Kolkata, 21 July (H.S.) –
Senior Congress leader and former minister in the West Bengal government, Abu Hena, passed away late Sunday night at the age of 75. According to family sources, he had been unwell for some time and was suffering from age-related ailments. He breathed his last around 11:45 p.m. at his residence in Salt Lake, Kolkata, surrounded by family members.
At the time of his passing, Abu Hena was serving as the president of the Murshidabad District Congress Committee. His mortal remains will be taken to his ancestral home in Lalgola on Monday, where the last rites will be performed.
Abu Hena, a lawyer by profession, had a long and distinguished political career. He represented the Lalgola constituency as a Congress MLA from 1991 to 2021. In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee formed her first government in West Bengal, Hena was inducted as a minister. However, he later resigned from the post following the Congress party’s decision to withdraw support from the government. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he was defeated by Trinamool Congress candidate Mohammad Ali.
Abu Hena came from a family with a strong political legacy. His father, Abdus Sattar, was a minister in the cabinet of former Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray.
West Bengal Congress leader and Congress Working Committee member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed deep sorrow over his demise. In a heartfelt condolence message, Chowdhury said, “It is deeply saddening to think that our beloved Hena-da, Abu Hena, is no longer with us. I met him just last week in Kolkata and had hoped he would return to Murshidabad to guide us in our ongoing struggles. That meeting turned out to be our last. We faced many political battles together. He was not just a leader but my close companion.”
Chowdhury further added, “His honesty, commitment to principles, and dedication to public service will remain a source of inspiration for generations to come. Carrying forward his ideals will be our true tribute to his memory.”
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
