BSS-61 Sheikh Abdullah laid to rest with state-honor in Gopalganj

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ZCZC

BSS-61

ABDULLAH-BURIAL

Sheikh Abdullah laid to rest with state-honor in Gopalganj

GOPALGANJ, June 14, 2020 (BSS) – State Minister for Religious
Affairs Advocate Sheikh Md Abdullah was laid to rest at his family
graveyard at Kekania vilage under Gopalganj sadar upazila after Asr
prayers today.

A namaj-e-janaza was held on the premises of his family mosque
before burial. Leaders and workers of district and upazila unit of
Awami League and officials of district and upazila administrations
joined the janaza maintaining health guidelines and social distancing.

A guard of honor was given to him in memory of his role in 1971
Liberation War.

Earlier, his body was bought to his village home at 4:20pm. The
state minister breathed his last at 11:45 pm last night at the
Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in the capital at age of 74, said a
personal assistant to Abdullah.

He served as Awami League’s religious affairs secretary.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed
their deep shock at his demise and prayed for eternal peace of the
departed soul.

Born on September 8, 1945 in a sophisticated Muslim family of
village Kekania on the bank of the river Madhumati in Gopalganj, the
ancestral district of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, Abdullah started his education in the local Gaohardanga
Hafezia Madrasa with memorizing the Holy Quran.

Later, he studied at a Qawmi madrasa. He completed his primary and
secondary levels from Sultan Shahi Kekania primary school and Sultan
Shahi Kekania high school respectively.

He obtained B.Com (Hons) from Azam Khan College in Khulna in 1963
and he completed his M.Com from the University of Dhaka in 1972 and MA
in Economics in 1974. He obtained his LLB degree from Dhaka Central
Law Collage in 1977.

After completion of education, he started his career as the
headmaster of Sultan Shahi Kekania High School. Later, he started
practicing in Dhaka and Gopalganj judge courts and Bangladesh Supreme
Court as an enlisted advocate. He engaged himself in polities since
student life being motivated by the ideologies of Bangabandhu. He was
elected the first Vice President (VP) in Khulna Azam Khan Commerce
College.

In the sixties, the movement of the Six-point in East Pakistan
under the leadership of Bangabandhu was in progress. At that time, he
actively participated in the six-point movement of 1966 and
eleven-point movement.

Having closely associated with Bangabandhu, he engaged himself in
politics. He joined Awami Jubo League as the founding president of
Gopalganj unit of Jubo Leage under the leadership of Sheikh Fazlul Huq
Moni, the founder of Bangladesh Jubo League. At that time, he became
the Organizing Secretary of Gopalganj district Awami League formed by
the direct supervision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He then served as a member of the central Awami Jubo League. He was
actively involved in the mass upsurge movement of 1969.

He was involved in local politics in the 1970’s election and took
part in the Awami League’s massive election campaign under the
leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He joined 1971
Liberation War in the front of Mujib Bahini.

In 1973, he was qualified in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS)
examination held under the government of Bangladesh. Instead of
joining the government service, he decided to serve the nation through
politics with the ideology of Bangabandhu under his leadership.

He was elected the General Secretary of Gopalganj District Awami
League through the council. He was also engaged with labour politics
in Khulna region.

In 1975, Bangabandhu formed Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League
(BAKSAL) and Sheikh Abdullah was selected as the Joint Secretary of
Gopalganj of the newly formed party.

He was holding the post of the secretary of Religious Affairs in
the central committee of Bangladesh Awami League at national level. He
performed various organizational and political responsibilities in the
greater Khulna region at the directives of Bangabandhu.

In the dark night of 15 August 1975, the country fell in a crucial
situation following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu and most
of his family members.

At that time Abdullah worked as a fearless soldier of Awami League
in Gopalganj keeping himself above greed, lust and threat.

The situation after August 15, 1975 was so fragile that nobody was
ready to give any space for Awami League office. Abdullah started
party office in his own residence.

Abdullah played a very responsible role as one of the respected
governors of the Board of Governors of Islamic Foundation for a long
time. He had an important role in achieving the official recognition
of the certificate of Qawmi Board of Bangladesh approved by the
government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina.

He played a leading role to arrange a huge gathering of religious
scholars and ulemas in the historical Suhrawardi Uddan where the Imam
and Khatibs of two Holy mosques namely Masjid-ul-Haram and Masjid Al
Nobowi were present. He was the convener of that project.

He had been the director of Agrani Bank Limited, one of the leading
banks of Bangladesh, from 1996-2001.

As Awami League formed government winning the eleventh
parliamentary elections on December 30, 2018, Abdullah was given the
charge of state minister for religious affairs.

BSS/Corr/MN/MKD/MRU/2151hrs