Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru dies of COVID

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru has died in hospital care in Dhaka at the age of 71 while being treated for coronavirus infection. Khasru, the newly elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, breathed his last on Wednesday afternoon at the Combined Military Hospital, said his nephew Taslim Khan. He was put on life support on Tuesday morning after his admission on Mar 16.

Khasru was shifted to the ICU on Mar 28 when the sodium level in his blood dropped. He was returned to the ward following an improvement of his health on Mar 31, only to put back in intensive care on Apr 6.

President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Law Minister Anisul Huq have mourned the passing of Khasru. Taslim said the mortal remains of Khasru will be taken to Bakshibazar on Thursday morning for funeral prayers at a mosque near his home or the Alia Madrasa premises.

The remains will be taken to Cumilla after a Namaz-e-Janaza at the Supreme Court premises at 10am. He will be buried after funeral prayers in Burichang and Brahmanpara following Asr prayers.

Khasru, a five-time MP from Cumilla-5 seat, served the Awami League government as the law minister from 1996 to 2001, and contributed to the abolishment of the Indemnity Ordinance, paving the way for the trial of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A freedom fighter, Khasru was the commander of Burichang in Cumilla during the Liberation War in 1971. The father of a son and a daughter, Khasru started his career in the legal profession at Cumilla Judges' Court in 1978. He moved to the High Court Division four years later.

A presidium member of the Awami League, he had served the party as legal affairs secretary for a long time.

He was born at Mirpur village of Brahmanpara Upazila in Cumilla on Feb 12, 1950. After being elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association early March, he took charge on Apr 12.