Dhaka: Veteran politician Suranjit Sengupta’s last wish was after his death, the body will be cremated by using sandal wood in his funeral pyre, said Suranjit’s cousin Joyanta Sengupta on Sunday.

Jayanta said according to his last wish, his family members are searching for sandal wood for the cementation. However, sandal wood has become rare to found nowadays, Jayanta hoped they will manage to find the wood.

Earlier, Suranjit Sengupta breathed his last at Labaid Hospital in Dhaka’s Panthapath area at about 4:24am, said AL general secretary Obaidul Quader.  He was 77.

Earlier, the body of Suranjit Sengupta was taken to his Jhigatola residence from Labaid Hospital through a dead body carrying ambulance in Dhaka at about 9:00am.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the veteran parliamentarian’s body will be taken to Dhakeswhari temple at about 12:00pm. It will be kept at the South Plaza of the National Parliament around 3:00pm for paying homage by MPs and leaders.

The AL general secretary said Suranjit’s will then be taken to Sylhet at about 9:00am on Monday,

Later, it will be taken to Suranjit’s ancestral home in Dirai upazila of Sumanganj, where the body will be kept at Shalla at about 1:00pm and at Dirai upazila around 3:00pm, Obaidul Quader added.

Suranjit’s funeral rituals will take place at Dirai upazila.

‘He (Suranjit) was a lively person in our political history. I think he was a number one parliamentarian. A huge vacuum has been created with his death,’ Quader said.

Earlier, on Saturday night, he was kept on life support of the hospital as his physical condition turned very critical. The senior politician was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of the hospital for respiratory problem on 3 February, said Suranjit’s personal secretary Kamrul Haque.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep condolence at the death of the elderly politician.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said Suranjit’s body will be taken to Sylhet at about 9:00am on Monday.

Later, it will be taken to Suranjit’s ancestral home in Dirai upazila of Sumanganj at about 3:00pm for funeral, he added.

Suranjit Sengupta, a former railway minister of Bangladesh, was born at Derai Upazila in Sunamganj in the year of 1946. He started his political career with leftist parties in his student life.

Suranjit joined Awami Leagu in the early 1990s. Sengupta was a Member of Parliament in the Jatiyo Sangshad. He was elected as the lawmaker of Sunamganj-2 constituency for seven times.

He was the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry.