Syed Ashraful Islam passes away
Public Administration Minister and former general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Syed Ashraful Islam, MP, died at a hospital in Bangkok on Thursday.
He was 68, reports BSS.
Ashraful Islam who had been suffering from lung cancer for a long time breathed his last at the Bumrungrad Hospital around 9.45 pm, AL’s sub-committee assistant secretary Anwarul Kabir told BSS.
He is survived by a daughter to mourn his death.
He took his leave of absence from parliament on Sept 18 last year for treatment. Though Ashraf was absent during the just concluded 11th national election, he was elected parliament member from Kishoreganj-1 constituency.
Ashraf was born in Mymensingh in 1952. His father Syed Nazrul Islam was acting President of Mujibnagar Government in 1971 and one of the key organizers of Bangladesh independence struggle.
He was actively involved in student politics. He was General Secretary of Mymensingh District Student League after independence of Bangladesh. He also served as Assistant Publicity Secretary of Central Student League. In November 3, 1975 his father Syed Nazrul Islam and three national leaders were brutally killed in Dhaka Central Jail.
After this incident, Syed Ashraful Islam went to London and organized Bangladesh Awami League in the UK.
Ashraf came back home in 1996 and elected parliament member. He served as the State Minister for Civil Aviation & Tourism Ministry during 1996-2001. He also elected parliament member in 2001 and served as a member of Foreign Affairs Standing Committee in the parliament.
In 2008, Syed Ashraful Islam elected lawmaker again and appointed as the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives. He took over the charge as a Minister, Ministry of Public Administration from 16th July, 2015.
Syed Ashraful Islam also engaged in various social welfare activities.
State Minister for Public Administrating Ismat Ara Sadeq, State Minister for LGRD and JP Secretary General Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam and Public Administration Secretary Fayez Ahmed expressed deep shock at the death of Syed Ashraful Islam. They also prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
