The President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman has died, aged 85, in a Singapore hospital on Wednesday (March 20th) where was being treated for a long-term illness.

Bangladesh's 19th President, Rahman was elected by parliament to the mainly ceremonial position in 2009. He had a long involvement in Bangladeshi politics.

The Bangladesh National news agency Sangbad Sangsta (BSS) said Rahman' only son, daughters and close relatives were by his side when he died and that his body would be flown back home on Thursday (March 21th) for burial on Friday.

Acting president Abdul Hamid Advocate has announced three days of mourning BSS said.

Born in 1929 Rahman was a legal practitioner before he got into politics in the late 1940s.

He took an active political role in the Bengali nationalist movements and pro democracy campaigns after Bangladesh gained independence.

The Bangladesh news agency said Rahman fought against military rule in 1962 and was elected to the national assembly in 1970 and describes him as a key figure in reuniting the Awami League that led to the war of liberation in 1971.

Presented by Adam Justice