State dignitary Abdul Sattar passed away Friday evening. Haveeru understands that Abdul Sattar passed away while being treated at a hospital in Bangkok. He was reportedly flown to the Thai capital for treatment on November 5. Government spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali said on twitter that Abdul Sattar’s funeral would take place in Bangkok Saturday evening. Defence minister Adam Shareef would participate in the funeral as the special envoy of the president, he added. The government, however, did not specify the timing of the funeral. Following the passing away of Abdul Sattar, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has declared that the national flag be flown at half mast for three days from Saturday. A book of condolence will also be placed at the foreign ministry, honouring late Abdul Sattar. Abdul Sattar, who passed away at the age of 79, had served the state for more than 50 years. He began his employment in the government on February, 1957 as secretary at the Representative Office of the Maldives in Sri Lankan (then Ceylon) before being appointed as the Maldives ambassador in Colombo. Abdul Sattar’s distinguished career in the Maldivian foreign service reached its apogee as Permanent Representative to the United Nations before he moved into political roles, holding a number of ministerial portfolios, including education, fisheries and health in both the administrations of President Ibrahim Nasir and his successor, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. When he retired from active politics in 1991, he was serving as the health minister under Gayoom. Other posts he took on include vice president of the Maldives and Maldivian ambassador to the United States. Abdul Sattar returned to spotlight with his appointment in 2003 as the head of an enquiry commission formed after the death of an inmate at the country’s main prison following torture by prison guards. President Gayoom established the presidential commission on September 20, 2003 to investigate the death of Evan Naseem and the shooting incident at Maafushi Prison, and appointed Abdul Sattar as the chairperson of the five-member commission. On July 26, 2011, Abdul Sattar was conferred the Order of Distinguished Rule of Izzuddeen, the highest civilian order given by the state. However, Abdul Sattar’s most notable services relate to his efforts during the Maldives’ struggle to gain independence from the British. President Nasir famously handed the pen he had used to sign the independence agreement to Abdul Sattar and he had held on to that national relic to this day. As the Maldives celebrated 50 years of independence this year, Abdul Sattar was seen as the face of the independence movement, having given a number of media interviews on Independence Day every year. He was the chief guest at several ceremonies held on July 26 this year, including the one where he had the honour of inaugurating a special commemorative note on the occasion of golden jubilee of independence. Abdul Sattar is survived by his wife and three children; a son and two daughters.