Dhaka: Dewanbagi Pir (Islamic saint) has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of United Hospital in Dhaka.

United Hospital’s media and public relations officer Sajjadul Islam Shuva told NTV Online, ‘Dewanbagi Pir admitted into the hospital suffering from pneumonia on February 5. He was admitted into the ICU on Friday afternoon after the deterioration of his condition. He was kept under the supervision of Doctor Nazmul Islam.’

According to Dewanbag Sharif’s website, Dewanbagi Pir’s name is Mahbub-e-Khoda. He is popularly known as Dewanbagi Pir. He, also a freedom fighter, was born on December 14, 1949, at Syed family of Bahadurpur village under Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria. The name of his father is Syed Abdur Rashid Sarker and his mother is Syeda Zobeda Khatun. He is the 6th among six brothers and two sisters. Dewanbagi Pir began his education at a primary school at nearby village of Sohagpur. Then he got admitted in Talshahar Karimia Alia Madrasah. He achieved the highest degree of Alia Madrasah. In 1969 he was made President of Joint Action Committee of Students comprising schools, colleges and madrasahs during the first phase of the Liberation Movement.

After the beginning of the Liberation War on March 25 in 1971, Dewanbagi Pir formed a team of volunteers with the members of the Students Action Committee and ensured food, shelter and security for the people driven out by the Pakistani occupation force. On April 11, 1971 he joined the camp of the freedom fighters at Brahmanbaria along with his 72 volunteers. In the first few months of the Liberation War he, as the commander of a troop of freedom fighters under Sector No. 3, fought the occupation forces on different fronts courageously. Later, at the headquarters of Sector No. 3 at Hejamura in India he used to administer the ‘attestation parade’ or oath taking ceremony. He led the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Hejamura camp. In 1972, he at the advice of General AKM Shafiullah, Commander of the Sector No. 3, joined the post of ‘religious teacher’ in the 16th Bengal Regiment as he was an alem freedom fighter.