Motiur Rahman Nizami

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Motiur Rahman Nizami (Bengali: মতিউর রহমান নিজামী) is the current chief (Ameer) of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, which is the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh. The Caretaker Government of Bangladesh has arrested him on May 18, 2008.

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[edit] Jamaat activist

Nizami rose in the ranks of the Jamaat-e-Islami in East Pakistan in the 1960s. 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]

The Al-Badr Party took active part in capturing and killing of Bangladeshis (then East Pakistanis) who supported the liberation. On December 14, 1971, the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army, rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them. [3][4][5]

[edit] Political career

Under the rule of Ziaur Rahman, top Jamaat leaders such as Golam 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. Nizami took over as the Ameer from Golam Azam in 2001.[6] Nizami served as the Industrial Minister from 2001 to 2006.

[edit] 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. [7] A warrant was issued to arrest Nizami along with 12 others on May 15, 2008.

Nizami is 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.[8] Nizami has denied the charges, which he has said are politically motivated. [9]


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Karlekar, Hiranmay (2005). Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan?. Sage Publications Inc, 152. 
  2. ^ Baxter, Craig (2002). Government and Politics in South Asia. Westview Press, 294. 
  3. ^ Murshid, Tazeen M. (2). "State, nation, identity: The quest for legitimacy in Bangladesh". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 20 (2): 1–34. Routledge. doi:10.1080/00856409708723294. ISSN 14790270. 
  4. ^ Khan, Muazzam Hussain (2003), "Killing of Intellectuals", Banglapedia, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
  5. ^ Shaiduzzaman (December 14, 2005), "Martyred intellectuals: martyred history", The Daily New Age, Bangladesh
  6. ^ Prof. Ghulam Azam Retires, Islamic Voice, December 2006.
  7. ^ Bangladesh orders arrest of Islamist party chief, Reuters, May 15, 2008.
  8. ^ 12 'fugitives' face arrest order, The Daily Independent, Bangladesh, May 16, 2008.
  9. ^ Bangladeshi religious leader held, BBC News, May 19 2008.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Ghulam Azam		 Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh
2001–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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