Veteran politician and former West Bengal minister Rezzak Mollah passed away on Friday morning at his residence in Bakri village of South 24 Parganas. He was 80 and had been suffering from age-related ailments for some time.
Once a towering presence in Bengal politics, Mollah's passing has evoked condolences across the political spectrum.
Revered for staying rooted in his humble beginnings, he was widely known as “Chashar Byata” or “the farmer’s son”.
Mollah entered active politics in 1977 with the rise of the Left Front in the state.
Contesting from the Canning East constituency, he held the seat continuously for over three decades until 2011.
His consistent electoral success, even as the CPI(M)’s fortunes waned, earned him the image of a grounded and reliable leader.
He served as the Minister for Land and Land Reforms, leaving behind a legacy of land policy reforms and an enduring impact on agrarian governance in the state.
In 2014, Mollah’s association with the CPI(M) ended after the party expelled him citing anti-party activities. Undeterred, he floated his own party, the Bharatiya Nyayavichar Party, although it had limited success.
Two years later, he joined the Trinamool Congress under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was elected from the Bhangar seat. In the TMC-led government, he was entrusted with the Food and Food Processing portfolio.
Reacting to his demise, Chief Minister Banerjee wrote on social media, “Although he once practised politics of a different style, it was easy and natural for him to join the government of Ma-Mati-Manush.”
The TMC did not field him in the 2021 Assembly elections due to his age, following which Mollah receded from public life. He remained largely confined to his residence and made only occasional public statements.
Despite fading from the political frontline, Mollah’s legacy is deeply etched in Bengal’s political memory. His journey from a humble background to becoming a key player in the state’s land reforms policy remains inspirational.
Colleagues and rivals alike describe his passing as the end of an era in West Bengal politics.
Follow us
