Mohammed Nasim, AL leader and former health minister, dies at 72

Mohammed Nasim, the Awami League stalwart who served Sheikh Hasina in four different cabinet roles, has died in hospital care at the age of 72.

Nasim, who had been on life support after suffering a stroke, passed away at the Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in Shyamoli on Saturday morning, Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua confirmed.

He leaves behind his wife and three children, bdnews24.com reported.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader have expressed their condolences over Nasim's death.

"The prime minister has spoken to his son Tanvir Shakil Joy," Biplab said.

Nasim was hospitalised with a fever on Jun 1 and later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

With underlying health conditions, he had undergone brain surgery after suffering a stroke during treatment.

Nasim was put in intensive care and later on life support, doctors said. Although he later tested negative for Covid-19, his condition showed no signs of improvement over the following days.

Nasim had initially tested negative for the coronavirus but his wife and a house help had been confirmed to have caught Covid-19.

But as his fever, cough and other health conditions began to worsen, the family got him admitted to the hospital on Jun 1 and a second test confirmed he had contracted the virus.

The veteran politician will be laid to rest at the Banani graveyard on Sunday.