Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Individuals from various backgrounds, including politicians, members of civil society, professionals, social activists, and human rights advocates, conveyed their profound dismay and paid homage to veteran freedom fighter Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, who passed away on Tuesday night.
He passed away at the age of 81 years at Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital at about 11:00 pm on Tuesday due to complications related to kidney function and other age-related ailments.
Remembering the significant contributions of the founder and trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Dr Chowdhury to the liberation war and the country's health sector, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate condolence messages expressed shock and sorrow at the death of the 1971 Liberation War hero.
Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other political parties also mourned his death in separate condolence messages.
The body of the Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, who was fondly called "the doctor for the poor", will be kept on Central Shaheed Minar premises today (Thursday) for three hours from 10:00 am so that people from sections of the society can pay their last respect to the great personality.
The valiant freedom fighter will be given a guard of honour at the Shaheed Minar, said Gonoshasthaya Kendra Chairperson Alfatun Nesa Maya at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Later, his body will be taken to Suhrawardy Udyan where his first namaz-e-janaza will be held. The second namaz-e-janaza will be held at Gonoshasthaya Kendra in Savar on Friday after Jumma prayer, she said.
Quoting Gonoshasthaya Kendra Chairperson Professor Altafunnessa Maya, several media reports noted that his family will decide whether to bury or donate the body,
Echoing the same, Ganasanghati Andolan's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said Zafrullah's family will decide about his last rites.
"He had 10 siblings, along with his wife and children. Almost all of them are in Dhaka. The decision about his body's donation will depend on them. We hope to disclose the decision after the first funeral prayers tomorrow."
"As far as I know, most of our family members support his decision to donate the body. He told us several times to donate his body. We would like to respect his wishes," said Zafrullah's younger sister Aleya Chowdhury.
Dr Zafrullah completed his MBBS from Dhaka Medical College in 1964 before going to London for studying FRCS. When the FRCS course was about to be ended, the Liberation War began in Bangladesh.
Responding to the call for independence in 1971, he chose to skip the exams and decided to join in the independence war after tearing apart the Pakistani passport during a rally in London, protesting the massacre of Bangalees by the Pakistan occupation army.
After a struggle, Dr Zafruillah along with Dr MA Mobin reached Agartala in Kolkata where they built Bangladesh Field Hospital to provide treatments to the wounded freedom fighters.
Apart from the liberation war and healthcare activities, the country's noted physician remained vocal about the issues like rule of law, governance and democracy and people's rights until his death.
However, the contributions of this great personality did not go unappreciated. In 1977, he received the Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of the Bangladesh government. In 1985, he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award from the Philippines. In 1992, he received the Right Livelihood Award from Sweden.
He also received the International Health Hero Award from the University of Berkeley in the United States, and the Ahmed Sharif Memorial Award from Bangladesh.
Zafrullah Chowdhury was born on 27 December 1941 in Raujan, in Chattogram district. His father was a student of revolutionary Masterda Surja Sen.
Zafrullah passed matriculation from Nabakumar School, Bakshibazar, Dhaka and Intermediate from Dhaka College. Later in 1990, he received an honorary FCGP from the College of General Practitioners.
In May 2009, he was awarded a Doctor of Humanitarian Service by the World Organisation of Natural Medicine of Canada.
jubairfe1980@gmail.com