Former State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain has been arrested from Dhaka's Mohammadpur area. Former EC secretary Helal Uddin arrested in Chattogram Members of Mohammadpur Police Station have made the arrest, Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed the matter on Thursday.    

Advocate Gautam Chakraborty, a former state minister for water resources and two-time MP, died of cardiac arrest on Friday. He was 68. Gautam, also the BNP’s rural development affairs secretary, breathed his last around 1:30pm in the city’s Evercare Hospital, said BNP chairperson’s media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son and a host of relatives of well-wishers to mourn his death. Sayrul said Gautam was first taken to Ibne Sina Hospital in the city’s Dhanmondi area as he suffered a heart attack, and later shifted to the Evercare as his condition worsened. Also read:With eye on polls, BNP sets up new Jubo Dal panel  Gautam was the convener of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Kalyan Front. He was elected MP from Tangail-6 (Nagarpur-Delduar) in 1996 and 2001 with BNP’s ticket. Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir went to the Evercare Hospital after hearing the news of Gautam’s demise. He talked to the bereaved family members of the BNP leader and consoled them. Later talking to reporters, Fakhrul said Gautam Chakraborty kept huge contributions to BNP since his involvement with the party. “BNP is affected through his departure. I am devastated personally as he was one of my close friends. The void created through his demise will not be easily filled,” he observed. Fakhrul said Gautam worked for the welfare and development of the Hindu community while serving as the state minister of the BNP government. “He was a popular leader in his constituency, Tangail. We’re deeply saddened at his death.” BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul expressed deep shock at the death of Gautam.   In separate condolence messages, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed their profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Former state minister AKM Zahangir Hossain has died from Covid-19 at a city hospital.