Deputy speaker of West Bengal Assembly passes away at 73

Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker H A Safwi passed away at a city hospital Wednesday morning after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family sources said. He was 73.

A former IPS officer, Safwi was elected from Uluberia (East) Assembly seat on Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket twice, in 2011 and 2016.

He held the folios of inland water transport and correctional administration under the TMC regime.

Safwi was appointed as the deputy speaker of the House on June 23, 2016.

Condoling the deputy speaker's death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said his death was a great loss for the state.

"I am deeply saddened to know that Haider Aziz Safwi, Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly is no more.

He was a very senior and respected person associated with us over a long time. His passing away indeed is a great loss," the CM tweeted.

"I convey my deep condolence to members of his family, friends, followers and well-wishers. These moments of sorrow are really very hard for us to digest but there is nothing that we can do but accept," she added.