Agartala, Dec 27: Tripura Legislative Assembly Speaker and four-time MLA Biswa Bandhu Sen, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Friday after prolonged medical treatment, will be cremated with full state honours at his hometown Dharmanagar on Sunday.
Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that Sen’s mortal remains were flown from Bengaluru to Agartala on Saturday. From the airport, the body was taken to the Tripura Legislative Assembly premises at the Capital Complex, where leaders and citizens from all sections of society paid their final respects.
Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Minister Nath along with cabinet colleagues, Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) Tripura state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, Deputy Speaker Ram Prasad Paul, leaders of various political parties, representatives of organisations and others offered floral tributes to the departed leader. Floral tributes were also paid on behalf of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
As a mark of the state’s highest honour, personnel of the Tripura State Rifles rendered a final salute with reversed arms to the 72-year-old veteran legislator. Sen’s passing has cast a pall of gloom over Tripura’s political landscape, with leaders cutting across party lines mourning the loss of a seasoned parliamentarian and an able Speaker.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha described Sen’s demise as a major loss for the BJP and the people of Tripura, noting that he discharged his duties as Speaker with fairness, efficiency and exemplary competence.
The state government has declared three days of state mourning from December 26 to 28. During this period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast across Tripura and no official entertainment programmes will be held.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and several other leaders expressed condolences.
Biswa Bandhu Sen was elected to the Tripura Assembly four times from Dharmanagar — twice as a Congress MLA in 2008 and 2013, and later as a BJP nominee in 2018 and 2023.
