Sohel Rana mourns death of ‘dear friend’ Tofail Ahmed

Veteran actor, freedom fighter and former parliamentarian Sohel Rana has expressed deep sorrow over the death of senior politician and Liberation War organiser Tofail Ahmed, recalling decades of friendship and shared memories from their university days.

In an emotional social media post on Tuesday (June 2), Sohel Rana paid tribute to Tofail Ahmed, describing him as one of his closest friends during their time at Dhaka University. He recalled spending six years together at Iqbal Hall (now Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall), where they lived in adjacent rooms and shared countless moments of joy, hardship and companionship.

“Friend Tofail Ahmed has departed for the eternal abode. We spent six long years side by side at Iqbal Hall, creating countless memories together,” Sohel Rana wrote.

Remembering Tofail’s historic role in Bangladesh’s political journey, he described him as a beloved figure of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and one of the key organisers of the Liberation War.

“With his passing, a chapter of history has come to an end. May Allah grant him eternal peace in Jannat,” he added.

The heartfelt tribute quickly drew attention on social media, with many recalling the long-standing friendship between the two public figures and their shared experiences during the turbulent years of student politics in the 1960s.

Tofail Ahmed, a prominent Awami League leader, former minister and one of the leading figures of the 1969 Mass Uprising and Bangladesh’s Liberation War, died on Monday afternoon while undergoing treatment at Square Hospital in Dhaka. He was 82.

Born in Bhola on October 22, 1943, Tofail Ahmed served as Vice-President of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) from 1967 to 1969 and emerged as one of the most influential student leaders of his generation. He is widely remembered for formally conferring the title “Bangabandhu” on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at a historic rally at the Racecourse Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, on February 23, 1969.

Throughout his political career, Tofail Ahmed held several key portfolios, including commerce and industries minister, and remained an influential figure in Bangladesh’s political landscape for decades.

His death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the country’s political, social and cultural spheres.