Tripura’s senior CPIM leader and MLA Shamsul Haque dies of cardiac arrest

Haque, a member of the CPIM state committee, started his political career in 1974 through the farmers’ movement and had served in different capacities, including chairman of the Boxanagar Panchayat Samiti.

The CPIM leader’s body was brought to the state Assembly building in Agartala Wednesday morning, where Deputy Speaker Ramprasad Paul, Chief Whip Kalyani Roy, MLAs of the treasury and Opposition paid their last respects.

Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha has suspended all his public events for the day as a mark of respect for the departed MLA.

“I have decided to cancel all my government programmes today following the demise of Hon’ble member of Tripura Legislative Assembly Samsul Haque Ji”, the CM wrote on his official Twitter handle.

CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chaudhary told indianexpress.com that Haque’s death is an “irreparable loss” for the state, its people and the Communist party, especially at a trying time. “He was a popular and brave human being. We have lost an important organiser at a time when we are working towards uniting people. We shall work harder to complete the work that he had started,” Chaudhury said.

The CPIM said in a statement that the leader had always been active against efforts to spark communal unrest and conflict in Boxanagar, an area where people from different religious faiths inhabit.

Senior CPIM leader and former Assembly deputy speaker Pabitra Kar recalled that Haque, who had suffered from a cardiac illness two years ago, actively campaigned for the party in this year’s assembly elections.

Chief Whip Kalyani Roy said the deceased MLA had shown “significant participation” in the recently concluded Budget session and the leader’s death was a loss for the state and Boxanagar.

“It is a big loss for the state and Boxanagar. I pay my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family,” said former minister and Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman.

Haque’s body was later taken to the CPIM state headquarters at Melarmath in Agartala where party leaders and activists, including former Chief Minister and CPIM politburo member Manik Sarkar, his wife and social service activist Panchali Bhattacharya, former minister Manik Dey and others paid their last tributes.

The mortal remains were then taken to Boxanagar in a vehicle. The body would be kept at the local CPIM party office for paying last respects before the customary rituals near his residence at Kulubari village in the area, a party source said.

With Shamsul Haque’s death, CPIM, which had 11 MLAs in the current assembly, was reduced to 10.