Motiur Rahman Nizami (Bengali: মতিউর রহমান নিজামী), (born 31 March 1943) is the current chief (Ameer) of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, which is the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh. During Bangladesh Liberation War, he acted as the supreme commander of the Al-Badr militia, which has been alleged to have taken part in various war crimes including killing of hundreds of intellectuals around the country [1][2] .
Motiur Rahman Nizami | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh | |
| Assumed office 2000 | |
| Prime Minister | Khaleda Zia Sheikh Hasina |
| Preceded by | Ghulam Azam |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 10 October 2001 – 22 May 2003 | |
| Minister of Industries | |
| In office 22 May 2003 – 28 October 2006 | |
| Member of Parliament for Pabna-1 | |
| In office 1 October 2001 – 28 October 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Professor Abu Sayed |
| Succeeded by | Md. Shamsul Haque |
| Majority | 135,982 (57.68%) |
| In office 27 February 1991 – 16 February 1996 | |
| Succeeded by | Professor Abu Sayed |
| Majority | 55,707 (36.85%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 March 1943 Pabna, Bangladesh |
| Political party | Jamaat-e-Islami |
| Spouse | Shamsunnahar Nizami |
| Alma mater | Dhaka University |
| Occupation | Member of Parliament |
| Website | www.motiurrahmannizami.com |
Jamaat and Al-Badr activist
Nizami rose in the ranks of the Jamaat-e-Islami in East Pakistan in the 1960s, after being a leader of a student organization, Islamic Chhatro Shango (now Islami Chhatro Shibir). During the liberation war of 1971, Nizami actively supported the cause of West Pakistan and formed the Al-Badr Party. Nizami acted as the supreme commander of the Al-Badr Militia.[1][2] As the leader of Al-Badr, Nizami advocated violence against minority Hindus, and in an article in the Daily Sangram published in 14 November 1971, Nizami claimed, "It is our conviction that the day is not far off when, standing side by side with our armed forces, our youth will raise the victorious flag of Islam the world over by defeating the Hindu Army and finishing off Hindustan".[1][3] Nizami was then well known as "Moitya Rajakar (মইত্যা রাজাকার)" for his anti-liberation activities [4].
The Al-Badr militia are accused of taking active part in raping, capturing and killing of Bangladeshis (then East Pakistanis) who supported the liberation, including a massacre on December 14, 1971, when the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army were said to have rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them. [5][6][7]
Political career
Under the rule of Ziaur Rahman, top Jamaat leaders such as Ghulam Azam and Nizami whose party were banned by the subsequent government after liberation, returned to Bangladesh in 1978 and revived the Jamaat party. Nizami emerged as a key national leader of the Jamaat, organising the Islami Chhatra Shibir (Muslim Students Organisation), which serves as the youth wing of the Jamaat. In 1991, he was elected as a Member of Parliament, representing Jamaat-e-Islami for the constituency of Pabna-1, and was Jamaat's Parliamentary Party leader during until 1994.[8]
However, during the 1996 elections, he lost out to both the candidates for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Bangladesh Awami League in his constituency, and Professor Abu Sayed of the Awami League replaced him. Nizami took over as the Ameer from Ghulam Azam in 2001.[9] In the same year, representing his party as part of a four-party alliance including BNP, he won a large victory in Pabna-1, receiving 57.68% of the votes.[10]
Nizami served as the Industrial Minister from 2003 to 2006, after a two-year term as the Minister of Agriculture.
Nizami was defeated in the general election held on 29th December 2008 as a candidate of 4-party alliance, losing his seat for Pabna-1 to Md. Shamsul Haque by 8.2%. He received 45.6% of the votes, out of which 41.03% votes were from BNP supporters. His opponent representing the Awami League won, having 53.8%.
Allegations of corruption
The Anti-corruption Commission of Bangladesh indicted Nizami on the GATCO Corruption case, in which he along with several other politicians are alleged to have granted illegally a container-depot contract to the local firm GATCO. [11] A warrant was issued to arrest Nizami along with 12 others on May 15, 2008.
Nizami was accused of conspiring with 12 other politicians to award the contract to GATCO despite the fact that GATCO did not meed the conditions of the tender. The case filed by the Anti-corruption Commission of Bangladesh Govt. alleges that, the deal with GATCO caused a total loss of more than 100 million Bangladeshi Taka to the Government.[12] Nizami denied the charges, which he has said are politically motivated. [13]He was released after two months on bail.
References
- ^ a b c Karlekar, Hiranmay (2005). Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan?. Sage Publications Inc. p. 152.
- ^ a b Baxter, Craig (2002). Government and Politics in South Asia. Westview Press. p. 294.
- ^ Daily Sangram, November 14, 1971.
- ^ Killers and Collaborators of 1971: An Account of Their Whereabouts, compiled and published by the Center for the Development of the Spirit of the Liberation War
- ^ Nizami was
Murshid, Tazeen M. (2). "State, nation, identity: The quest for legitimacy in Bangladesh". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies,. 20 (2). Routledge: 1–34. doi:10.1080/00856409708723294.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=and|year=/|date=mismatch (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters:|laysummary=,|laydate=,|laysource=, and|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Khan, Muazzam Hussain (2003), "Killing of Intellectuals", Banglapedia, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
- ^ Shaiduzzaman (December 14, 2005), "Martyred intellectuals: martyred history", The Daily New Age, Bangladesh
- ^ Biography, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
- ^ Prof. Ghulam Azam Retires, Islamic Voice, December 2006.
- ^ Online Election Results for Pabna-1, BD Needs.
- ^ Bangladesh orders arrest of Islamist party chief, Reuters, May 15, 2008.
- ^ 12 'fugitives' face arrest order, The Daily Independent, Bangladesh, May 16, 2008.
- ^ Bangladeshi religious leader held, BBC News, May 19 2008.
