Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale paid homage to late Syed Muazzem Ali on Tuesday saying the former High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India was “a friend of India and a wonderful diplomat to work with and a fine human being.” “He will be missed by all his friends in India,” Gokhale wrote in a condolence book opened at Bangladesh High Commission for the diplomatic community to pay last respect to the late envoy.
Gokhale further wrote: “We, in the Ministry of External Affairs, are deeply grieved at the demise of High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali. Our sincere condolences to his family and to all his colleagues in Bangladesh.” The condolence book will remain open for three days until Thursday on the second floor of the chancery.
Besides. the mission will hold a condolence meeting in remembrance of Syed Muazzem Ali at 4 pm on Friday, January 3 at the chancery’s Maitree Hall. Syed Muazzem, 75, passed away on Monday at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka due to old age complications, days after he left New Delhi ending his 5-year tenure in India.
Earlier on Wednesday, the former foreign secretary was given state guard of honour on the premises of the state guesthouse Padma after his first Namaj-e-Janaza. Representatives of President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the coffin of Muazzem Ali.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, former Finance Minister AMA Muhith, former Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, newly-appointed Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the Vatican to Bangladesh Archbishop George Kocherry, Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das along with diplomats and senior officials were present to show their last respect to the late freedom fighter.
The Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) led by its outgoing president Raheed Ejaz and general secretary Nurul Islam Hasib also placed wreath at the coffin. While serving in the Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Muazzem Ali declared his allegiance to the government of Bangladesh.
“He has always been a fully committed person and a good soul, I am feeling so bad.” the foreign minister said. Momen said the nation would always remember him for his contributions towards the Liberation War in 1971. Ali’s second Namaj-e-Janaza was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Zuhr prayers. He was laid to eternal rest at Banani graveyard this afternoon. His Qulkhawani is scheduled to be held on Friday.
