Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq no more

Renowned lawyer Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq has passed away. He was 85.

He breathed his last at 8:30 am today while undergoing treatment in ICU in Ad-Deen Hospital in Dhaka, Dr. Nahida Yeasmin, director of the hospital confirmed to The All Bangla Newspaper.

Expressing grief at the demise of Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, Attorney General and Supreme Court Bar Association President AM Amin Uddin told The All Bangla Newspaper that his namaz-e-janaza will be held at the SCBA premises at 2:00 pm today and he will be buried at Banani graveyard.

On October 15, the eminent jurist was admitted to the hospital with a urine infection and old-age complications.

On Saturday, he was released from the hospital as his condition improved.

However, he was again admitted to the hospital on Sunday as his condition deteriorated.

In the early hours of Wednesday, he was put on life support as his condition further deteriorated.

Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq left behind a son — Barrister Fahim-Ul Huq, now in Canada — and a host of admirers to mourn his death, Barrister Abbas Uddin, a junior lawyer told The All Bangla Newspaper.

Law Minister Anisul Huq also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the demise of Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq and prayed for the salvation and eternal peace for his departed soul.

The law minister also expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain expressed profound shock at the death of Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq.

In a condolence message, he said Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq had discharged his professional duties with honesty and sincerity.

Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq had always assisted the court over important law and constitutional issues, the chief justice said.

Chief Justice also said Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq had an unlimited contribution to the rule of law and he was an institution.

He prayed for salvation and eternal peace of the renowned jurist.

Rafique-Ul Huq had moved cases and fought legal battles on behalf of several politicians including Awami League President and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia before the Supreme Court while they had been detained during the regime of the military-backed caretaker government

Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1935, Rafique-Ul Huq obtained his law degree in 1960. He completed MA and LLB degrees from Calcutta University. He became a Barrister-at-Law in 1961 and called to the Lincolns Inn in 1962.

Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq joined the High Court, Dhaka in 1962. In 1965 he became an Advocate, the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

In 1975, he was made Senior Advocate, Appellate Division, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.