AMINUL HOQUE
Barrister Aminul Hoque, of Godagari, Bangladesh, member of the The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, Senior Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, passed away on April 21, 2019 at 10:30 a.m., BST. Hoque represented the Rajshahi-1 constituency four times in the Jatiyo Sangsad, the National Parliament of Bangladesh. He was a Vice-Chairman and member of the Central Committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia during 1991-1996 and 2001-2006, and held roles in the Ministries of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Establishment, Information, and Telecommunications. Hoque was active in leftist politics during his student life and played an active role as a student leader and community organizer, and mobilized public opinion in support of Bangladesh's liberation struggle against Pakistan. He was active as an expatriate student leader in London during Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971. Upon his return to Bangladesh, Hoque apprenticed with Barrister Rafiqul Huq, former Attorney General of Bangladesh. Hoque got his start as a corporate lawyer, and eventually had a hand in writing the charters and bylaws of some of Bangladesh's first banks and stock exchanges. He was elected to the Bangladeshi Parliament upon the re- emergence of democracy in Bangladesh in 1991, and he represented his constituency in parliament the next fifteen years. Education and the empowerment of women were central tenets to Hoque during his political life, and he credited his own father, the headmaster of the local primary school, and his mother, a strong and independent matriarch who raised nine successful children, as formative forces. Hoque was a devout Muslim and a firm believer in multiculturalism and inter-religious dialogue. He took great pride in his participation in the National Prayer Breakfast, which he attended during the Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump presidencies, as well as his meeting with the Dalai Lama. His commitment to democracy, rule of law, and the strengthening of republican institutions remained undimmed till the end. While some of his goals were realized during his lifetime, others remain elusive for the people of his country. Hoque was an active participant in Dhaka's civil life, his home for the last forty-two years of his life. He was a lecturer in the Department of Law, Dhaka University, a member of Lion's Club, and a patron of the Ahsania Cancer Hospital, as well as innumerable schools and educational institutions in his native Rajshahi. Hoque is survived by Ava Hoque, his wife of 42 years, his daughter, his son and daughter-in-law, both attorneys in the Washington D.C. area, and two granddaughters. He always credited his wife for her steady support and quiet encouragement during his decades of public service, and freely acknowledged that none of his achievements would have been possible without her many sacrifices. He drew incredible strength and support from his seven brothers and one sister, and was never happier than when in their company, and the company of his many dear nephews and nieces. Services were held in Bangladesh.Services were held in Bangladesh.