Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina today said Awami League (AL) lawmaker and noted film actor Akbar Hossain Pathan, who is popularly known as Farooque, played an unforgettable role during the Liberation War.

“Farooque is a freedom fighter. He had been an active Chhatra League activist since the anti-Ayub movement. He made contributions to every struggle and movement of the country with due courage. His role in the six-point movement and the 1971 Liberation War will never be forgotten,” she told the parliament.

She said this by joining a discussion on a condolence motion placed in the House to express shock at the demise of Faruque. The Prime Minister said, “His death is an irreparable loss to our cultural sector,” she said, adding that Farooque not only contributed to politics, but also contributed to the cultural arena.

She said the cultural activists had taken the side of the Awami League and emboldened the courage of its leaders and activists in every struggle and movement.

When the name of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was erased after the 1975 massacre and none dared to utter his name, the cultural activists came forward, she added.

“He (Farooque) played a role in the formation of a cultural organisation after the name of Bangabandhu and brought patriotic songs to the frontline, revitalizing the spirit of the Liberation War during that time. So, he made a contribution to this country,” she said.

Earlier, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House at the beginning of the 23rd session (Budget Session) of the 11th Parliament. Parliament on Wednesday unanimously adopted a condolence motion after discussion over it.

Deputy Leader of the House Matia Chowdhury (Sherpur-2), AL lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu (Jhalokathi-2), Tofail Ahmed (Bhola-1), Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim (Gopalganj-2), Asaduzzaman Noor (Nilphamari-2), Meher Afroze (Gazipur-5) and Habib Hasan (Dhaka-18), deputy opposition leader Ghulam Muhammed Quader, Jatiya Party lawmakers Kazi Firoz Rashid (Dhaka-6) and Anisul Islam Mahmud also joined the discussion.

Akbar Hossain Pathan, a lawmaker from Dhaka-17, died at a hospital in Singapore on May 15 last. Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of former state minister and BNP lawmaker Kabir Hossain, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and freedom fighter Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Oikya NAP president and one of the organisers of the Liberation War Pankaj Bhattacharya, renowned author and novelist Samaresh Majumdar, former caretaker government’s adviser Rokia Afzal Rahman, Education Minister Dipu Moni’s mother Rahima Wadud and eminent singer Kalyani Kazi.

The Parliament also expressed profound grief at the casualties in recent cyclone Mocha and accidents at home and abroad. A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered, seeking the eternal peace of the departed soul. AL lawmaker Hafiz Ruhul Amin Madani (Mymensingh-7) conducted the munajat.

As per tradition, the day’s business of Parliament was adjourned after the adoption of the condolence motion over the death of the sitting lawmaker Akbar Hossain Pathan in order to pay respect to him.