HT bureau
GUWAHATI, May 11: Former Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA) speaker Sheikh Chand Mohammad has breathed his last at Nemcare Hospital here at 4 am on Saturday.
Mohammad was suffering from severe illness for a long time. He will be buried with full state honour in the city.
The state government had taken responsibility of his treatment after getting to know about his ill health.
After chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal got the information about the senior politician’s ill health, he announced that the state government will take full responsibility and bear the expenses of his treatment.
Mohammad, who was recently shifted to Nemcare Hospital, had earlier been undergoing treatment at his residence in Gandhi Basti area of the city.
He served as the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly from November 7, 1979 to January 7, 1986.
Mohammad, who was also a Congress MLA from Barkhetri constituency, was known as one of the honest politicians and an eminent social worker of the state.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal mourned the death of Mohammad and said, “A veteran politician, social worker Sheikh Chand Mohammad’s death is an irreparable loss to the society. He contributed immensely to the development of the state and welfare of all sections of the society. As speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly he enhanced the dignity of the House and made it more responsive to the needs of the grass root level people of the state. The present Parliamentary Democracy in the state owes a lot the contribution of Sheikh Chand Mohammad. He left behind a rich legacy which continues to be a source of inspiration to the younger breeds of politicians.”
Sonowal expressed his empathy to the bereaved family members and prayed to the almighty for eternal peace of the departed soul. He also asked chief secretary to complete his last rites according full state honour.
On behalf of the chief minister, industry and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, chief minister’s media and legal advisers Hrishikesh Goswami and Shantanu Bharali paid floral tributes to the mortal remains of Sheikh Chand Mohammad and expressed their empathy to the bereaved family members.