BANGLADESH

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday lavished tributes on Abdur Razzak, the late political stalwart who was one of the key organisers of nation's independence war.

"The country has lost a valiant freedom fighter and an efficient and patriotic leader at his death," she said at a discussion on the obituary references at the deaths of Razzak and 20 other eminent persons on the first day of the 12th session parliament.

Razzak, a former minister and Awami League presidium member, passed away at a London hospital on Dec 23 while undergoing treatment, thus bringing a 50-year-long distinguished career in politics to a close.

Hasina also paid tributes to 20 other eminent persons, including national professor Kabir Chowdhury, former state minister Rashed Mosharraf, Abdur Rouf, Shamsur Rahman Shahjahan and Rashid Talukdar, who died after the 11th session was prorogued.

Later on, a one-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to their memory.

Referring to the beginning of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Hasina said she is fortunate that she could work with Razzak when she did politics of Chhatra League.

"He had led Chhatra League with efficiency during the freedom struggle and took advices from my mother in absence of Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the independence hero who was then imprisoned)," she said.

Razzak was twice general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the Awami League's student front. In 1967, he served the East Pakistan Chhatra League as its general secretary.

Hasina said her mother had profound affection for Razzak and even arranged marriage for him.

Before her, senior AL leader and long-time comrade Tofail Ahmed said Razzak was uncompromising on the issue of the trial of suspected war criminals. "The trial is in progress."

Suranjit Sengupta said there had been an erosion of political idealism, honesty and ethics following the death of Razzak.

Deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, senior AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Jatiya Party secretary general Ruhul Amin Hawlader, JSD president Hasanul Haque Inu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and Rahmat Ali also took part in the discussion on the obituary references.

In his opening speech, speaker Abdul Hamid said: "Parliament is the centre point of politics. It (parliament) is the main centre to fulfil the people's demands and expectations."

"Both the government and opposition party MPs can go ahead towards achieving political goals using this national assembly. Besides the ruling party, the opposition can play a crucial role in making parliament effective."

At the beginning of the session, the speaker nominated a five-member panel to preside over the current session when he and his deputy will be absent.

The members are Abdul Matin Khasru, Mohammad Mujibul Haque, A K M Mozammel Haque, Jafrul Islam Chowdhury and Nazma Akhter Khanam.