Bangladeshi state minister Abdullah suffered three heart attacks before he died, was Covid-19 positive

DHAKA, Jun 14, 2020, Dhaka Tribune. Sheikh Md Abdullah, the late state minister for religious affairs, was Covid-19 positive before he died on Saturday night, Dhaka Tribune reported.

He had suffered three heart attacks prior to his death. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina shared the information in parliament on Sunday, while joining a discussion on the supplementary budget for 2019-20 fiscal year and a condolence motion.

“Between 10pm and 10:30pm last night, I heard that Abdullah was sick and in need of hospitalization,” she said.

“He was supposed to be taken to BSMMU but was taken to CMH instead for some reason.

“He suffered his first heart attack when they reached Jahangir Gate [of Dhaka Cantonment]. He suffered two more attacks soon after, all in quick succession,” said the prime minister.

“At 11pm, the news came in that he passed away,” she said.

A 1971 freedom fighter, Abdullah died on the way to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Saturday night. He was 75 and suffering from various old age complications.

Abdullah is the first member of Bangladesh’s current cabinet to die of Covid-19.

Later, the duty doctor at the hospital collected his sample for the Covid-19 test. The result came back positive Sunday morning.

His body will be taken for burial to Gopalganj by road around midday. A special ferry has been arranged to transport his body in Mawa ferry ghat, said Khalid Mahmud.

Speaking in parliament in the afternoon, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she has learnt that Abdullah had suffered three heart attacks before he died.