at his death.
Besides, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah expressed profound shock at the demise of Shawkat Ali.
