Thousands of people have paid their final respects to the BNP chairperson’s youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko, who was laid to rest yesterday at the Banani Graveyard after a namaz-e-janaza at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
After Asr prayers, people from all walks of life attended the namaz-e-janaza, led by the national mosque’s khatib, Moulana M Salauddin Ahmed.
Supporters of the BNP and 20-party alliance lined up the streets near National Press Club, Topkhana intersection, Bijaynagar Road, Dainik Bangla intersection and from Gulistan Zero Point to Gulistan flyover to attend the janaza of Koko – Khaleda Zia and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s youngest son who died in Malaysia on Saturday after a cardiac arrest.
Since noon, the roads adjacent to Baitul Mokarram were kept off limits for the vehicles to allow ease of access to the mourners. A large number of law enforcers were also deployed around the area to prevent any untoward incident.
As thousands thronged the mosque premises, the ambulance carrying Koko’s body faced difficulties to move in and out of the mosque.
Although the ruling party had previously said its leaders would attend Koko’s janaza, no Awami League leaders showed up at the mosque to offer prayers for the departed.
The BNP leaders who attended the janaza included Moudud Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Shah Moazzem Hossain, Chowdhury Kamal Ibn Yousuf, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Abdullah Al Noman and Hafizuddin Ahmed, as well as other mid-ranking BNP leaders.
Among others, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh President AQM Baddrudoza Chowdhury, Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique, Liberal Democratic Party chief Oli Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Mojibur Rahman, Abdullah Mohammad Taher and other alliance leaders were also present.
Although the family wanted to bury Koko at the Banani Military graveyard and had submitted the necessary paperworks, authorities concerned reportedly did not grant permission for a burial there.
Mohammad Ibrahim, chairman of 20-party alliance member Bangladesh Kalyan Party, told reporters yesterday morning that the authorities concerned had denied permission to bury Koko at the Banani Military Graveyard.
“As a member of a former military officer’s family, Koko has the right to be buried at the military graveyard. It is quite frustrating. We do not know the reason behind the refusal. But we hope such incident will not happen with any other military family member,” he said.
Later, the decision of burying Koko at the Banani graveyard was taken after consulting with the family members.
Hundreds of BNP supporters and well-wishers of Koko, along with his family members, were present when Koko was laid to rest there after sunset.
The body of Koko arrived in Dhaka at around 11:40am and senior BNP leaders including some of his relatives received the body at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. At 12:20 pm, the body was taken out of the airport after all formalities were completed.
Since 10am, party leaders and activists had been thronging the airport area to receive Koko, but due to tight security the activists had to take position on the main road. When the body was brought out from the airport, leaders and activists started heading towards Gulshan office surrounding the ambulance.
Then, the body was taken to Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office where the BNP chief and her relatives had been waiting to pay their final respects to Koko. The body was kept there for about two hours, but only relatives and some Gulshan office staffs were allowed to see Koko’s body.
Following his death on Saturday, Koko’s first namaz-e-janaza was held on Sunday after Zohr prayers at the Malaysian national mosque Masjid Negara in Kuala Lumpur. His body was then kept at the mortuary of the University of Malaya.
Koko’s elder brother, party Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, took part in a gayebana janaza in East London.
The BNP has been observing a three-day mourning across the country since Sunday, while gayebana janaza of Koko was also held in different parts of the country.
