Former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith has passed away (Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi Rajiun). He was 88.
He breathed his last at 12:50am on Saturday (April 30) at United Hospital in the capital while undergoing treatment there.
His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at 10am at Gulshan Azad Mosque and the second one at Parliament premises at 11am.
Later his body will be kept at the Central Shaheed Minar at 12pm for the people to pay their last tribute to the veteran politician. He will be laid to eternal rest in Sylhet.
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.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed their deep shock and sorrow at the death of Muhith.
Foreign Minister Momen 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.
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