Ex-Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali dies

Former deputy speaker and one of the accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case Shawkat Ali has died at the age of 84. He breathed his last at the Combined Miltary Hospital (CMH) in the capital on Monday morning, said said Tariq Mahmood, director of public relations at the Parliament Secretariat. Shawkat, also a retired colonel, was suffering from kidney, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and pneumonia. He had been undergoing treatment at CMH for some time.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury expressed deep shock at the demise of Shawkat Ali. In separate messages, they prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.Valiant freedom fighter Shawkat Ali was elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Shariatpur-2 constituency six times.He was the founding chairman of Muktijoddha Sanghati Parishad and chief advisor of 71 Foundation.