BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, who committed his life to alleviating poverty in the country, was laid to rest beside his wife Ayesha Abed at the Banani Graveyard after a namaz-e-janaza at the Army stadium in Dhaka city on Sunday.
Before the burial, people from all walks of life, including political leaders, social activists along with BRAC staffers and dignitaries, paid last respects to him at the stadium where his body was taken at 10:30am for the namaz-e-janaza at 12:30pm.
Major Ashiqur Rahman, the PA to president Abdul Hamid’s military secretary, placed a wreath on Sir Fazle’s coffin on behalf of the head of state while deputy military secretary Col Saifullah did the same on behalf of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, deputy speaker Fazle Rabbi Mia and chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda also paid tribute to Sir Fazle at the stadium followed by Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, joint general secretary Mahbub Alam Hanif, Bahauddin Nasim and other central leaders of the ruling party.
A delegation of the BNP led by the party's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also placed a wreath on Sir Fazle’s coffin.
Former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith,Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, deputy vice chancellor of BRAC University M Tanim , UN office in Dhaka, Bkash, Karitas, Bangla Academy and other political parties and social organisations also paid homage to the development icon who was laurelled globally for his work.
Moreover, members of different NGOs including Brac, gathered there to pay rich tributes to him.
Sir Fazle breathed his last at 8:30 pm on Friday at Apollo Hospital. He was 83.
CONDOLENCES POUR IN
President Abdul Hamid:
"Through founding BRAC, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed made immense contributions to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh. The whole nation will remember him with respect for the work that he accomplished.”
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina:
“In 1971, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed travelled from England to different European countries in order to gain support, collect funds and form public opinion for our great War of Liberation. He worked for the rebuilding of the war-torn and newly independent Bangladesh. The demise of such a great humanitarian soul is an irreparable loss to our nation.”
Former US president Bill Clinton:
“Sir Fazle Abed’s life was a great gift to humanity. His nearly 50 years of visionary leadership at BRAC transformed millions of lives in Bangladesh and beyond, and changed the way the world thinks about development. Driven by an unwavering belief in the inherent dignity of all people, he empowered those in extreme poverty to build better futures for themselves and their families. His legacy will live on in all the people whose lives are better, healthier and more secure because of his remarkable service.”
Former World Bank president Jim Yong Kim:
"The scale and impact of what he has done, and yet the utter humility with which he has done everything, is a lesson for every single one of us."
Bill & Melinda Gates foundation cofounder Melinda Gates:
“In 1972, after Bangladesh’s War of Liberation had left many homeless, Fazle Abed left his job as a London oil executive and returned to his home country with £16,000 in his pocket - and the ambitious goal of building 10,400 houses. He ended up raising enough money to build 16,000 houses for some of the poorest people in Bangladesh and still had enough left over to start his next project. That’s who Sir Fazle was as a humanitarian, and that’s what he helped us learn about development work: How to build a big, efficient organisation, while never forgetting who you were doing it for. We are saddened to hear of his passing and will forever draw inspiration from his work, as will the rest of the world, which he left so much better than he found.”
Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore:
“Over the course of three decades, under Sir Fazle’s inspiring leadership, the humanitarian organisation he founded, BRAC, has become one of the world’s leading development organisations. From its humble beginnings in Bangladesh - the country he loved so well - to its expansion to 10 countries across Asia and Africa, BRAC has stood as an inspiring example of how we can gather people together in common cause to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. All of us at Unicef will miss his ideas and advice. We will never forget the example he set."
Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo:
“How often do we see people like Sir Fazle Hasan Abed? His absence has left a great sense of loss in all of us.”
BRAC Bangladesh chairperson Hossain Zillur Rahman:
"Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. Unparalleled sense of responsibility, a profound philosophy of life embedded in empathy, and tireless work - a personality whose memory will remain indelible and whose footsteps will show the path. He succeeded in establishing the world's largest development organisation with a simple conviction that even a person in the most disadvantaged situation has the potential to change their fate. The organisation now draws admiration from around the world. At this painful moment of departure, his warm smile still gives us the confidence that we must tread further ahead, holding on to his values of empathy, responsibility and labour. Adieu in respect and love."
Former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman:
“Sir Fazle has been an icon of pro-poor non-state development initiatives in Bangladesh and as well as in many parts of the world. I have worked with him closely both as a researcher and also as a regulator. Today, I deeply remember many of those fond memories which I shared with him for decades. The world will certainly remember him as a great innovator of various low-cost development solutions for the disadvantaged, particularly the rural women. His leadership in promoting pro-poor education, health and finance has been simply unparalleled."
Centre for Policy Dialogue:
“The CPD family gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Sir Fazle in lifting millions of people out of poverty and backwardness in Bangladesh, and in many other less developed countries. The visionary leader guided CPD since its establishment through his profound wisdom and beyond-the-box ideas.”
SIR FAZLE HASAN ABED and BRAC
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed founded BRAC in 1972 with a small relief and rehabilitation project in northeastern Bangladesh, which grew to be one of the largest non-government organisations in the world.
He retired from his role as the chairperson of the governing body of BRAC Bangladesh and BRAC International and transitioned to the role of chair emeritus.
Born on April 27, 1936 in Baniachang of Habiganj, Sir Fazle studied accounting in London and was working as a senior corporate executive in Pakistan Shell Oil company in 1970 when a devastating cyclone and the Liberation War changed his life.
He went to London during the war and founded two organisations – ‘Action Bangladesh’ and ‘Help Bangladesh’ – in support of the Liberation War.
Returning home in 1972, Sir Fazle dedicated himself to providing emergency relief to refugees returning from India and their rehabilitation.
This led to the founding of Brac which currently operates in 11 countries and was recognised as the top NGO for four consecutive years from 2016 to 2019.
