Staff Reporter:
Former foreign secretary and ambassador Wali-ur Rahman passed away at a Dhaka hospital yesterday morning.
He was 80.
He died of cardiac arrest around 10:30 am at LabAid Hospital in Dhaka. He was rushed to LabAid Hos-pital earlier in the day after he suffered a stroke, family sources said.
Wali-ur Rahman was the executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA) and chairman of the Bangladesh Heritage Foundation.
He is widely acclaimed for his role in 1971 and after Bangladesh’s independence.
He left the Pakistan foreign service in 1971 and joined the then-Mujibnagar government, which coordi-nated the Liberation War.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent him to the UN in Geneva in January 1972 where he served as permanent observer from 1972 to 1975.
Ambassador Rahman served as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during 1997-1998.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen expressed deep grief and sorrow at his death.
In a condolence message, he said Wali-ur Rahman showed courage by protesting the heinous murder of Bangabandhu and his family members.
“He also played an important role in bringing back the murderers of Bangabandhu,” Momen said.
