Former ambassador Wali-ur Rahman passed away at a Dhaka hospital on Monday morning at the age of 80.
He was rushed to Labaid Hospital earlier in the day after he suffered a stroke, an official at the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA) told Dhaka Tribune.
Wali-ur Rahman served as executive director of BILIA. He was also a former secretary of the foreign ministry and chairman of the Bangladesh Heritage Foundation.
He is widely acclaimed for his role in 1971 and after Bangladesh's independence.
He turned his back on the Pakistan foreign service in 1971 and joined the Mujibnagar government, which coordinated the Liberation War.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent him to the UN in Geneva in January 1972, where he served as permanent observer from 1972 to 1975.
During his career, he served as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Italy, Switzerland and Tunisia, in addition to being a permanent representative to the FAO, WFP and IFAD.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen expressed his deep grief and sorrow over Rahman’s death.
In a condolence message, he said Wali-ur Rahman showed courage by protesting the heinous murder of Bangabandhu and his family members.
"He also played an important role in bringing back the murderers of Bangabandhu," Momen said.
His funeral prayer was held at Baitul Aman Masjid, adjacent to Dhanmondi 7 after Maghrib prayers.
He was buried at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard.
