Veteran politician Pankaj Bhattacharjya dies

Veteran politician and Oikya National Awami Party (NAP) President Pankaj Bhattacharjya died in the early hours of Monday. He was 83. 

He breathed his last at 12:25am while undergoing treatment at Health and Hope Hospital in Dhaka.

Pankaj, also one of the organisers of the Great Liberation War, was suffering from different ailments including respiratory problem. 

He was admitted to the hospital on April 17. He was kept on life support on Saturday after his physical condition deteriorated. 

He was born on 6 August, 1939 in Noapara village of Raozan upazila of Chattogram. His father was a school teacher.

However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Pankaj.

In a message of condolence, she prayed for salvation of his departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.