MP Israfil Alam dies after initial recovery from Covid-19

Israfil Alam, Awami League member of parliament from the Naogaon-6 constituency, has died in hospital care from respiratory complications. He was 54.

Alam earlier recovered from the Covid-19 illness, but was admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka on Jul 17 after a flare-up in his respiratory distress.

He breathed his last at the private hospital at 6.20 am on Monday, said his nephew Monwar Hossain Don.

Alam, a labour leader, was elected MP for the first time in the national election in 2008. He also served as the head of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Labour and Employment. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Textile and Jute Industries.

Alam made headlines after he arranged a written test for those willing to join the Bangladesh Chhatra League in his constituency in a bid to form a merit-based political leadership.

Alam was born in Jhina village in Raninagar Upazila of Naogaon. His early life was rooted in a humble beginning with Titas Gas Company as a ‘meter reader’. He was the general secretary of the Dhaka Mohanagar Shramik League.

“Our mother has died recently and then my brother [Israfil Alam] contracted the coronavirus disease,” Runu, Alam’s sister, told media on Saturday, before his passing.