DHAKA, Jan 2, 2022 (BSS) - The third death anniversary of former Awami 
League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam will be observed tomorrow.

  Marking the day, Awami League will pay homage to Syed Ashraf by placing 
wreaths on his grave at Banani in the capital. 

  On January 3 in 2019, Syed Ashraf, also the then Public Administration 
Minister, died at the age of 68 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in 
Bangkok. He had been suffering from lung cancer.

  Ashraf was born in Mymensingh in 1952. His father Syed Nazrul Islam was 
acting President of Mujibnagar Government in 1971 and one of the key 
organisers of Bangladesh independence struggle.

  Ashraf took part in the 1971 Liberation War while he was an active freedom 
fighter who was trained in Dehradun in India.

  He was actively involved in student politics. After the country's 
independence, he was General Secretary of Mymensingh District Chhatro League 
and also served as Assistant Publicity Secretary of Central Student League.

  On November 3 in 1975, his father Syed Nazrul Islam and three national 
leaders were brutally killed in Dhaka Central Jail. After the incident, Syed 
Ashraf went to London and organised the Bangladesh Awami League in the UK.

  Ashraf elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) after coming back home in 
1996. He served as the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry 
during 1996-2001. He also elected in 2001 elections as a MP and served 
himself as a member of Foreign Affairs Standing Committee in the Parliament.

  In 2008, Syed Ashraf further elected as a lawmaker and appointed as the 
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister. He took over 
the charge of Public Administration Ministry on July 16, 2015.

  Although Ashraf was absent during the 11th national elections, he was 
elected as a MP from Kishoreganj-1 constituency. 

  He was also engaged in various social activities.