Tofail Ahmed's second namaz-e-janaza held in Bhola

The second namaz-e-janaza of veteran politician Tofail Ahmed was held in Bhola. 

Thousands of people attended at the namaz-e-janaza at the Bhola Government High School grounds around 2:30 pm on Tuesday.

Earlier, a state guard of honour paid tribute to this one of the organisers of the Liberation War.

On Tuesday around 1:30 pm, his body was taken by helicopter from Dhaka to the helipad adjacent to the Bir Shrestha Mostafa Kamal bus stand in Bhola. From there, the body was taken to the Bhola Government High School grounds in a freezing van.

Family members said that the third namaz-e-janaza is set to be held at Tofail Ahmed's birthplace in Koralia village in Sadar upazila this afternoon and he will be buried next to his mother in the family graveyard.

Tofail Ahmed died at the capital's Square Hospital around 3:30 pm on Monday while undergoing treatment. 

Later, his first namaz-e-janaza was held at the Taqwa Mosque in Dhanmondi after Maghrib prayers. Leaders of various political parties, former ministers, dignitaries and people from all walks of life participated in it.

Tofail Ahmed had been suffering from various complications related to old age for a long time. He had been undergoing treatment since he was admitted to the hospital on September 24 last year due to pneumonia-related breathing problems, heart disease and physical weakness. 

The veteran politician spent more than eight months of his last life in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the capital's Square Hospital.

Tofail Ahmed was born on October 22, 1943, in Koralia village of Dakhin Dighaldi Union of Bhola Sadar Upazila. From 1967 to 1969, he was the VP of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU). He played a leading role in the mass uprising of 69.

In the 1970 elections, at the age of 27, Tofail Ahmed was elected as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He was elected as a member of parliament nine times. He served as a minister several times. He was a member of the advisory council of the banned Awami League.