Basu's ancestral house in Bangladesh to be made a library

This assurance was given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during an hour-long discussion on a condolence motion in Bangladesh Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) to show respect to Basu, adjourning other businesses scheduled for Sunday. Basu's ancestral home is Barodi village in Sonargaon in Narayangunj district adjoining Dhaka. Basu's father Nishikanta Basu hailed from that village and the Marxist patriarch's desire to visit his ancestral home remained unfulfilled.

"He was not only a veteran politician, but also a guardian in politics in the sub-continent. India lost a great leader and great politician on his death. Bangladesh lost a well wisher and I personally lost a guardian," Hasina said in an emotion-choked voice. "Jyoti Basu was not a name for South Asia, he was an institution. I must go there to pay my respect to the great leader," she said.

Recalling Basu's role during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, she said alongside the Indian government the CPI(M) leader and his party had "worked to ensure food, shelter and medical facilities for us". She also said without Basu's support, "it was difficult for Bangladesh to have fair share over Ganges water" under the 1996 Indo-Bangladesh Ganges water-sharing treaty. Speaker Abdul Hamid formally informed the House about the death of Basu and read out a short biography of the great politician.