Bangladesh State Minister Promode Mankin Passes Away

Promode Mankin, the Bangladesh State Minister for Social Welfare

Photo courtesy: The Daily Star - Dhaka

Promode Mankin, Bangladesh State Minister for Social Welfare, died on May 11, 2016, while undergoing treatment for lung cancer at the Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai, India.  He was 77 years old. He is survived by his wife, five daughters, and a son. 

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have expressed profound shock at the unexpected death of Mr. Mankin. Archbishop Patrick D'Rozario, CSC, also sent his prayerful condolence to his family. 

After public visitation of his body at St. Mary's Cathedral in Dhaka, the Central Shaheed Minar, and the national Parliament Complex on May 12, he will be buried on May 13 in his own parish of Biroidakuni in Mymensingh District. 

Belonging to the Garo ethnic group and to the Catholic Church, Mr. Mankin did his B.A. at Notre Dame College, Dhaka, in 1963, earned his B.Ed. degree from Mymensingh Teachers' Training College, and completed his LLB law degree in 1982 from Mymensingh Law College. He was the headmaster of Biroidakuni Catholic School for several years. He was also the founder and chairman of the Tribal Welfare Association and for some time he was the Regional Director of Caritas Bangladesh Mymensingh Region (1987 - 1990).

After joining the Awami League Party of Late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1991, Mr. Mankin was elected a member of the parliament (MP) for times in 1996, 2001, 2008, and 2013 from the Mymensingh - 1 (Haluaghat-Dhobaura) consituency. 

From July 15, 2009 to September 15, 2012, he served in the Awami League government as the State Minister for Cultural Affairs. Later from 2012 he was serving as the State Minister for Social Welfare until his death. During the War of Independence of 1971, he contributed greatly as an organizer at the Shibbari Refugee Camp in Meghalaya of India. This camp had 50, 000 refugees from Bangladesh.

Promode Mankin was born on April 18, 1939 at Ramnagar village of Durgapur Upazilla of Netrokona District. Later his family moved to Haluaghat Upazilla of Mymensingh District.