Veteran Awami League Leader and former Health Minister Mohammad Nasim passed away at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in the capital on Saturday bring the curtain down on his long and illustrious political career. He was 72.

Nasim, son of Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali, one of the organisers of the Liberation War of Bangladesh and a close associate of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, breathed his last around 11:10am.

Tributes and condolences continued to pour in for the veteran politician and Awami League presidium member.

President Abdul Hamid said Nasim was a fearless fighter in all the democratic movements of the country including struggle for independence and the Liberation War.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has lost a patriot and a leader of mass of people at his death. "I've lost a trustworthy co-fighter."

His Namaz-e-Janaza will be held at Banani Jam-e-mosque around 10:30am before he is laid to rest at his mother's grave there, AL leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak told reporters.

His body has been kept at the mortuary of the hospital.

Nasim's body will not be taken to Sirajganj due to coronavirus situation, said Nanak.

Earlier on Friday night, an emergency meeting of a 12-member medical board was held through a videoconference after his health condition deteriorated.

Nasim's son was present at the meeting. The medical board was formed on Monday.

The former minister underwent a successful surgery after his condition deteriorated on June 5 following a stroke while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

A day before that, his health condition had improved and he was scheduled to be shifted to a cabin from ICU.

On June 2, Nasim tested positive for coronavirus and later he tested negative for COVID-19.

Nasim had been the convenor for the 14-party ruling alliance forged around the heft of Awami League.

He was the son of one of the four national leaders. His mother's name is Amena Monsoor.

Loss of a Trusted Co-Fighter

"Mohammad Nasim, like his father Captain M Mansur Ali, worked for the welfare of the country and the nation until his death following the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," Prime Minister Hasina said in a condolence message.

Defying all odds and hurdles, he played unique role to establish the ideals of the Liberation War and the spirit of secularism, Hasina said.

"Bangladesh has lost a patriot and a leader of mass of people at his death and I've lost a trustworthy co-fighter," she said about the former minister.

The Prime Minister prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

'Fearless Fighter'

In a condolence message, President Hamid said, "Mohammad Nasim was a fearless fighter in all the democratic movements of the country including our struggle for independence and the Liberation War. He was elected Member of Parliament five times because he was a popular leader of the people."

His death is an irreparable loss to the national politics of Bangladesh and the name of Mohammad Nasim will forever shine in the political history of the country, he added.

The President prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Law Minister Anisul Huq, Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin, Health Minister Zahid Maleque, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Planning Minister M Mannan, Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujon, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, among others, expressed shock at the death of Mohammad Nasim.

Political Career

Nasim was born on April 2, 1948 in a highly respectable family in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

He was elected as the Member of Parliament in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2014.

Nasim, a graduate in Political Science from Jagannath University, was sworn in as Minister on January 12, 2014.

In his long successful political career, he was appointed as the Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Housing and Public Works and also the Minister for Posts and Telecommunications.

He also worked as the 'Spokesperson' of the 14-party Grand Alliance.

He was an active social worker. He is a great contributor in establishing many educational institutes in Sirajganj.

Married to Laila Arjumand, he is blessed with three sons.