State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah, who passed away at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on Saturday night, was infected with coronavirus, UNB reports.
Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua confirmed the matter to the media.
Earlier, State Minister’s personal secretary Khandkar Yasir Arefin said that Mr Abdullah died minutes after he was taken to CMH.
“He passed away at 11:45pm at the CMH after suffering a heart attack,” he said then.
Nazmul Haque Saikat, assistant private secretary to the state minister, said the state minister fell sick around 10:30pm at his residence and was admitted to Dhaka CMH immediately where he breathed his last.
Religious Affairs Ministry Secretary Nurul Islam said Mr Abdullah was admitted to Dhaka CMH with chest pain and later died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Abdullah, a central leader of the Ruling Awami League, had been serving as a technocrat state minister.
He was born at Kekania village of Gopalganj on September 08, 1945.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader expressed deep shock and sorrow at his death and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Bangladesh has so far reported 84,379 coronavirus cases and 1,139 deaths.