Arafat Rahman dies

Arafat Rahman, the youngest son of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, died of a heart attack in Malaysia on Saturday. He was 45. He died at about 12:30pm Bangladesh time on the way to National University of Malaysia Hospital after falling ill at his residence at Ampang neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur, BNP chairperson’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel said. The body was kept at the National University of Malaysia Hospital mortuary. Khaleda’s two sisters-in-law – wives of her two brothers – went to her Gulshan office at about 2:30pm with the news of Arafat’s death. Khaleda has been staying in the office since January 3. The government kept her confined there till January 19. BNP standing committee member Mahbubur Rahman, who visited Khaleda in the afternoon, said she had kept herself behind closed doors in her chamber on the first floor of the Gulshan office. ‘She has been crying and has not taken any visitors since she heard the news in the afternoon,’ he said. Arafat had been living in a rented house at Ampang neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur along with his wife and two daughters for several years, said BNP sources. Following the political changeover on January 11 in 2007, Khaleda and her sons —Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman — were arrested on charges of corruption. Khaleda and Arafat were arrested at their Dhaka Cantonment residence on September 2, 2007. Tarique was arrested on March 8, 2007. After his release on parole in July 19, 2008, Arafat went to Thailand with his family for treatment. Later, he moved to Malaysia and had been staying there. BNP leaders said it was yet to be decided when and how Arafat’s body would be brought back. After visiting Khaleda, BNP standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Mia told reporters that Arafat’s body would be flown in Dhaka soon. ‘Tarique Rahman will attend the first namaj-e-janaza of Arafat on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur and he will decide when and how the body will be brought back to the country,’ he said. Tarique, also senior vice-chairman of BNP, is now living in London.

The first funeral prayers for Arafat would be held at the national mosque of Malaysia – Masjid Negara – in Kuala Lumpur after johr prayers on Sunday, said Shamsuddin Didar, a press wing officer of the BNP chairperson. BNP, in a release, said it would hold prayer sessions for Arafat at mosques across the country on Sunday and Monday. Khaleda and Arafat had not met in last seven years since 2007. However, Arafat’s spouse and their daughters met Khaleda several times at home and abroad. Arafat was awarded a six-year imprisonment on June 23, 2011 in a money laundering case. He was also fined around Tk 39 crore and the court ordered confiscation of the 19.70 crore which was smuggled out. He was made accused in four more cases. BNP said the cases were politically motivated. The Anti-Corruption Commission said it had brought back around 20.41 lakh Singapore dollars laundered by Arafat and his associates in 2012. Tarique left the country on September 11, 2008 after being freed on bail. He is also facing at least 50 cases on charges of corruption, extortion and defamation. Visitors from across party ranks swarmed Khaleda Zia’s office in Gulshan after hearing the news. Arafat’s mother-in-law also came to visit Khaleda. Some madrassah students also went to the BNP chief’s office to perform Quran khwani. Many socio-political organisations sent messages of condolence at the death of Arafat. The police barred the BNP from holding a prayer session for Arafat at the party’s central office at Naya Paltan in the afternoon. The police have kept the BNP office locked since January 3. BNP assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jonny said, ‘We wanted to hold a prayer session on the ground floor of our central office in the afternoon, but the police refused permission.’ The chief of a component of the BNP-led alliance said the ‘ongoing movement’ would continue. Bangladesh Kalyan Party chairman Syed Mohammad Ibrahim told reporters after visiting Khaleda Zia that the BNP-led alliance had not decided to change the programmes. ‘We think the ongoing programme will continue,’ he said.

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