United News of Bangladesh

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday visited the grave of his younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko on the occasion of his 11th death anniversary and later joined a doa and milad mahfil. Tarique, accompanied by family members including his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, daughter Zaima Rahman and Koko’s wife Syeda Shameela Rahman, went to the Banani Graveyard in the afternoon, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. They offered fateha and a munajat there seeking salvation for the departed soul of Koko and for his parents, late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Read More: Tarique Rahman appeals to voters, highlights BNP’s track record Later, Sayrul said, Tarique joined a doa and milad mahfil at the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office, marking the day. BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan, and members of the Chairman’s advisory council, including Ismail Zabiullah and Mahdi Amin, along with other party leaders and activists, were present. A munajat was offered for the eternal peace of Arafat Rahman Koko's departed soul,  and the well-being of his family. Earlier in the morning, BNP senior leaders and party activists, led by Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, paid homage to Koko by placing a wreath at his grave. Read More: Tarique urges voters to back BNP, warns against vote fraud Following the visit, a doa and milad mahfil was held at the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, attended by leaders and workers from the party’s central, city and affiliated bodies. Different professional and associate organisations of the BNP, as well as its city and district units and sports organisations, also placed wreaths at Koko’s grave and arranged various programmes in observance of the death anniversary. On 24 January 2015, Koko, also a sports organiser, died of cardiac arrest in Malaysia at the age of 45. His body was brought back home on 27 January and buried at Banani Graveyard.