Dhaka: The first namaz-e-janaza of Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s special assistant, was held at the central mosque in University of Dhaka (DU) on Wednesday morning.

Awami League General secretary Obaidul Quader, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique, AL leader Syed Ashraf and other leaders and activists of the party, DU teachers and students took part in the janaza.

The body will be taken to Gaffargaon upazila and then to Baghmara in Mymansingh town where he will be laid to eternal rest after another namaz-e-janaza.

Earlier, the body of prime minister’s special assistant was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy at about 7:45am.

 The Gulshan Police Officer-in-charge Sirajul Islam took the body to DMCH from BIRDEM hospital’s morgue.

A three-member team of physicians led by Dhaka Medical College Hospital Forensic Department Sohel Mahmud began the autopsy at about 8:50am and concluded at about 9:15am.

Mahbubul Hoque Shakil died at a Japanese restaurant in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. He was 47.

Shakil, former vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), breathed his last at Samdado Restaurant.

He left behind wife, one daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.

Shakil was first appointed as PM’s deputy press sectary after AL came to power in 2009 and later appointed as PM’s special assistant (Media) and PM’s special assistant in 2014.

After hearing about Shakil’s death, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, PM’s Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and its Organising Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among others, rushed to the restaurant.

Talking to reporters at the restaurant, Nasrul Hamid said Shaki’ls body will be kept at Birdem Hospital mortuary tonight.

Born on 20 December, 1968 in Tangail, Shakil obtained honours and master’s degrees from the Sociology Department of Dhaka University.

He passed SSC from Mymensingh Zilla School and HSC from Ananda Mohan College in the district.

Shakil had a hobby of writing poems and he has two poetry books—‘Kheroptatar Khata Theke’ and ‘Mon Kharaper Gari’— to his credit.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of Shakil. In a condolence message, the premier prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family.