Ruling Awami League lawmaker and veteran freedom fighter Dewan Farid Gazi died early yesterday at the city's Square Hospital.
He was 86.
Gazi, a member of Awami League Advisory Council and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, was admitted to the hospital on October 14.
He was suffering from diabetes for a long time and had complications involving kidney and heart, reports our Sylhet correspondent. He let out his last breath around 5:40am.
He left behind five sons, two daughters and many friends and relatives to mourn his death.
President Zillur Rahman expressed deep sorrow at the death of Gazi who was elected from Habiganj-1 constituency in 2008 election.
In his condolence message, the president said Gazi always stood against all sorts of repression in the society.
"People will remember his contribution to the movement of independence and the struggle for democracy in the country,” he said.
Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina in a message said, “The country has lost a dedicated leader.”
She conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul, reports BSS.
After the death, Gazi's body was taken to his Segunbagicha residence in the city and then to the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque where his first namaz-e-janaza was held, according to a press release of Awami League.
His second namaz-e-janaza took place at the South Plaza of the National Parliament at 4:00pm. Ministers and lawmakers of different political parties including the main opposition BNP attended it.
The corpse was then taken to Gazi's residence at Lama Bazar in Sylhet.
Today around 8:30am, Gazi's namaz-e-janaza will be held at Bahubal Upazila Sadar Eidgah Maidan while at 9:30am at Devpara Eidgah Maidan in his village and at 10:30am at Nabiganj JK High School field, reported our Sylhet correspondent.
The body will be buried at the graveyard adjacent to the shrine of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet after the Asr prayers. Before that, the body will be kept for some time at the Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar where people will pay homage to the veteran AL leader.
Dewan Farid Gazi was born on March 1, 1924 in Devpara village under Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj.
He completed his primary education in Moulvibazar Junior Madrasa and secondary education in Sylhet Rashomoy Memorial High School. Gazi studied Bachelor of Arts in Madan Mohan College in Sylhet. He also studied in Sylhet Alia Madrasa and MC College.
Gazi had been in politics since his student life and worked as a close associate of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He played important roles in various national movements and had been the civilian adviser and administrative council chief in sector 4 and sector 5 during the Liberation War.
Gazi was elected member of National Assembly from Sylhet sadar in 1970. In 1973, he was state minister for commerce in the Bangabandhu's cabinet.
Reportedly, Gazi was forced to join the Moshtaque-led government as a state minister after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was elected lawmaker in 1996, 2001 and 2008 elections.
Apart from political arena, he also made laudable contribution to different educational, cultural and social welfare activities.
Gazi served as editor of the then weekly Jugabhery (now daily) in 1952-54 and the weekly Esatern Herald (now defunct) in 1953-55. He was Sylhet AL general secretary from 1957 until the Liberation War. He participated in the 1962 education policy movement and the six-point movement before being arrested in 1969 for 11 months.