Renowned lawyer and former attorney general Barrister Rafique-ul Huq passed away at a city hospital on Saturday morning. He was 85.
Barrister Huq breathed his last at 8:30 am on Saturday while undergoing treatment at ICU in Ad-Deen Hospital in city, hospital’s director Dr. Nahid Yesmin said.
He had been suffering from anaemia and other old age complications, she said.
He is survived by a son and a host of relatives, well-wishers and admirers. He was under the supervision of Dr Richmond Roland Gomez in the hospital.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of veteran lawyer and former attorney general Barrister Rafique-ul Huq.
The President, in a condolence message, said Barrister Rafique has made a huge contribution to establishing the rule of law in the country.
In a message of condolence, the Prime Minister said, “Barrister Rafique-ul Huq used to give advices on important issues regarding the Constitution.”
She also recalled Barrister Rafique’s role with due gratitude as he came forward to fight legal battle to make her released from the jail following her arrest in 2007 by the then caretaker government in false case.
She prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) AM Amin Uddin expressed deep shock and sorrow at the demise of Barrister Huq.
Barrister Huq was active in social work. He was life member and vice chairman of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh and member of its National Council (since 1976), life member of Bangladesh National Society for the Blind, chairman of Society for Education and Care of Hearing impaired Children of Bangladesh, chairman of Management Committee of BIRDEM Hospital and Secretary General of the management board of Dhaka Shishu Hospital.
He was born in Kolkata in 1935. His father Mumin-ul Haque was a doctor and his mother Nurjahan Begum was a housewife.
He obtained his law degree in 1960. He completed MA and LLB degrees from Calcutta University. He did bar-at-law from UK in 1962.
During the period of caretaker government in 2007-2008, he was acclaimed for handling cases as a lawyer in favour of the country’s top political leaders.
