Brac founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, who passed away at a city hospital on Friday (Dec 20) night, was laid to eternal rest on Sunday (Dec 22) afternoon.

He was buried at Banani Graveyard following a namaz-e-janaza at the Army Stadium around 12:30 pm.

Earlier, his body was taken to the stadium around 10:30 am where thousands of people from all walks of life have poured in to pay their last respects to the founder of world’s largest non-governmental organization (NGO) Brac.

Delegations on behalf of President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh paid their homage by placing wreaths on Sir Fazle's coffin, while Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader paid tribute on behalf of Awami League.

Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, among others, also paid tributes to Sir Fazle.

People, as well as leaders and activists of various political, social, and cultural organizations, waited in long queues, that extended towards the main gate of the Army Stadium, to pay him their last tributes.

Fazle Hasan Abed's four family members - his daughter Tamara Hasan Abed, son-in-law Asif Saleh; his son Shameran Abed and his wife were present at the venue.

After paying their tributes, people wrote condolence messages in a book that was kept at the venue for the very purpose. At the same time, various condolences messages were also read out at the site, that were sent from international organizations and institutions commemorating Sir Fazle Hasan Abed.

Sir Fazle's namaz-e-janaza was held at the same location that began around 12:41 pm. His son Shameran spoke on behalf of the family.

He said: "We are grateful to everyone for being by our side at this crucial moment. All his life, my father has worked for the betterment of people; please pray for him."

He also asked forgiveness for his father's departed soul.

Later, he will be laid to rest at the Banani graveyard in Dhaka, Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh and Brac International Executive Director Dr Muhammad Musa confirmed.

Brac founder and Chair Emeritus Sir Fazle Hasan Abed passed away at the Apollo Hospital in Dhaka, at the age of 83.

He breathed his last at 8:28 pm on Friday while undergoing treatment for cerebral tumour, said a statement issued by Ameerah Haq, chair of Brac Global Board.

Born in 1936 in Habignaj district, Sir Abed studied Accountancy in London and qualified as a Cost Management Accountant in 1962. Later he joined the Pakistan Shell before moving to London again.
After the 1971 Liberation War, he returned to Bangladesh and established the non-governmental organization BRAC in 1972. One of the world's largest NGOs, BRAC now operates across eleven countries in Africa and Asia.
Earlier this August, he retired as the chairperson of BRAC Bangladesh, and BRAC International and was transitioned to the role of Chair Emeritus.
Sir Fazle had been honoured with a number of awards including the Yidan Prize (2019), Spanish Order of Civil Merit (2014), Inaugural WISE Prize for Education (2011), Gates Award for Global Health (2004), and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1980).
In 2009, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George by the British Crown.
Sir Fazle received several honorary degrees from Princeton University (2014), the University of Oxford (2009), Columbia University (2008) and Yale University (2007).