HT Imam laid to eternal rest at Banani graveyard
He had been suffering from kidney-related complications and was admitted to the CMH some two weeks ago.
Prime Minister's Political Adviser HT Imam, who breathed his last in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 82, was laid to eternal rest with state honour at the Banani graveyard in the city in the evening on Thursday.
Hossain Toufique Imam, popularly known as HT Imam, had been suffering from kidney-related complications and was admitted to the CMH some two weeks ago. His condition, however, started deteriorating on Tuesday, according to Awami League sources. He was pronounced dead at around 1:15am on Thursday.
His first namaz-e-janaza was held at 11am at Ullapara Akbar Ali Government College ground of Ullapara of Sirajganj in the morning. His second namaz-e-janaza was held at Dhaka's Gulshan Azad Mosque after Asr prayers.
His body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 1pm and kept there for two hours. Leaders of various political, social, and cultural organisations paid tributes to HT Imam.
The military secretary to President Abdul Hamid and military secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes on their behalf.
Born in 1939, Imam completed his undergraduate in economics from Rajshahi University and a graduate degree in Economics from Dhaka University. Later, he completed his postgraduate degree in Development Administration from the London School of Economics.
HT Imam joined the Pakistan Civil service in 1962 and served the Mujibnagar government as the cabinet secretary during the country's Liberation War in 1971 and then also in the post-independence government of Bangladesh.
During his long and distinguished career in the bureaucracy, he also served as secretary with different ministries. He served as an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since Awami League's victory in the December 2008 general election. First, from 2009-2014 as an adviser on public administration affairs, and then from 2014 on political affairs.
He also took on roles within the Awami League, chairing or co-chairing committees on publicity affairs and elections, and becoming a member of the AL advisory council.
Shortly after the news broke, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death HT Imam.
Besides, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, ministers, political leaders expressed profound shock at the demise of HT Imam.