TBM Report
Tofail Ahmed, a towering figure in Bangladesh’s political history, a key organizer of the 1971 Liberation War, and a veteran leader of the Awami League, passed away on Monday (June 1, 2026). He was 83. The former minister breathed his last at around 3:30 PM while undergoing treatment at Square Hospital in the capital, where he had been battling prolonged age-related complications and respiratory ailments since last September.
As the Vice President of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) in the late 1960s, Ahmed spearheaded the historic 1969 mass uprising against the military regime of Ayub Khan. On February 23, 1969, representing the All-Party Students’ Action Committee, the charismatic young student leader officially bestowed the title “Bangabandhu” (Friend of Bengal) upon Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during a massive rally of a million people. During the 1971 Liberation War, he served as one of the four regional commanders of the ‘Mujib Bahini’ (BLF), leading guerrilla operations in the western sector.
Following the independence of Bangladesh, Ahmed played a significant role in drafting the country’s first constitution and served as the political secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His career spanned over five decades, during which he was elected to parliament nine times—starting from the historic 1970 elections of Pakistan to the 2024 national elections. He also successfully ran key ministries, serving as the Minister for Industries and Commerce during crucial tenures of the Awami League government.
Family sources confirmed that his first funeral prayer (Namaz-e-Janaza) will take place at Takwa Mosque in Dhanmondi after Maghrib prayers today. On Tuesday morning, his mortal remains will be flown by helicopter to his birthplace in Bhola district. Following a final Janaza at the Bhola Zilla School grounds, the veteran statesman will be laid to rest with state honors in his family graveyard alongside his parents.
. He was 83. The former minister breathed his last at around 3:30 PM while undergoing treatment at Square Hospital in the capital, where he had been battling prolonged age-related complications and respiratory ailments since last September.){kind=link}