BAGERHAT, Oct 21, 2018 (BSS) – Italian-born Bangladesh’s honorary citizen and freedom fighter Father Marino Rigon was laid to eternal rest beside the Saint Pauls Church at Shelabunia in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat district with due state honor as per his last wish.
A special prayer was offered in the afternoon following his coffin was taken to Mongla Upazila Parishad premises around 9:00 am by a special government helicopter so that people can pay their last tributes to him, said a press release.
The freedom fighter was given guard of honour on the premise, the release
said.
People of all walks including government officials and representatives from political, social and cultural organizations paid tributes to him placing wreaths on the coffin containing the remains.
Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukdar Abdul Khalek, Italian Ambassador Mario Palma, Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Tapan Kumar Biswas, Police Super Pankaj Chandra Roy, Mongla Upazila Executive Officer Md Rabiul Islam, Bishop Ramen Bishwash, Francis Sudan Haldar and Rigon’s nephew Morinho Cabistro were present on the occasion.
Father Rigon, who was given honorary citizenship in 2009 and honored with ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour’ in 2012, breathed his last in Italy on October 20, 2017.
The body of Father Marino arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday.
The Bangladesh government completed the necessary formalities to allow his body to be laid in Bagerhat’s Mongla in accordance with his final wishes, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement.