Local government expert and former professor of the Department of Public Administration at Chittagong University, Tofail Ahmed, has passed away.
He was 71 years old at the time of his death, which occurred at 9:30pm on Wednesday while he was undergoing treatment at a city hospital.
The news of his death was confirmed by his son-in-law, Sarwar Jahan. He shared that Tofail Ahmed had been admitted to United Hospital on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.
Tests revealed three blocks in his heart, and he was also battling a lung infection. On Wednesday afternoon, while preparing for surgery to place a ring, his condition suddenly deteriorated. Despite being placed on life support, he was declared dead later that evening.
Sarwar Jahan also mentioned that Tofail Ahmed’s funeral will take place on Thursday at the family graveyard in Fatehpur, Hathazari of Chattogram.
Tofail Ahmed was deeply committed to the decentralisation of governance, accountable local government systems, and the establishment of democratic rule in the country.
He was nominated as a member of the Electoral Reform Commission formed under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in October 2024. Later, he served as the chairman of the Local Government Reform Commission.
Born on May 4, 1955, in Chattogram, Tofail Ahmed completed his SSC and HSC from Fatehabad High School and Chittagong College, respectively.
He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in politics and administration from Chittagong University in 1976 and 1977. In 1981, he obtained a second master’s degree in social sector planning and management from Swansea University and earned a PhD in Development Studies in 1991.
Tofail Ahmed began his career at the Bangladesh Rural Development Academy (BRDA), where he held several significant positions. Throughout his career, he also served as the Chairman of the Local Government Reform Commission and the Chairperson of Knowledge and Action Network Worldwide (Knowledge Trust).
