Mirza Fakhrul pays last respects to Ramesh Chandra Sen

A pall of grief has descended over Thakurgaon following the death of former MP from Thakurgaon-1 and former water resources minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, 84.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Sen’s residence in Ruhia on Saturday evening, February 7, at around 7.30pm, to pay his last respects. He expressed condolences to the bereaved family and observed a brief silence before leaving. He did not speak to the media at the time.

Earlier, Mirza Fakhrul prayed for the departed soul of Ramesh Chandra Sen through a condolence message posted on his verified Facebook page.

Ramesh Chandra Sen played a significant role in the development of Thakurgaon and public welfare during his long political career. Political parties, social organisations and people from all walks of life have expressed deep sorrow over his death.

He fell ill on Saturday morning and was taken to the emergency department of Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Prison sources said Sen woke up in the morning, completed his daily routine and had breakfast before going to the ward washroom. He reportedly felt dizzy while preparing to bathe and collapsed. On-duty prison staff rushed him to hospital, where he was declared dead.

After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, he went into hiding. He was arrested from his residence in Ruhia Senpara on the night of August 16 and sent to Thakurgaon District Jail through court before being transferred to Dinajpur District Jail the following day. He had been in custody in multiple cases, including murder.

Born on April 30, 1940, in Kashalgaon village of Ruhia union in Thakurgaon sadar upazila, Ramesh Chandra Sen was the son of Kshitindra Mohan Sen and Balashwari Sen. He studied at Rangpur Carmichael College, was elected MP five times and served as a presidium member of the Awami League.

He was last elected in 2024 with party nomination. His tenure ended the same year after the dissolution of parliament following the student-led mass movement.