People from all walks of life paid their last tributes to poet Belal Chowdhury at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital yesterday, reports UNB.

His body was taken to Central Shaheed Minar around 11 am where people from all walks of life, including ministers, political leaders, writers, poets and cultural activists, paid their last tributes to the poet until 12:15pm.

He will be buried beside his parent's graves there, said family members. Belal Chowdhury breathed his last at12:30 pm at Anwar Khan Modern Hospital in Dhanmondi on Tuesday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on behalf of Awami League, Vice-Chancellor ofDhaka University Akhtaruzzaman, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon, among others, placed wreath on his coffin at Shaheed Minar.

Obaidul Quader said, "Belal Chowdhury's death is great loss for Bengali literature. The nation will remember his brave role in the cultural movement." Different organisations including Bangla Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and some other cultural, social and political organisations paid their respects to the poet. The second namaz-e-janaza of the poet was held at Dhaka University Central Mosque after the Johr Prayers while the first namaz-e-janza was held at Paltan Mosque after Maghrib prayers on Tuesday.