Tributes pour in for Zafrullah Chowdhury

Tributes poured in from all quarters, including people across the political divide, eminent citizens and general masses, for the Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, who passed away aged 81 at the Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital late on Tuesday.

The body of Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury is scheduled to be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 10am Thursday for people of all walks of life to pay tribute.

"People are expected to gather at 10am-1pm, when the state will provide a guard of honour," Professor Altafunnessa Maya, chairman of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Trust, told the media in a briefing on Wednesday.

The namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer) is scheduled at the Suhrawardy Udyan at 2:30pm. His body will then be taken to Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Savar on Friday.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at the demise of Zafrullah Chowdhury.

In a message, President Abdul Hamid prayed for the eternal peace of his departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family.

In her condolence message, the premier remembered Dr Zafrullah's glorious contribution to the 1971 Liberation War, medicine industry and the public health sector.

The prime minister prayed for the departed soul and expressed her deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.

Dr Zafrullah had been on life support since 10 April with a critical health condition. Earlier on 7 April, he was admitted to the Nagar Hospital after he seriously fell ill.

He was suffering from kidney as well as old age complications.

Since his demise, Dr Zafrullah's body has been kept in the Birdem Hospital's morgue.

Details of the funeral arrangements are expected to be announced on Thursday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque grieved the death of the noted public health expert.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in his condolence message said, "Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury had worked his whole life to make health care easier for the common people."

Momen added that Dr Zafrullah's contributions will be remembered forever.

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan

The minister recalled the outstanding contribution of Zafrullah, who established the Field Hospital in 1971, the architect of 1982's National Drug Policy and the founder of Gonoshasthaya Kendra.

State Minister for Water Resources Colonel (retd) Zahid Farooq, MP, Deputy Minister AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Awami League Advisory Council Member and Central 14-party Coordinator and Spokesperson Amir Hossain Amu, Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian also mourned the death of Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a condolence message, said Dr Zafrullah, the hero of the great Liberation War, worked throughout his life for the welfare of the nation, the country, and its people.

The BNP leader recalled that Dr Zafrullah played the leading role in setting up a field hospital for freedom fighters and common people during the Liberation War and in establishing Gonoshasthaya Hospital for low-cost treatment after the independence.

"He came forward as a fearless soldier during all the crises of the state," Fakhrul said.

Gono Songhoti Andolon Chief Convener Zonayed Saki described Dr Zafrullah as a "sincere friend of the people and a patriot."

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader in a statement said Dr Zafrullah had been a real hero and his love for the country was infinite.

Meanwhile messages from netizens expressing love and respect for the Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder have been flooding the social media feeds.

"He was a saint sent from heaven," wrote Shafiqul Alam in a Facebook post.

Another Facebook user wrote, "One of the living legends of Bangladesh, the founder of Gonoshasthya Kendra, one of the trustees of Gana University Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury is no more with us."

Dr Zafrullah was a well-known Bangladeshi physician and public health activist. He received his medical degree from Dhaka Medical College in 1966 and later received a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

He was in surgical training in London when the liberation war of Bangladesh erupted in 1971. Hurrying home, he established a field hospital with his colleagues to treat battle casualties.

In 1972, he founded Gonoshasthaya Kendra with the aim of providing healthcare services to underserved communities in Bangladesh.