Staff Reporter :
The death of AF Hassan Ariff, former Adviser to the Interim Government and a distinguished figure in Bangladesh’s legal community, has led to an outpouring of condolences from political leaders, legal professionals, and citizens across the country.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus expressed their profound sorrow and conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family, relatives, and well-wishers in separate condolence messages on Friday.
Dr Yunus, who received the news upon landing in Dhaka from the D-8 Summit in Egypt, immediately visited Lab Aid Hospital to pay his respects.
“I am deeply shocked at his sudden demise. Adviser Hassan Ariff was a leading lawyer who made significant contributions during his tenure in the Interim Government,” Dr Yunus said in his message.
He lauded Ariff’s decades of public service, particularly as a former adviser of the caretaker government and Attorney General.
“He will be remembered as a brilliant lawyer, a staunch defender of human rights, and a voice for the marginalised in our society,” he added.
Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed described the loss as monumental, stating, “The legal community has lost a shining star.”
Several other advisers expressed their condolences, including Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Nahid Islam, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and Chattogram Hill Tracts Adviser Supradip Chakma.
They unanimously mourned the loss of a great legal mind and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Prominent political leaders also paid their respects. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited the hospital to console Ariff’s family.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “He was not only a renowned lawyer but also a staunch advocate for democracy. His absence leaves a void that cannot easily be filled.” Fakhrul also referred to Ariff as a dear friend and a patriot whose contributions will be deeply missed.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman also visited the hospital to offer his sympathies to the grieving family. In a statement, Advocate Shah Khosruzzaman, President of the National Bar Association of Bangladesh, described Ariff’s death as an irreparable loss to the legal community and the nation.
The death of A.F. Hassan Ariff is widely regarded as a significant loss for Bangladesh, with his legacy as a defender of justice and democracy remaining indelibly etched in the nation’s history.
