DHAKA:  Politicians, professionals and academicians expressed profound shock at the death of legendary parliamentarian and politician Suranjit Sengupta.

Opposition leader Rawshan Ershad, Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed,

Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq issued separate condolence messages.

“We have lost an experienced politician at the death of Suranjit. His contribution to frame the Constitution of Independent Bangladesh will be recalled forever by the nation,” Rawshan Ershad said.

Tofail Ahmed said all become bewitched when Suranjit Sengupta delivered his speech in the parliament session.

“He can say the truth very frankly. His death is an irreparable loss to the country’s political arena,” he said.

Information Minister and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sherif, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Jatiya Sangsad Whip Md Shahab Uddin also mourned the death of the veteran politician.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also expressed deep shock at the death of the senior leader of Awami League.

Terming Surnajit a pro-people politician, Khaleda Zia said Suranjit played an important role in the country’s different democratic movements including Liberation War and in achieving people’s democratic right.

“The countrymen will never forget the role of Surnajit Sengupta in the field of politics as he was always vibrant in support of rights of the country and its people,” she said.

State Minster for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Sikder, State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mohammad Mujibul Haque, Senior Secretary of Land Ministry Mesbah Ul Alam and Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed also expressed profound shock at the death of Sengupta.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said that the country had lost a veteran politician at the death of Suranjit.

“Suranjit devoted himself to politics from his youth. He is a unique personality in the country’s history of politics,” he said.

Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Pediment ASM Abdur Rab and General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha, Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Farzana Islam also mourned the death of Sengupta.

Veteran politician and Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta died today at a private hospital in the city at the age of 72.

The veteran parliamentarian had been suffering from cancer for long which collapsed his central nervous system and made his lungs dysfunctional.

The body of Suranjit was taken to the Dakeswari Temple at about 12 noon and from there to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at 3pm where politicians, professionals, cultural and social activists thronged to have last glimpses of him and pay their respect to the veteran politician.

The body is now kept at Lab-Aid Hospital mortuary. It will be taken to Sylhet at 9 am tomorrow. Later, Suranjit’s body will be taken to his ancestral home in Derai upazila of Sumanganj around 3pm for funeral.