Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal passes away

Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal, a freedom fighter and lawmaker of Chattogram-8 (Boalkhali-Chandgaon), passed away at a hospital in India early yesterday at the age of 67.

Badal, also the executive president of a faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), breathed his last at Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences around 6:45am, his younger brother Manir Khan told The Daily Star.

Badal was admitted to the hospital on October 18 as he was suffering from a heart disease, Manir said, adding that his body was being brought back to Dhaka yesterday. 

Badal, hailing from Sarowatoli village of Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram, left behind his wife, three sons and a daughter.

He was the third among eight siblings, said Manir.

Badal was elected lawmaker thrice in a row from Chattogram-8 constituency, beginning in 2008. 

Over the years, he made a reputation for himself as a great orator in the House.

Badal was vocal against corruption and lack of good governance, although his party was a part of the government.  

Expressing sorrow over his death, Awami League presidium member and former minister Mosharraf Hossain said Badal actively took part in the Liberation War from Chattogram city.

Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesher Mukti Sangram O Muktijuddho Gobeshona Kendro Trust, said Badal was involved in the politics of Bangladesh Chhatra League in the 1960s, adding that he actively took part in the Liberation War as a guerrilla.

Badal joined JSD in the 1970s and was a central committee member of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal in the 1980s, said his brother Manir, adding, he joined Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal afterwards and was elected as an executive president.

Badal was born on February 21, 1952.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and members of different political parties expressed deep shock over Badal’s demise.   

Meanwhile, parliament yesterday unanimously adopted obituary references on a number of distinguished personalities, including Badal and former Dhaka City mayor and BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Participating in the obituary motion on the death of Badal, who is an Awami League MP, Hasina said his demise had created a vacuum in the country’s politics.

“Badal always worked for the people of his constituency. He contributed to different sectors, including politics. His death has created a big vacuum in the political arena of the country,” she said.

Paying rich tribute to the veteran MP, Hasina said Badal played an active role in all democratic movements, including the liberation war and the anti-Ayub movement.

“I had the opportunity to work with him [Badal] in different movements in the streets,” Hasina said, adding, “It’s very unfortunate for us that we will not be able to hear his strong voice in parliament anymore.”

Hasina, also leader of the House, prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family.

Opposition leader in parliament Raushan Ershad, AL MPs Tofail Ahmed, Amir Hossain Amu, Mohammad Nasim, Abul Kalam Azad and Shajahan Khan, President of a faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Hasanul Haq Inu, Workers Party leader Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Party lawmaker Anisul Islam Mahmud and opposition chief whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga, among others, also participated in the obituary reference.

Earlier, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the obituary references separately with brief resumes of those who died after prorogation of the fourth session of the 11th parliament on September 12.

While moving the references, the Speaker said the House expressed its deep shock at the deaths of Sadeque Hossain Khoka and former deputy minister Humayun Kabir, among others.

After the House adopted the obituary reference unanimously, Speaker adjourned the sitting of the House to show respect to the death of a current MP Badal.

The fifth sitting of parliament began at 4.15pm.

President M Abdul Hamid yesterday also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of veteran politician and parliament member Mayeen Uddin Badal.

In a message of condolence, the president recalled with profound respect the contributions of Badal to politics.

“The nation has lost a devoted politician in his death,” he said.