Body of Arafat reaches Dhaka

The body of Arafat Rahman Koko, the youngest son of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, reached Dhaka after flying from Malaysia on Tuesday morning. The flight carrying Arafat’s  body landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:50am, our correspondent reported. A Malaysian Airlines flight (MH 102) carried Arafat’s body that left Kuala Lumpur at around 8:00am Bangladesh time today, party sources said. The body is being accompanied by Khaleda Zia’s brother Shamim Eskandar and two of her relatives. Arafat’s spouse and their two daughters also accompanied the body, party sources said. Top BNP leaders received the body from the hanger gate of the airport, they said.

The party standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan,vice-chairmen Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf and Abdullah Al Noman, and international affairs secretary Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury went to the airport to receive the body. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around the airport area. From the airport, the body will be taken to BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office where Khaleda Zia has been staying since January 3. The government had kept Khaleda confined at her office from January 3 to 19. Khaleda will see her son for the last time at her office today. She did not meet Arafat since 2007 when both of them were arrested from their cantonment house following the January 11, 2007 political changeover. Arafat’s body will be kept at the Gulshan office for sometime for people to pay their tributes. The funeral prayer of Arafat Rahman will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Asr prayers today, instead of in front of BNP central office in Naya Paltan in Dhaka. Arafat Rahman died of a heart attack in Malaysia on Saturday.

Ghayebana janazas for Arafat were also held at New York and London. Khaleda Zia’s eldest son and BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman attended a janaza for Arafat at east London Sunday, party sources said. BNP started a three-day mourning programme Monday over the death of Arafat Rahman. As part of the programme, black flag has been hoisted and the party flag has been kept at half-mast at its offices across the country. The party leaders and activists were wearing black badge, offering prayers, Quran Khwani and milad mahfil seeking eternal salvation of the departed soul.

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