Centenarian Odisha freedom fighter Md Bazi no more

Nabarangpur: Noted freedom fighter from Odisha, Mohammed Baji (Md Bazi) passed away at his residence in Sunari Sahi of Nabarangpur district on Thursday. He was 104.

Md Bazi, who was the 20th among 21 children of his parents, joined the freedom struggle after coming in contact with several acclaimed freedom fighters like Radhakrushna Biswasray (better known as Gandhi of Koraput).

It is said that Md Bazi spent his formative years with prominent freedom fighters like Laxmi Chandra Dash, Sadananda Mohanty and Raghunath Choudhury before joining the Indian National Congress in 1930s.

A bachelor in life, Md Bazi had taken part in Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha movement at Sabarmati Ashram in 1940. He was lodged in Nabarangpur jail after he started Satyagraha in the district following his return from Sabarmati.

However, the freedom fighter did not give up his love for the nation and joined the Quit India Movement before he was held August 19, 1942. He had to spend nearly five years in jail before being released on June 25, 1947.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patanik, in a twitter post, condoled the sad demise of the freedom fighter. The CM also expressed his sympathy with the bereaved family members of Md Bazi.

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସ୍ଵାଧୀନତା ସଂଗ୍ରାମୀ ମହମ୍ମଦ ବାଜିଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଦେଶର ସ୍ଵାଧୀନତା ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କ ଅବଦାନ ସବୁବେଳେ ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି।

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 27, 2019

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his deep grief over Md Bazi's death.

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା ସଂଗ୍ରାମୀ ମହମ୍ମଦ ବାଜିଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗରେ ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ। ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି । https://t.co/LqEv5c4kS5

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) June 27, 2019