DHAKA, Dec 21, 2024 (BSS) – The Second Namaj-e-Janaza of Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser to the Interim Government A F Hassan Ariff was held at Supreme Court (SC) premises at about 11 am today.

The long-time colleagues, friends and well-wishers of Hassan Ariff, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, bade him farewell when his body was kept at the SC premises this morning.

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, senior lawyers - Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam and Dr Kamal Hossain, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Senior Advocate Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Md Tajul Islam, SC judges, lawyers and cross section of people attended the Janaza.

Meanwhile, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the adviser to the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as well as Water Resources, was also present at the court premises. She paid tribute to her late cabinet colleague by placing wreath to the coffin.

Adviser Ariff died of a cardiac arrest at the capital's Labaid Specialized Hospital at 3:10 pm yesterday at the age of 83. He left behind his wife, one son, one daughter, numerous relatives, colleagues and well-wishers to mourn his death.

Earlier, the first Namaj-e-Janaza of Adviser Hassan Ariff was held at Baitul Aman Mosque premises at Dhanmondi -7 after Esha prayers yesterday.

Hassan Arif was initially given the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Land in the interim government formed on August 8.  Later, he was given the responsibility of the Ministries of Land and the Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Served as Attorney General from October 2001 to April 2005, he was the legal advisor to the Caretaker Government from 2008 to January 2009. 

AF Hasan Arif started his career in 1967 from the Calcutta High Court of West Bengal in India. Then he moved to Dhaka and started working as a lawyer in the High Court in 1970.

The late adviser previously served as a legal adviser in various institutions. These included:  Roads and Highways Department, Chittagong Port Authority, Mongla Port Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bangladesh Bank, Chittagong Development Authority, Chittagong Stock Exchange, University Grants Commission (UGC) and Grameenphone Bangladesh.

Apart from these, he worked for advising foreign investors, construction arbitration, commercial arbitration, finance, banking and securities affairs, corporate, commercial and taxation issues, constitutional law matters, public taste, arbitration and other methods of alternative dispute resolution. 

Currently he was also the adviser to Dhakeshwari National Temple Complex.

AF Hassan Ariff was born in Kolkata in 1941. He completed his secondary and higher secondary education from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. He then completed his graduation and LLB degrees from the University of Calcutta.