Awami League (AL) presidium member, 14-party alliance’s spokesperson and former health minister Mohammed Nasim passed away at a city hospital today at the age of 72.
Mohammed Nasim breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in city’s Shyamoli area, his personal assistant Ashraful Alam Mintu confirmed BSS.
He is survived by wife, three sons, a host of relatives and admirers.
On June 1 last, Nasim was admitted to the hospital. Later at night, he was found coronavirus positive after testing sample.
He also suffered a stroke in the early hours of June 5 and had undergone a successful operation.
Later, the concerned doctors first kept him under close observation for 72 hours.
Then, the observation period was extended to more 72 hours.
By this time, Nasim was found coronavirus negative in second and third tests.
On June 6, a medical board was formed under the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure his better treatment.
Nasim was born on 2 April of 1948 in Kazipur Upazila of Sirajganj district to Muhammad Mansur Ali and Amena Mansur.
Muhammad Mansur Ali, a close associate of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, served as the 3rd prime minister of Bangladesh in 1975 and was one of the four national leaders killed in the Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
Nasim did his graduation in political science from then Jagannath College, now Jagannath University (JnU).
He was elected Member of Parliament for five times in 1986, 1996, 2001, 2014 and 2018.
The veteran AL leader was sworn in as Minister for Health and Family Welfare on January 12 in 2014.
He was discharging duty as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food Ministry till death.
Earlier, in the tenure of 1996’s government, he had successfully served as the Minister for Home Affairs, Housing and Public Works as well as Posts and Telecommunications.
He was involved in various social welfare activities alongside politics and set up several educational institutions in his area including Dhaka and Sirajganj.
Mohammed Nasim will be laid to eternal rest at Banani graveyard in the city today.
Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua confirmed the matter.
“Mohammed Nasim will be buried at Banani graveyard after his namaj-e-janaza at 10 am at the graveyard,” AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said in a briefing on the hospital premises.
Tanvir Shakil Joy, son of Nasim, urged party leaders and workers not to attend the janaza physically for their safety and said, “Please pray for him from your respective places”.
He said, “He (Nasim) did politics for the wellbeing of the countrymen, so considering the people’s welfare, his body will not be taken anywhere”.
Mohammad Nasim is survived by his wife, three sons and a host of relatives and admirers.
On June 1 last, Nasim was admitted to the hospital. Later at night, he was found coronavirus positive after testing his sample.
He suffered a stroke in the early hours of June 5 while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Following the directive of the Prime Minister, a 13-member medical board was formed led by Dr Kanak Kanti Barua, a renowned neurosurgeon and Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
After few days later, Nasim was found coronavirus negative after testing samples for two times.
President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker of the Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, AL advisory council member Dr S A Malek and Amir Hossain Amu, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Information Minister and AL Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Information Dr Md Murad Hassan, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, chairman of Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Hasanul Haq Inu and leaders of different political parties expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Mohammed Nasim.
Nasim was born on April 2, 1948, in Kazipur upazila of Sirajganj district. His father, Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali, was one of the organisers of the Liberation War of Bangladesh and a close associate of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Mansur Ali served as the minister of finance, industry and commerce in the government of Bangladesh formed at Amrakanon in Baidyanathtala, Meherpur, during the War of Liberation in 1971, as well as in the cabinet of the post-independence Bangabandhu government.
Mohammed Nasim’s mother’s name is Mosammat Amina Khatun. She was a housewife.
Nasim graduated in political science from Jagannath College.
Nasim was a Bangladesh Awami League politician who served as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Home Affairs of the government of AL respectively during 2014–2019 and 1999–2001.
Earlier, in the tenure of 1996 government, he had also successfully served as the Minister for Home Affairs, Housing and Public Works and Posts and Telecommunications.
He was a six-term Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Sirajganj -1 and Sirajganj-2 constituencies.
He was a presidium member of AL and the spokesperson of the 14-party alliance.
As an elected MP of the current parliament, he was the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food Ministry.
He set up several educational institutions in different areas, including in Dhaka and Sirajganj.
