Mohammed Zillur Rahman (Bengali: মোঃ জিল্লুর রহমান; 9 March 1929 – 20 March 2013) was the 19th[1] President of Bangladesh. A senior leader of the Awami League, he was active in Bangladeshi politics for over 50 years and was one of Bangladesh's most respected[lease clarify" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia lease_clarify">clarification needed] politicians.[2][3] In 2009, Rahman was elected to the presidency by parliament in an uncontested vote.[4] While in hospital in Singapore, Rahman died in office on 20 March 2013.
Early life and education
Zillur Rahman was born on 9 March 1929 at Poirtala, Brahmanbaria, his mother's paternal home. His father, Meher Ali Mian, was a lawyer, the Chairman of the-then Mymensingh Local Board and the Member of the District Board.[3] In 1945, he passed Matriculation from Bhairab K. B. High School. He graduated with an Intermediate of Arts (IA) in 1947 from Dhaka Intermediate College.[5] In 1954, he got his MA with Honours in History and a LLB degree from Dhaka University.[6]
[edit] Political career
Rahman participated in the Bengali language movement of 1952. Later, as an Awami League candidate, he was elected as a member of parliament in the 1970 national elections of Pakistan. During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Rahman actively participated in the Government-in-exile. After the war, Rahman became the General Secretary of Awami League in 1972. He was elected as a member of the parliament in the 1973 general elections. After the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Rahman was arrested by the army junta, and spent four years in prison. Rahman served as a minister in the Awami League government between 1996 and 2001.[3]
[edit] Criticism
Rahman exercised his power to grant clemency to as many as 21 individuals while he was in office.[1] In contrast, only four pardons were granted by his predecessors between 1972 and 2008.[1]
[edit] Personal life
Rahman was married to fellow Awami League politician Ivy Rahman, the Women's Affairs secretary of the same party. Ivy was killed in the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack.[7] Together they had one son – Nazmul Hassan Papon and two daughters. Papon is the president of Bangladesh Cricket Board, managing director of Beximco Pharma and an MP.[8][3]
[edit] Illness and death
Rahman died at the age of 84 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore[9] after he was flown to the country by an air ambulance for critical lung infection on 10 March 2013. It followed his admission to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) at Dhaka cantonment the previous day.[10] In Singapore, he had been undergoing treatment for kidney and respiratory problems since 11 March.[11][12] Bangladesh's High Commissioner in Singapore Mahbub Uz Zaman announced: "The president died at a hospital here in Singapore at 6:47 p.m. local time."[13] At the time of his death his children were with him. In his absence, Parliamentary Speaker Abdul Hamid was appointed as acting president on 14 March. A presidential spokesman later announced that Hamid has declared three days of national mourning.[14]
[edit] Legacy
In reaction to Rahman's death, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's immediate response was to express profound shock and that the death was "an irreparable loss to the country and its people," according to her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad.[14]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillur_Rahman | 
