Former Finance Minister, diplomat, Freedom Fighter and language veteran AMA Muhith was laid to eternal rest at his family graveyard in Sylhet on Sunday. Muhith, the former MP of Sylhet-1 constituency, was buried after Zohr prayers, next to his parents' graves at his family graveyard at Rainagar Family Graveyard in the city. Earlier, his last namaz-e-janaza was held at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasha ground around 2:18 pm. Also read: Muhith: A gifted economist who was a prolific writer! Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, brother of Muhith, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) mayor Ariful Haque,andleaders and activists of Awami League, among others,  attended the namaz-e-janaza. Earlier, his body was taken to Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar by an ambulance Sunday noon where thousands of people from all walks of life paid their last respect to the former minister.

The body of AMA Muhith, former Finance Minister, diplomat, Freedom Fighter and language veteran, reached Sylhet around 10 pm on Saturday where people were waiting to see one of the region's proudest sons for the last time. Later, the body was taken to the city’s Hafiz Complex. His body will be taken to the central Shaheed Minar in Sylhet on Sunday (May 1) at 12 noon where people from all walks of life will pay last respects to Muhith, one of the giants of Bangladesh's political arena whose role stretches through the entire history of independent Bangladesh. His last namaz-e-janaza will be held at 2 pm at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground. After Janaza, he will be buried next to his parents at his family graveyard at Rayanagar in the city. AMA Muhith, one of the country's longest-serving finance ministers, the only one who commanded the economy for 10 consecutive years, and the principal architect of the Awami League's era of development, breathed his last in the wee hours of Saturday. Muhith’s first namaz-e-janaza was held around 10.45 am at Gulshan Azad Mosque in the city on Saturday. Later, his body was taken to Central Shaheed Minar where people from all walks of life paid homage. The second namaz-e-janaza of the Awami League advisory council member was held at Dhaka University central mosque after Zohr prayers on Saturday. Muhith had been keeping unwell for quite some time. In July 2021, he tested positive for Covid-19, but fought that back. Then in March, he was hospitalised again as he became enfeebled in his old age. Also read: Muhith: His footprints traverse the journey of Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who entrusted him with authoring the Awami League's manifesto as the party charted its comeback ahead of the 2008 election, expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Muhith. 

  One of the country's longest-serving finance ministers, the only one who commanded the economy for 10 consecutive years, and the principal architect of the Awami League's era of development, AMA Muhith, breathed his last in the early hours of Saturday. Muhith, 88, passed away at a city hospital at 12:56am – technically in the wee hours of Saturday – his brother Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told UNB. He had been keeping unwell for quite some time. In July 2021, Muhith tested positive for Covid, but fought that back. Then in March, he was hospitalised again as he became enfeebled in his old age. Muhith's first janaza will be held at the Gulshan Azad Mosque at 10:30am on Saturday, followed by the second at 11:30am at the Parliament premises, Momen said. Afterwards, his body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar at 2pm for the public to pay their respects to one of the giants of Bangladesh's political arena, whose role stretches through the entire history of independent Bangladesh. After that, it will be off to Sylhet for burial in ancestral surroundings for one of the region's proudest sons. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who entrusted him with authoring the Awami League's manifesto as the party charted its comeback ahead of the 2008 election, expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Muhith. That manifesto underpinned the AL's era of unprecedented dominance, and his entire spell as finance minister, the most influential portfolio in the cabinet. For ten years, his seat was reserved to the immidiate right of the prime minister at weekly cabinet meetings. As the finance minister of the Awami League government, he presented the budget in parliament for 10 years at a stretch. He had also presented it in an earlier era, as finance minister in the early days of the Ershad-led administration. Muhith left his mark in the deliberate and strategic move towards expansionary fiscal policy, reflected in the burgeoning of the budget under his watch – from Tk114,000 crore in 2009-10, the first under the newly elected AL government, to Tk464,000 crore in his last, for the 2018-19 fiscal. At first, his critics said he was overambitious with his budgets. His retort was that he would rather be that, than fall short on ambition. It set the tone for the AL's blueprint of governance in many ways, and continues to define it to this day. Muhith retired from politics after serving as the finance minister of Sheikh Hasina's government from 2009 to 2018. Birth and Early life  Muhith was born on 25 January 1934 in Dhopadighi, Sylhet. He was the third child of Advocate Abu Ahmad Abdul Hafiz who was a leader of the Pakistan Movement and the founder of the then Sylhet District Muslim League. His mother Syed Shahar Banu Chowdhury was also active in politics and social work. He secured first place in the intermediate examination in the province in 1951 from Sylhet MC College. Muhith stood first class first in BA in English Literature in 1954 from Dhaka University and passed his MA with credit from the same university in 1955. During his service period, he studied at Oxford University from 1957-58 and received an MPA degree from Harvard University in 1964. After joining Pakistan Civil Service in 1956, he served in different capacities in the East Pakistan government, the central government of Pakistan, and then Bangladesh. During his service as the chief and deputy secretary of the Pakistan Planning Commission, he made a report on the disparity between East and West Pakistan in 1966 and that was the first report submitted on that issue in the Pakistan National Assembly in fulfilment of the constitutional obligation. Liberation War and beyond He was the counsellor (economic) at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC when he joined the Liberation War effort as the first in his station to defect for Bangladesh and inspired many others to join him later on. After retiring early from government service in the early Eighties, he embarked on a decades-long career as a consultant on economic and development matters at the Ford Foundation, IFAD, UN, UNDP, ADB and World Bank. Muhith was also a pioneer of the Bangladesh environment movement and was one of the founders as president of BAPA in 2000. He joined Awami League in 2001 and was elected a member of parliament in 2009 from his home constituency in Sylhet, after an earlier foray with the Gono Forum fizzled out without notable success. Muhith was awarded the highest civil award Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) in 2016 for his contribution to the Liberation War and devoted record of public service. He was equally gifted as a writer and published 35 books on different subjects, including the Liberation War, economic development, history, public administration and political problems.  

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has expressed deep shock at the death of his brother Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, former finance minister and freedom fighter. Muhith died in the early hours of Saturday after a prolonged illness at the age of 88. In a condolence message, Momen prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members. He fondly remembered Muhith's extraordinary personality, human qualities, patriotism and contribution to the welfare of the country and the people. In a separate message, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam also expressed his grief at the death of Muhith.

One of the most formidable figures in the country’s political arena, one whose legacy still steers the country’s journey, and as the holder of the most important portfolio in the cabinet for 10 years at a stretch, the architect of the Bangladesh economy as it stands today, AMA Muhith, son of Sylhet, has passed away. He – an economist, diplomat, freedom fighter and language veteran – passed away at a city hospital in the wee hours (12:56am) of Saturday, his brother Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told UNB. Muhith, 88, had been keeping unwell for quite some time. In July 2021, he tested positive for Covid, but fought that back. Then in March, he was hospitalised again as he became enfeebled in his old age. Muhith's first janaza will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque at 10:30am Saturday and the second at 11:30am at the Parliament premises, Momen said. Afterwards, his body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar at 2pm for public homage and after that to Sylhet for burial. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed their grief at the death of Muhith. Foreign Minister Momen Saturday expressed deep shock at the death of his brother. In a condolence message, he prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members. Momen fondly remembered Muhith's extraordinary personality, human qualities, patriotism and contribution to the welfare of the country and the people. In a separate message, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam also expressed his grief at the death of Muhith. Muhith, as the finance minister of the Awami League government, presented the budget in the parliament for 10 years at a stretch. It was during his tenure that the size of the budget expanded. On January 6, 2009, Muhith took oath as the finance minister of Bangladesh. He retired from politics after serving as the finance minister of Sheikh Hasina's government from 2009 to 2018. Muhith was born on 25 January 1934 in Dhopadighi, Sylhet. He was the third child of Advocate Abu Ahmad Abdul Hafiz who was a leader of the Pakistan Movement and the founder of the then Sylhet District Muslim League. His mother Syed Shahar Banu Chowdhury was also active in politics and social work. Muhith had been a recognised figure in the World Bank, IMF, IDB, ADB and different organisations of the United Nations for quite a long period. He secured first place in the intermediate examination in the province in 1951 from Sylhet MC College. Muhith stood first class first in BA in English Literature in 1954 from Dhaka University and passed his MA with credit from the same university in 1955. During his service period, he studied at Oxford University from 1957-58 and received an MPA degree from Harvard University in 1964. After joining Pakistan Civil Service in 1956, he served in different capacities in the East Pakistan government, the central government of Pakistan, and then Bangladesh. During his service as the chief and deputy secretary of the Pakistan Planning Commission, he made a report on the disparity between East and West Pakistan in 1966, and that was the first report submitted on that issue in the Pakistan National Assembly in fulfilment of the constitutional obligation. Muhith was the first diplomat of the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington who transferred his allegiance to Bangladesh in June during the Liberation War of 1971. He was appointed as the secretary of planning in January 1972 and secretary of the External Resources Division of the Finance and Planning Ministry in May 1977. Muhith went for early retirement in 1981 from his service and started the second chapter of his career as a consultant on economic and development matters at the Ford Foundation, IFAD, UN, UNDP, ADB and World Bank. He was finance and planning minister from March 1982 to December 1983. Muhith was also a pioneer of the Bangladesh Environment Movement and the founder and president of BAPA established in 2000. He joined the Awami League in 2001 and was elected a member of parliament in 2009 from his home constituency in Sylhet. Muhith was awarded the highest civil award Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) in 2016 for his contribution to the Liberation War and devoted record of public service. He was equally gifted as a writer and published 35 books on different subjects, including the Liberation War, economic development, history, public administration and political problems.

The health condition of former finance minister AMA Muhith, now undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in the capital, has improved. "Muhith Bhai is better than Tuesday. He is doing fine. His saturation is now 96. He ate dinner comfortably and is now trying to sleep," said his brother and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen Wednesday night. Read: Ex-finance minister Muhith admitted to CMH with Covid Muhith was admitted to CMH for better treatment after he had tested positive for Covid-19. The 87-year-old took two doses of the Covid vaccine. Dr Momen said his brother wathched Bangladesh-Australia T20 cricket match and requested all to avoid any false news about him.

Former Finance Minister AMA Muhith, who tested positive for Covid-19 three days ago, has been admitted to the Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka for better treatment. Muhith was initially taking treatment at home and then admitted to the CMH at 3pm on Thursday. "There’s no complication. He’s doing fine but a bit weak. He has been admitted to the CMH at the  Prime Minister's directive for his better treatment," an official told UNB. Read: Why only 1 crore people pay taxes? asks Muhith The 87-year-old former finance minister,  known for his urbane manner, tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. Those who are praying for him and arranging any doa mahfil in Sylhet have been requested not to crowd anywhere and maintain safe physical distance. His elder son, Shahed Muhith, has also tested positive for Covid-19. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen urged all to pray for his brother's quick recovery. He also requested all not to crowd but maintain health guidelines while arranging any doa mahfil in Sylhet and elsewhere in the country.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday emphasised spreading the message of Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech at home and abroad and encouraged youngsters to get inspired by it and play roles in building ‘Sonar Bangla’. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will begin its "Bangabandhu Lecture Series" on Tuesday, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.