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5 years ago

Father Marino laid to eternal rest in Bagerhat

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Father Marino Rigon, Italian-born Bangladesh's honorary citizen and freedom fighter, was laid to eternal rest beside Saint Paul's Church in Bagerhat district on Sunday, a year after his death.

A guard of honour was given to him while bugle played the last post, reports UNB.

Earlier, mortal remains of Father Marino Rigon reached Mongla upazila of the district by a helicopter from Dhaka International Airport around 9:36 am.

The remains were kept at the field of Mongla upazila complex where people paid their last respects to the freedom fighter by placing wreaths.

The remains of Marino were taken to Saint Paul's Hospital and Saint Paul's School premises.

Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukdar Abdul Khalek, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Mario Palma, Bagerhat Deputy commissioner Tapan Kumar Biswas, among others, were present.

Earlier, the remains of Father Marino arrived at Dhaka Airport in the morning.

Father Rigon, who was given honorary citizenship in 2009 and honoured with 'Friends of Liberation War Honour', breathed his last while undergoing treatment in Italy's Vicenza on October 20, 2017.

Father Rigon was born on February 5, 1925 at Villaverla in Italy. He came to the then East Pakistan in 1953.

After his extensive visits to Bangladesh villages, he established a church and a school Shelabunia village of Mongla and started living there permanently.

Father Rigon took part in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 by sheltering and taking care of injured freedom fighters.

Father Marino had spent 61 years in Bangladesh as a missionary. He was famous for translating the works of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

He was a great expert on the Bangladeshi poet Rabindranath Tagore and translated 40 of his works in Italian.

In 60 years of mission, he played a key role in fighting poverty, expanding education, offering medical services, and helping poor women.

Thousands of women still benefit from the assistance programme he helped set up.

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