BNP leader Harun Al Rashid passes away

Harun Al Rashid, a former state minister, five-time lawmaker from the Brahmanbaria-3 constituency and a senior BNP leader, died at a hospital in Dhaka on Thursday. He was 87.

He breathed his last around 8:45pm while undergoing treatment at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in Shyamoli, his nephew Shamim Un Basir confirmed.

Family members said Harun had been suffering from age-related health complications for a long time.

A lawyer by profession, Harun served as vice-chairman of BNP, president of the party's Brahmanbaria district unit, and adviser to former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

He was elected to parliament five times from Brahmanbaria-3 as a BNP candidate and served as chief whip of the 8th Jatiya Sangsad.

During Khaleda Zia's first tenure in office, he held several ministerial positions, including state minister for shipping, state minister for relief and disaster management, and state minister for labour and employment.

Born in Narsingsar village of Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila, Harun was the son of Abdul Bari, who served as a moktar (legal practitioner) at the then Brahmanbaria sub-divisional court during the Pakistan era.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, one daughter and a host of relatives and admirers.

According to family members, he will be laid to rest at Sherpur graveyard in Brahmanbaria town beside his mother's grave.