Dhaka: Prime Minister and Leader of the Parliament Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to former social welfare minister Enamul Hoque Mostofa Shaheed by placing wreaths on his coffin at the South Plaza of the Parliament Building on Thursday afternoon.

The Premier laid the wreaths on the coffin draped with the red-green national flag after a namaz-e-janaza of Shaheed who died at a Dhaka hospital this noon, reported BSS.

After placing the wreath, Sheikh Hasina stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the former social welfare minister.

Flanked by senior leaders and parliament members, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, placed wreaths again on the coffin of the deceased.

Earlier, on behalf of President Abdul Hamid, his deputy military secretary placed wreaths on the coffin of Shaheed, who was elected parliament member for six times on AL ticket from Habiganj-4 constituency.

Besides, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Mian placed wreaths, while on behalf of Opposition Leader Begum Raushan Ershad, opposition whip Nurul Islam Omar and on behalf of the Jatiya Party, its Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader, MP, placed wreaths.

Earlier, a state guard of honour was given to Shaheed, also a valiant Freedom Fighter in the War of Liberation in 1971. Bugle played the last post at that time.

The former minister was honoured with the Ekushey Padak, one of Bangladesh’s highest civilian awards, in 2013 for his contribution during the 1971 Liberation War.

Before the janaza, on behalf of Bangladesh Awami League, Commerce Minister and Advisory Council Member of the party Tofail Ahmed and the deceased’ eldest son Nizamul Haque Rana delivered brief speeches, while lawmaker Abu Zahir, gave an address on the life sketch of Shaheed.

A special prayer was offered after the funeral prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed soul. The imam of the Jatiya Sangsad Mosque conducted the munajat.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Railway Minister Muzibul Haque, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam, AL Presidium Member Advocate Sahara Khatoon, Chief Whip ASM Feroz, central AL leaders Muhammad Faruk Khan, Dr Abdur Razzaque and Abul Hasnat Abdullah, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, whips and parliament members were present on the occasion, among others.

Shaheed, also the former president and general secretary of Habiganj district Awami League, breathed his last at 12.20 pm at the Square Hospital here at the age of 78. He was suffering from various ailments including kidney diseases and diabetes for a long time, family sources said. They said Shaheed’s body will be kept at BIRDEM hospital mortuary after the funeral prayer at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban this afternoon.

The sources said his body will be taken to Habiganj on Friday morning.

Shaheed will be buried at the family graveyard at his Chunarughat ancestral home the same day.