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Bangladesh

3 top Jamaat leaders denied bail

2011-06-24

[Bangla Daily Star] The High Court yesterday rejected a bail petition jointly filed by three jugged Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ... a Pakistani catspaw remaining active in Bangla politix, loosely affiliated with the Pak religious party of the same name and closely affiliated with most of the terror organizations in Bangla. A member of the BNP's four party governing coalition.... leaders in Rajshashi University student Faruk Hossain murder case. A single member HC bench of Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique delivered the verdict. On March 24, a two-member division bench delivered a split judgement on the petition filed by Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami ...During the liberation war of 1971, Nizami formed the Al-Badr Force and acted as its supreme commander. The Al-Badr militia took active part in rape, extortion, looting and killing of Bangladeshis who supported the liberation, including a pre-planned massacre on December 14, 1971, when the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them... , Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Saydee in August last year. Senior judge of that bench Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury granted them bail while junior judge Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder rejected the petition. The chief justice then formed the single member bench for final disposal of the bail petition. Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain told The Daily Star that the HC bench upheld the decision of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder. Petitioners' lawyer Tajul Islam said they were yet to decide whether they would appeal against the HC verdict with the Supreme Court. Rajshahi University Chhatra League ... the student wing of the Bangla Awami League ... leader Faruk Hossain was killed in a clash between Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... and Chhatra League on February 9 last year. The murder case was filed on the day with Motihar Police Station. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam yesterday appeared for the government and barrister Abdur Razzaq argued for the petitioners.

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Bangladesh

Shibir plans subversive activities

2010-07-25

[Bangla Daily Star] Detectives questioning detained Islami Chhatra Shibir activists claim cadres of the group are gathering in the capital with explosives and firearms to carry out subversive activities in revenge for the recent arrests of Jamaat high-ups. They're flocking to the city. ADC Mohammad Moniruzzaman of Detective Branch yesterday told The Daily Star they arrested several Shibir activists in the last few days who revealed that some central leaders of Jamaat and Shibir are hatching the plot. Brooding in their hidden nests. The detective however declined to reveal the names of the central leaders for the sake of investigation. He said they recovered a foreign pistol from a Shibir office-come-mess at South Sayedabad in the capital and arrested Faridul Huda, finance secretary of Dhaka city unit of Shibir. He's clearly a bad egg. Moniruzzaman added they made the recovery and arrest following information gleaned from Shibir cadre Abdulla Omar Nasir alias Shahadat Hossain, who was arrested in Rajshahi University area on July 23. Earlier, the detectives arrested Shibir leader Mia Mujahid, brother of Jamaat lawmaker Mia Golam Sarwar, Shakhawat, managing director of Beacon Group and former president of Feni district unit, his employee Shakil, and Masum, nephew of Jamaat Aamir Ataur Rahman of Rajshahi city unit, over the last one year. Huda and Shahadat were produced before a Dhaka Court with a ten-day remand prayer for each, while the others were remanded on different terms. ADC Monir also said acting on the arrestees' information, law enforces apprehended around 12 more Shibir cadres and leaders in Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna who were taking preparations to carry out simultaneous attacks in the cities. Masum is not a Shibir member as he is not a student. But he used to lead armed attacks carried out by Shibir men and was asked to lead a certain team in the capital, the DB official claimed. Another bad egg. More like 'consultant'. The official said Shibir cadres were coming mostly from Rajshahi, Bogra, Khulna, Thakurgaon and Chittagong. Investigators say Shibir men gathering from different parts of the country are taking shelter at different Shibir-controlled messes and offices in the capital following arrests of Jamaat trio Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Delwar Hossain Saydee. Incubating more nefarious plots, no doubt. DB officials say the arrestees told them around seven names of Shibir cadres who are tasked with collecting explosives. They, quoting the arrestees, add some central leaders of Jamaat and Shibir are coordinating the entire process of collecting arms and explosives. The Jamaat and Shibir leaders, who are involved in the process, did not inform the cadres when and where the attack will be launched, they add. Speaking anonymously, a mid-ranked DB official said several teams of detectives are out to arrest the cadres and leaders assigned to carry out subversive activities. But following the arrests made over the last few weeks, the operatives and leaders have shifted their shelters, he added. They scrambled for safety. The arrestees said the Jamaat and Shibir leaders adopted such strategies so that they can escape arrest. Beacon Group Managing Director Shakhawat used to give financial aid for plotting, claim the interrogators.

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Bangladesh

30 Shibir, Jamaat men held in 3 districts

2010-07-10

[Bangla Daily Star] Thirty leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were arrested from Brahmanbaria, Joypurhat and Naogaon Friday night and on Saturday. In Brahmanbaria, police arrested 18 Shibir and 2 Jamaat men from a house at Kazipara in the district town at about 12:30pm. Officer-in-charge Mohammad Hamidul Islam of Sadar Police Station claimed that a secret meeting, led by Shibir district unit secretary Rashidul Kabir Rana, was going on in the house and the Jamaat leaders were also present at the meeting. Police claimed that the Jamaat leaders -- Noman and Shibli -- came from Dhaka to attend the meeting. The agenda of the meeting could not be known immediately, reports our Brahmanbaria correspondent. Prothom Alo reports, seven Shibir activists, including its two local leaders, were arrested at Royer village in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat district Friday night. The law enforcers also seized books on Jihad, organisational schedule and other important documents. Officer-in-charge Moklesur Rahman of Akkelpur Police Station claimed that they were arrested from Shah Sikandar Jam-e-Mosque while holding a secret meeting. Shibir president of upazila unit Al Mamun and general secretary Mostakin Billah were among the arrestees. A case was filed with the local police station in this connection. UNB adds: Three Shibir activists were arrested while sticking posters on the walls at Doyal crossing in Naogaon town on early Saturday. The arrestees were identified as Mohammad Abdur Rahim, 18, of Paroil village in Raninagar upazila, Mohammad Habib, 20, of Jaboi village in Sapahar upazila and Mohammad Harunur Rashid, 22, of south Labonpur village in Patnitala upazila. Police said they arrested the three Shibir men while pasting posters on the walls demanding unconditional release of Jamaat leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Delwar Hossain Saydee at about 6:00am.

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Bangladesh

Mojaheed re-elected

2009-12-08

[Bangla Daily Star] Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed was re-elected the secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday while the party's six assistant secretary generals and three nayeb-e-ameers were also re-elected. Two nayeb-e-ameers and one assistant secretary general were however elected for the first time. Majlish-e-Sura, the highest policymaking body of the party, elected the top officials in a daylong meeting held in its central office in Moghbazar of the capital. Last month, 25,000 members of the party had re-elected Motiur Rahman Nizami their ameer or the chief through a direct election, who yesterday took the oath of office in front of the Majlish-e-Sura. Jamaat Publicity Secretary Tasnim Alam told The Daily Star that the meetings of Majlish-e-Sura are equivalent to the national councils of other political parties. Addressing 232 Sura members, re-elected Jamaat chief Nizami yesterday alleged that the Awami League government's initiative to try war criminals is a part of its design to rout out Islam from the country. The chief of the Islamist party, that had opposed the country's birth and its liberation war, however said his party is 'determined to safeguard the country's independence and sovereignty', which according to him are endangered now. Nizami, who was a minister during the last BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance regime, said the incumbent government's initiative to wipeout Islam from the country's education policy, scrapping of the fifth amendment to the constitution, and its efforts to reinstate the 1972 constitution are parts of its conspiracy against Islam. About the proposed trials of war criminals, Nizami said, "The government is engaged in a conspiracy to destroy Islamist forces through its fresh initiative to try war criminals, which is an already settled issue." "The present government also wants to rout out religion from the country through reinstating the 1972 constitution," he alleged. The day long meeting of Majlish-e-Sura presided by Nizami also discussed the party's strategy for the coming days. The three re-elected nayeb-e-ameers are Abul Kalam Muhammad Yousuf, Maqbul Ahmad, and AKM Nazir Ahmad while Muhammad Abdus Subhan, and Delwar Hossain Saydee were elected to the post for the first time, according to a media release. The re-elected assistant secretaries general are Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Molla, ATM Azharul Islam, Mohammad Abu Taher, Mujibur Rahman, and Barrister Abdur Razzaq, while Shafiqur Rahman was elected to the post for the first time. The Majlish-e-Sura also elected 52 members of the central working committee and 15 members of the executive committee.

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Bangladesh

Saydee sued for war crime

2009-08-13

[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Saydee and four others were sued on charge of war crimes with Pirojpur chief judicial magistrate's court yesterday. Judge Rafiqul Islam ordered officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station to take up the case. Manik Poshari, son of late Saijuddin Poshari of Chitholia village in Sadar upazila, filed the case. Other accused in the case are Mohsin, Momin Hawlader, Hakim Qari, and Sobahan Hawlader. Manik Poshari in the case said Saydee and four other accused along with Pakistani army men stormed into their house at about 3:00pm on May 8, 1971 and the accused persons not finding them looted their house and set it on fire. They also handed over their caretaker Ibrahim to the Pakistani army to kill him. Later, the case statement says, the Pakistani army personnel shot Ibrahim dead at Parerhat Bandar.

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Bangladesh

War crime case against Ghulam Azam, others withdrawn

2009-05-14

[Bangla Daily Star] The civil suit seeking a court order declaring Jamaat-e-Islami's iconic leader Ghulam Azam and 35 others war criminals was withdrawn yesterday by the plaintiffs. In defence of the withdrawal of the suit, Dhaka District Chief Government Pleader (GP) Fakir Deluar Hossain said the civil court dealing with the suit has no jurisdiction to mete out exemplary punishments to the defendants, even if they were proven guilty. "The court could have only declared them war criminals on the basis of documents submitted by the plaintiffs," said Deluar, who on government directives pursued the private litigants to withdraw the case. The petition submitted by the plaintiffs to the court seeking withdrawal of the case, said the government already initiated steps to try war criminals under the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 by setting up special tribunals, and the plaintiffs considered the government efforts reasonable. According to the international crimes act, upon conviction of a war criminal, the tribunal is supposed to sentence the convicted to any punishment proportionate to the gravity of the crime as appears to the tribunal to be just and proper, including death. Talking to reporters, Deluar said the government high ups instructed him to take necessary steps for withdrawal of the case field by three lawyers on November 13 last year against Ghulam Azam and the 35 others, following the filing of which a Dhaka court on Monday summoned the defendants to appear before it, to explain why they should not be declared war criminals. "The government might have faced difficulties to initiate trials of the 36 defendants on charges of war crimes if this case continued," Deluar said yesterday. State Minister for Law Advocate Qamrul Islam also expressed satisfaction over the withdrawal of the case. "I'm happy and thank the plaintiffs as they withdrew the case keeping their confidence in the government's move to hold trials of war criminals," he told reporters in his instant reaction. The state minister, who earlier on several occasions requested victims of 1971 not to file cases against war criminals since the government itself will be a party to holding the long due trials, also said yesterday that the public confusion about trials of war crimes will be ameliorated by the withdrawal of the suit. He was referring to the public confusion created by filing of war crime cases by private citizens while the government is taking its time to do so, although it has been saying that it will try the war criminals and mete out exemplary punishment. Reiterating the government's strong position for holding war crime trials, the state minister said the trial process will start soon, and all war criminals will be brought to justice gradually. The state minister hoped that trials of top war criminals will be completed by December this year. He also expressed astonishment over how a civil court took the case into cognisance and issued summons on Ghulam Azam and the 35 others to appear before it. On taking into cognisance the civil suit, filed by three lawyers -- Mohammad Liton Miah, Mohammad Safayat Hossain Sajib, and Rajeeb Ahmad -- Judge Iftekhar Ahmed of the 9th Assistant Judge's Court took the matter for trial and issued the summons on Monday. The court ordered the defendants to appear before it on July 20 to explain why they should not be declared war criminals for committing crimes against humanity during Bangladesh's liberation war in 1971. The 36 defendants included Jamaat's former ameer Ghulam Azam, its incumbent Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, and the party's senior central leaders Abdus Subhan, AKM Yosuf, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Molla, Delwar Hossain Saydee, Mir Kasem Ali, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Barrister Korban Ali, and Advocate Ansar Ali, and BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. The civil court also asked the defendants to explain why they should not be declared disqualified from contesting in elections.

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Bangladesh

Focus back on, 8yrs after

2009-05-12

Julfikar Ali ManikFormer Jamaat ameer Ghulam Azam stayed out of focus since he disappeared from open politics of Jamaat-e-Islami eight years ago. One of the front men of 1971 who actively helped Pakistani occupation forces' attempts to foil the birth of Bangladesh, he was brought to spotlight once again after yesterday's court order. Ghulam Azam, who was hyperactive against the Liberation War and became a symbol of alleged war criminals, said in 1971, "Pakistan is the house of Islam for the world Muslims. Therefore, Jamaat activists don't justify living if Pakistan disintegrated." (Source: Jamaat's mouthpiece the daily Sangram, 1971). Ghulam Azam met Pakistani General Tikka Khan, who was known as "butcher of Beluchistan" 10 days after the war started and earned the same title "butcher" as an architect of the genocide launched at the night of March 25, 1971 in Dhaka. During the nine-month bloody War of Independence Ghulam Azam and his party Jamaat actively played a key role alone and along with their other political partners in attempts to foil Bangladesh's independence struggle. Immediately after independence Ghulam Azam and many others like him fled to Pakistan and returned only after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family in 1975. After victory on December 16, 1971 the first issue of newspapers of the new nation carried the government's decision to ban five communal parties including Jamaat-e-Islami on December 18 with immediate effect. The banned parties including Jamaat were given the green light to do politics during the regime of late president Ziaur Rahman after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. As Ghulam Azam returned to Bangladesh after 1975 he became Jamaat's undeclared ameer, while another alleged war criminal late Abbas Ali Khan served for many years as the acting ameer. In early 90s Ghulam Azam was officially declared ameer of Jamaat and Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam launched a unique mass movement demanding trial of war criminals. She held an unprecedented Peoples' Court as a symbolic trial of Ghulam Azam where thousands of people gathered and the court gave verdict that Azam's offences committed during the Liberation War deserve capital punishment. After long movement against war criminals launched by Jahanara Imam, Jamaat decided to change its chief in 2001 though Azam obtained Bangladeshi citizenship from the higher court in mid-90s. Motiur Rahman Nizami, the incumbent ameer of Jamaat, in 2001 succeeded Azam, who disappeared from open politics since then. Though Azam was the brain behind Jamaat's anti-liberation efforts, the present ameer, also the then president of Islami Chhatra Sangha, played a vital role in collaborating Pakistani junta in committing genocide. The Pakistani forces and their Bangladeshi collaborators committed genocide and war crimes that left three million people killed and around quarter million women violated besides the planned elimination of the best Bangali brains on December 14, 1971. The Sangram quoted Nizami on September 15, 1971 as saying: "Everyone of us should assume the role of a Muslim soldier of an Islamic state and through cooperation to the oppressed and by winning their confidence we must kill those; who are hatching conspiracy against Pakistan and Islam." Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, head of Al-Badr in Dhaka in 1971, led the killings of the intellectuals a couple of days before independence, according to numerous research works, academic papers, accounts of both victims and collaborators, publications including newspapers and secret documents of the Pakistani home department. Mojahid directed party workers to build Al-Badr force to resist freedom fighters, according to a "Fortnightly Secret Report on the Situation in East Pakistan". In line with an official procedure, the report was regularly being dispatched by the then East Pakistan home ministry to General Yahya Khan, the head of the government. Mojahid came to spotlight and drew huge flak making an audacious comment in October 2007 that "in fact, anti-liberation forces never even existed". Jamaat leader Mir Kasem Ali was general secretary of East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha in 1971. On December 10 the same year, Al-Badr force organised a rally at Baitul Mukarram Mosque to orchestrate public opinion against 'Hindustani attacks'. Kasem also addressed the rally, according to a news report published in the Daily Azad on December 11, 1971. "We are fighting for truth and fairness. Victory must be on our side with the blessings of Khoda," Kasem was quoted in the report as saying. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat, has a tainted past with Islami Chhatra Sangha and is blamed for his close links to Al-Badr. "The Chhatra Sangha of Mymensingh was converted to Al-Badr and provided with military training. The man responsible for organising the Chhatra Sangha into Al-Badr was the chief of the Mymensingh district Islami Chhatra Sangha Kamaruzzaman," says a book titled Genocide '71. In the early 1990s, a People's Inquiry Commission was formed to investigate the activities of war criminals and collaborators. According to a report by the commission, the dreaded year, 1971, calls to mind the active role of Delwar Hossain Saydee, now a member of Jamaat's central executive committee. Saydee played an active part in organising Razakar, Al-Badr and Al Shams forces in the southern district of Pirojpur, his stronghold, to assist the Pakistan army in the crackdown on Bangladeshis. "Saydee was not associated with any political party in 1971 but conducted his activities in his individual capacity as a 'maulana' or Islamic scholar. There are allegations that he actively helped the Pakistani forces in their campaign of killings, looting, rape and arson by forming local para-military forces," says the report. "During the war, he along with four associates formed an organisation called "Fund of the Five". The principal aim of the organisation was to loot and take over property of freedom fighters and Bangalee Hindus. He used to sell looted property and run a profitable business from the sale proceedings." The report adds Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury opposed Bangladesh's independence and took a number of measures against the freedom fighters. He used to provide all-out support to the Pakistani occupation forces in his area grater Chittagong district. These are the few examples of the anti-liberation political elements, which stood against independence of Bangladesh and a Dhaka court yesterday summoned them along with more than two dozens defendants in a case.

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Bangladesh

Prove innocence in war crime

2009-05-12

[Bangla Daily Star] A Dhaka court yesterday summoned Jamaat leaders Ghulam Azam, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, and 32 others to appear before it on July 20 to explain why they should not be declared war criminals for committing crimes against humanity during Bangladesh's liberation war in 1971. According to the court order, Jamaat's former ameer Ghulam Azam, incumbent chief Nizami, Secretary General Mojahid, senior BNP leader Salauddin, and the 32 other accused will also have to explain why they should not be disqualified from contesting in elections on charges of war crimes. The 32 other defendants include Jamaat's senior central leaders Abdus Subhan, AKM Yosuf, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Molla, Delwar Hossain Saydee, Mir Kasem Ali, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Barrister Korban Ali, and Advocate Ansar Ali, and former BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim. The majority of the rest of the 32 are also leaders of Jamaat, the anti-liberation force, which was constitutionally banned immediately after the country's liberation in 1971, but it was allowed to resume political activities after the bloody August 15, 1975 regime change. The court's order sent the entire Jamaat hierarchy into a hectic damage control manoeuvring, with leaders frantically calling each other seeking advices on what steps they should take to save themselves from the long hands of the law, party insiders said. Jamaat's Senior Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman however told The Daily Star that the party's lawyers will take necessary steps in connection with the court summons. Jamaat Secretary General Mojahid told reporters yesterday that the case is baseless, adding that no Jamaat leader of any level is linked to any war crime, the case was filed with mala fide political intentions. On taking into cognisance a civil suit, filed on November 13 last year by three lawyers -- Mohammad Liton Miah, Mohammad Safayat Hossain Sajib, and Rajeeb Ahmad -- Judge Iftekhar Ahmed of the 9th Assistant Judge's Court took the matter for trial and issued the summons yesterday. The suit seeks to declare the defendants war criminals, barring them from contesting in elections. Now, the burden of proof lies on the defendants, who will have to prove themselves innocent of the charges. Thirteen of the defendants, who are already dead, will be exempted from personal appearance before the court, counsels of the plaintiffs said. The 13 deceased defendants include Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, ASM Solaiman, former prime minister Shah Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Advocate Mohammad Ainuddin, and Abdul Majid Talukder. Yesterday's court order follows the AL-led government's initiative to hold long due trials of war criminals of 1971 under the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973. Many other criminal cases were also already filed in different parts of the country against war criminals, and some of the accused were already arrested in connection with the cases. In the wake of a tidal demand of all sections of the people, the immediate past caretaker government inserted a new provision in the Representation of the People Order, barring convicted war criminals from contesting in parliamentary elections. Before the ninth parliamentary election, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda assured Sector Commanders' Forum of collecting historical documents on trials of war criminals that had taken place between 1972 and 1975, in an effort to bar convicted war criminals from contesting in the poll. But the Election Commission (EC) failed to deliver on its promise, paving the way for many alleged war criminals to be able to contest in the December 29, 2008 parliamentary election, without any difficulty despite having widespread allegations of war crimes against them. During yesterday's hearing, lawyers of the plaintiffs submitted documents to prove the charges of war crimes against the defendants. They argued that the defendants were actively involved in war crimes during Bangladesh's liberation war in 1971, and they should be declared war criminals disqualifying them from contesting in any election. After the hearing, the court took the charges into cognisance for trial, as it found substantial evidence in favour of the charges. Advocates Delwar Hossain, Syed Ahmed Mostafa Rana, Khandaker Mohibul Hassan, Saidur Rahman Saju, and Abdul Mannan appeared for the petitioners. Within moments of the court's order, pro-Jamaat lawyers thronged the court to collect the case documents. The plaintiffs prayed that Ghulam Azam and the 35 others be declared war criminals for their involvement in genocide, rape, arson, pillaging, and for collaborating with the invading Pakistani army in 1971. They also prayed for barring all war criminals from forming any political party in the country, and for disqualifying them from participating in any election in the country. The plaintiffs also mentioned in their plaint that in the immediate aftermath of Bangladesh's liberation, Ghulam Azam and the 35 other accused were identified as war criminals, but are yet to be tried. The accused also killed a large number of intellectuals on November 14, 1971, the plaintiffs stated in their complaint.

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Bangladesh

Bangla: Jamaat in jeopardy

2008-12-30

The anti-liberation forces have been defeated once again, this time through peoples' verdict. While it is a sweet revenge for Bangladeshis against the war criminals, the verdict will make stronger the demand for their trial. In the historic ninth parliamentary elections held yesterday, Jamaat-e-Islami, collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971, faced the worst election debacle winning only two seats out of 38 it contested for. Jamaat's big shots including Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and central leader Delwar Hossain Saydee -- lawmakers in the last parliament -- have been rejected by voters. Nizami, who contested the elections from Pabna-1 constituency, lost to M Shamsul Haque Tuku, while Mojahid managed to grab third position in Faridpur-3. Jamaat candidates Shamsul Islam won in Chittagong-14 and Hamidur Rahman Azad in Cox's Bazar-2. Interestingly, Azad defeated not only the grand alliance candidate but also the four-party one as he was not the official ticket holder of the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance.

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Bangladesh

Saydee looks for voluntary contributions

2008-12-25

More than a half of the election campaign fund of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh central leader, Delwar Hossain Saydee, is coming from 'voluntary contributions' of 44 persons, according to his wealth statement submitted to the Election Commission (EC). The donors hail from Pirojpur, Dhaka, Barisal and Khulna. Saydee, who is contesting in the parliamentary election in Pirojpur-1 constituency, disclosed that he will spend Tk 10.1 lakh for his campaign, Tk 3 lakh of which is coming from his own coffer while Tk 6.41 lakh is coming from donations. Most of the donors are college, school and madrasa teachers hailing from Saydee's home district Pirojpur. The lowest contribution of Tk 5,000 is coming from Abdur Rab of Khalisha Khali of Pirojpur while the highest donation of Tk 50,000 is coming from Shah Jamal Sikder of Sikder Trading of the same district. Professors Mojibur Rahman, Mosharraf Hossain, and Amirul Islam of Shaheed Zia Degree College at Nazirhat of Pirojpur are donating Tk 10,000 each. Md Faruquzzaman of Daruls Islam Trust at Tongi is donating Tk 25,000 while Principal Idris Ali of Darul Quran Siddiquia Kamil Madrasa at Khulna is contributing Tk 20,000. Principal of KC Technical College Yunus Ali and Head Master of Horina Girls High School Monirul Islam are donating Tk 10,000 and Tk 8,000 respectively. Abdul Halim of Khanakunia Fazil Madrasa is contributing Tk 10,000. In addition, Saydee is getting Tk 60,000 in cash from his four sons Rafiq Saydee, Shamim Saydee, Masud Saydee, and Nasim Saydee, while his party is contributing Tk 1.50 lakh to his campaign fund. He annual earning is Tk 4.67 lakh while his expenditure is Tk 3.14 lakh. The major chunk of the earning amounting to Tk 2.44 lakh comes from the royalties from sales of books authored by him, bank interests, and remunerations for speaking at meetings and seminars. His earning from teaching amounts to Tk 1.20 lakh. Saydee, who identified himself as a writer in the statement, has Tk 6.14 lakh in cash, and Tk 4.65 lakh deposited in different banks and other financial institutions. Besides, he has shares in Islami Bank and Barakah Hospital. Interestingly, he owns more gold than his wife does. The wealth statement says Saydee owns 25 tolas of gold, the value of which he does not know, while his wife owns 10 tolas of gold worth Tk 60,000. The Jamaat leader is also the part owner of three houses and an apartment. Saydee, who owns a pistol worth Tk 1.50 lakh, declared in his statement that he also owns a book store which has an estimated value of Tk 3 lakh. He owes Tk 2.71 crore to Islami Bank. Delwar Hossain Saydee played an active part in organising the Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams forces in Pirojpur during the country's liberation war to assist the occupying Pakistani army. "Saydee was not associated with any political party in 1971, but conducted his activities in his individual capacity as a maulana or Islamic scholar. There are allegations that he actively helped the Pakistani forces in their campaign of killings, looting, rape, and arson by forming local para-military forces," says a report of The People's Inquiry Commission. "During the war, he along with four of his associates formed an organisation called 'Fund of the Five'. The principal aim of the organisation was to loot and grab property of freedom fighters and Bangalee Hindus. He used to sell the looted property and run a profitable business from the proceedings of the sales," the report adds.

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Bangladesh

Muktijoddha Sangsad reveals list of 600 war criminals

2008-12-24

Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad yesterday published a list of 600 war criminals responsible for the mass killings, rapes and other misdeeds during the country's Liberation War. Twenty-two of the war criminals, including Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, are contesting the December 29 national polls. Civilized societies put such people in prison ... In Bangla they become an integral part of the last and possibly the next government. Publishing the list at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium, the Sangsad urged voters to say 'no' to the war criminals in the upcoming election. "We've drawn up the list on the basis of our research, field-level investigation and examination of relevant documents for a period of two years," said Dr SM Jahangir Alam, vice-president of the Sangsad. Delwar Hossain Saydee, Maulana Abdus Sobhan, ATM Azharul Islam, Riasat Ali Biswas, Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, Shah Mohammad Ruhul Kuddus and Golam Parwar are among the high-profile Jamaat leaders on the list and participating in the polls. Former BNP lawmakers Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury are also on the list. The list and evidence will be handed over to the government and Election Commission so that the war criminals could be tried as well as to disqualify them in the elections, it said. Besides, the names of the war criminals would be circulated to the international community. Local collaborators who are on the list and still alive mostly belong to Jamaat-e-Islami. Some of them who were then involved in the politics of Muslim League and Nezame Islam have now become leaders of BNP, said Dr Jahangir. The Sangsad has also mentioned details of most of the war criminals on the list. All the 600 war criminals were accused under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order 1972. The list shows that Golam Azam was supposed to appear before the court on February 22, 1972. Maulana Abdus Sobhan, another war criminal who is contesting Pabna-5, was supposed to appear before the court on February 29, 1972. The leaders of the Sangsad said it would not be possible to bring the war criminals to justice if they win in the upcoming election.

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