Bangladesh lawmaker dies after recovering from COVID-19 infection

A lawmaker from Bangladesh's ruling Awami League died from respiratory complications at a hospital here on Monday, following his recovery from the COVID-19 illness, according to media reports.

Israfil Alam, the MP from the Naogaon-6 constituency, was admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka on July 17 and breathed his last early this morning. He was 54.

Alam, also the joint secretary of Naogaon district unit Awami League, was put on life support on July 24 after his breathing complexities deteriorated, his wife Sultana Parvin told the Dhaka Tribune.

The three-time lawmaker had earlier recovered from COVID-19.

"Our mother died recently and then my brother contracted the coronavirus disease," Alam's sister Renu told bdnews24.com on Saturday.

President Abdul Hamid in his condolence message termed Alam a "dedicated politician".

"He began his political career as a labour leader and always upheld the rights of the common working class in parliament. The nation has lost a dedicated politician," the president said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her condolence message, said: "Israfil Alam had dedicated his entire life to the welfare of the country." Born in Jhina village in Raninagar Upazila of Naogaon, Alam was elected MP for the first time in the national election in 2008. He 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.

Bangladesh recorded 37 more deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 2,965.

The number of confirmed cases jumped to 226,225 on Monday after 2,772 fresh COVID-19 infections were recorded, according to health authorities. PTI MRJ AKJ MRJ