Freedom Fighter Abdus Sattar Buried in Brahmanpara Without Guard of Honour, Family Complains

Freedom fighter Abdus Sattar, 78, was buried in Brahmanpara, Cumilla, without a state guard of honour, his family has alleged. Local police, however, did attend his janaza.

Abdus Sattar was a resident of Mahalaxmipara village in Brahmanpara Sadar Union. In his final years he lived at his son's home in Dhaka, and during his long career he served in various important offices including the communications and law ministries.

He died of old-age complications at his son's home in Dhaka on Thursday, where his first janaza was held.

According to family sources, after the first janaza in Dhaka his body was brought to Mahalaxmipara village in Brahmanpara. It reached the village home at about 5:30pm, and the janaza took place at around 6:30 in the evening.

Police attended the janaza, but no one from the upazila administration was present. He was buried in the family graveyard without a guard of honour.

His younger brother Shahjalal said his brother, despite being a freedom fighter, did not receive a guard of honour. Because the janaza was held after Maghrib prayers, no one from the administration attended, though police members were present.

Brahmanpara Upazila freedom fighters' commander Idris Mia Master said they had full preparations, but the family did not cooperate in that way, and because it was after evening the upazila administration was also absent, so the guard of honour could not be given.

Brahmanpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Faruk Hossain said police members attended the janaza prepared for a guard of honour, and a bugle team had also come from the police lines. But the guard of honour was not possible because the upazila administration's representative was delayed.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Munni Islam said they had contacted the upazila and union freedom fighter commanders and tried to arrange the guard of honour in the afternoon. A state honour requires an armed salute and the national flag, and under the flag rules the national flag cannot be displayed or a guard of honour given at night or in darkness after sunset—yet they had still made preparations.

The UNO added that there was uncertainty over bringing the body from Dhaka, and neither the family nor the freedom fighters' council informed them of the exact time of the janaza and burial. No one contacted her after Maghrib, so the guard of honour was not possible.