Syed Ashraf’s 2nd death anniversary

The second anniversary of death of former Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam will be held on Sunday, reports BSS.

On January 3 in 2019, Syed Ashraf, also the then Public Administration Minister, died at the age of 68 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bangkok. He had been suffering from lung cancer.

Ashraf was born in Mymensingh in 1952. His father Syed Nazrul Islam was the acting president of Mujibnagar Government in 1971 and one of the key organisers of Bangladesh independence struggle.

Ashraf took part in the 1971 Liberation War. He was trained as a freedom fighter in Dehradun in India.

He was active in student politics and served as general secretary of Mymensingh district Chhatra League after the country’s independence. He also served as Assistant Publicity Secretary of Central Chhatra League.

In November 3 in 1975, his father Syed Nazrul Islam and three other national leaders were brutally killed in Dhaka Central Jail.

After this incident, Syed Ashraf went to London and organised Bangladesh Awami League in the UK.

Ashraf came back home in 1996 and was elected as a member of parliament from Kishoreganj Sadar constituency. He served as the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry during 1996-2001. He also was elected parliament member in 2001 and served as a member of Foreign Affairs Standing Committee in Parliament.

In 2008, Syed Ashra was elected lawmaker again and appointed as the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister. He took over the charge of Public Administration Ministry on July 16, 2015.

Although Ashraf was absent during the 11th national elections, he was elected as parliament member from Kishoreganj-1 constituency.

His wife Shila Islam also died in October 2017 while they left their only daughter.