Hassan Ariff’s burial today, state mourning being observed

AF Hassan Ariff, a senior lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court and an adviser to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and Land Ministry of the interim government, will be laid to eternal rest at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard today.

He will be laid to eternal rest at 10 AM on Monday (December 23).

In honour of the memory of the late AF Hassan Ariff, the government declared a one-day state mourning, which is being observed today.

Following this, the national flag has remained hoisted at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, all government and private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad.

Additionally, special prayers will be held in all mosques and other religious institutions seeking peace for the departed soul.

The Council of Advisers yesterday formally adopted a condolence motion on the death of Hassan Ariff, recalling his contributions and paying deep respect to him.

The condolence motion was adopted at a special meeting of the Council of Advisers with the Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair, held at the Chief Adviser’s Office yesterday.

Adviser Hassan Ariff died of a massive heart attack in the capital at 3:10 pm on Friday (December 20).

The first namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer) for AF Hassan Ariff was held at Baitul Aman Mosque at Dhanmodi after Esha prayer on Friday (December 20). Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and other noted persons attended the prayer.

His second namaz-e-janaza was held at 11am on Saturday (December 21) at the inner garden of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of Bangladesh Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, High Court and Supreme Court judges, and other law professionals attended the prayer.

Earlier, the Chief Adviser rushed to Labaid Hospital in Dhanmondi from the airport to pay respects to Adviser Hassan Ariff.

The Chief Adviser learnt the news of adviser Hassan Ariff’s death as soon as a plane carrying him from Dubai landed in Dhaka on Friday afternoon.

Following an unceremonious step-down of the Awami League government on August 5, Ariff took oath as an adviser of the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus on August 8.

Hassan Ariff was initially given the responsibility of adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Land. He was later given the responsibility of the Ministry of Land and Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Hassan Ariff was born in Kolkata on July 10, 1941. He completed his secondary and higher secondary education from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and graduated and completed his LLB from the University of Kolkata.

Hassan Ariff started his career in 1967 at the Kolkata High Court in West Bengal, India. He then moved to Dhaka in 1970 and started working as a lawyer with the High Court.

He was also the law adviser of the caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed.