Dhaka: BNP on Friday paid last respects to its former standing committee member and former minister M Shamsul Islam, who died at a city hospital on Thursday, by placing wreaths at his coffin.

Shamsul Islam’s coffin was taken to BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 10:30am and kept on a temporary stage in front of it, enabling party leaders and activists to have a last glimpse of their late leader.

The third namaz-e-janaza of the BNP leader was held there participated by several hundred party leaders and activists.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, vice-chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Aminul Haque, Ahmed Azam Khan, chairperson’s advisers Mizanur Rahman Minu, Habibur Rahman Habib, Abdus Salam, party treasurer Mizanur Rahman Sinha and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, among others, joined the janaza.

In a brief address prior to the janaza, Fakhrul recalled Shamsul Islam’s outstanding contributions to BNP. ‘The vacuum created in the country’s political arena at the death of a seasoned politician like Shamsul Islam won’t easily be filled.’

He urged people to pray for salvation of the BNP leader’s departed soul.

Later, Fakhrul along with party senior leaders, on behalf of the party, placed wreaths at his coffin and draped it with a party flag as a mark of respect to the late leader.

Leaders of the party’s different associate bodies also placed wreaths at his coffin paying their last homage to him.

Shamsul, a former information minister, breathed his last at United Hospital at 1:40 pm on Thursday. He is survived by two sons and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.

The BNP leader’s first janaza was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Maghrib prayers on Thursday, and then his body was kept at United Hospital mortuary.

His second janaza was held at 9am today (Friday) at the South Plaza of Parliament Complex.

From Nayapaltan, his body was taken to his village home in Munshiganj.

The BNP leader was buried at his family graveyard at Tinsuri in Sadar upazila following his fourth janaza there after Juma prayers.