Dhaka: Chairman of a faction of Jatiya Party (JP) Kazi Zafar Ahmed, also a former prime minister, died at a hospital in Dhaka on Thursday morning. He was 76.

Kazi Zafar’s personal secretary Mostofa Ahmed said Zafar Ahmed was admitted to United Hospital after a cardia arrest at about 7:00am where doctors declared him dead at about 7:30am.

BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Shairul Kabir Khan said Khaleda Zia and BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed profound shock at the death of the Jatiya Party leader.

The Namaz-e-Janaza of Kazi Zafar Ahmed will be held at the South Plaza of National Parliament Building at about 12:00noon on Friday. His second Nazmaz-e-Janaza will be offered after Jumu’ah prayer at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque premises.

Born in 1939, Kazi Zafar Ahmed served as Commerce Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and finally as Prime Minister during the Ershad Government.