Tofail Ahmed’s condition ‘critical’

Bangla Press Desk:  Awami League Advisory Council member and former MP of Bhola-1 constituency, Tofail Ahmed, is alive but in a “critical” condition, confirmed his son-in-law Dr. Touhiduzzaman.

Around 11:00 pm on Saturday (October 4), Dr. Touhiduzzaman said: “At around 8:00 pm, his condition deteriorated; his blood pressure and pulse had dropped. Those have since stabilized, but his overall condition remains critical—worse than before. However, he is still alive.”

Meanwhile, as in recent days, rumors about Tofail Ahmed’s death again spread on social media on Saturday. Later, his former personal assistant, speaking from the hospital, clarified that Tofail Ahmed is still on life support.

Earlier, even the verified Facebook page of the Awami League had mistakenly shared a report about his death. Relatives of Tofail described the incident as “painful.”

His former aide reiterated: “Tofail Ahmed is still on life support. If anything happens, the family will inform everyone.”

Tofail Ahmed was admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka on September 27 with multiple age-related health complications. He has been using a wheelchair for several years. It is reported that part of his body has been paralyzed due to a stroke.

Born on October 22, 1943, in Koralya village, South Dighaldi Union, Bhola Sadar upazila, Tofail Ahmed completed higher secondary education at Brojomohun College in Barishal before earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in soil science at Dhaka University.

During the turbulent years of 1968–69, Tofail was the Vice President of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU). In that role, he served as convener of the All-Party Students’ Action Council, playing a leading role in the 1969 mass uprising.

The strong student-led movement compelled the Pakistani government in 1969 to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all other accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case. On February 23 of that year, the All-Party Students’ Action Council organized a massive public rally at the Racecourse Ground in Dhaka (now Suhrawardy Udyan), where Mujib was conferred the historic title “Bangabandhu.” It was Tofail Ahmed who announced this title.

In the 1970 general elections, Tofail won a seat in the National Assembly as an Awami League candidate. During the Liberation War in 1971, he was one of the four regional commanders of the Mujib Bahini.

In independent Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed was elected to parliament nine times, most recently as MP for Bhola-1. After serving long as the Awami League’s organizing secretary, he later became a member of its presidium and is currently a member of its advisory council.

In 1972, after independence, Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman appointed Tofail Ahmed as his political secretary with the rank of deputy minister.

When the Awami League returned to power in 1996 under Sheikh Hasina, Tofail was made Minister of Industries and Commerce. Later, from 2014 to 2019, he once again served as Commerce Minister.