Motiur Rahman Nizami: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}

| honorific-prefix =  

| name             = Motiur Rahman Nizami

| image       =Motiur Rahman Nizami (1943–2016).jpg

| imagesize   =220px

| caption     =Nizami

| office       = Leader of [[Jamaat-e-Islami]]

| term_start   = 2000

| term_end     = 2016

| predecessor = [[Ghulam Azam]]

| successor   = [[Maqbul Ahmed]]

| office2 = Minister of Agriculture

| term_start2 = 10 October 2001

| term_end2 = 22 May 2003

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 =

| office3 = Minister of Industries

| term_start3 = 22 May 2003

| term_end3 = 28 October 2006

| predecessor3 =

| successor3 =

| constituency_MP4 = [[Pabna-1]]

| majority4   = 135,982 (57.68%)

| term_start4 = 1 October 2001

| term_end4 = 28 October 2006

| predecessor4 = Professor Abu Sayed

| successor4   = Md. Shamsul Haque

| majority5   = 55,707 (36.85%)

| term_start5 = 27 February 1991

| term_end5 = 16 February 1996

| predecessor5 =

| successor5   =Abu Sayed

| birth_date   = {{birth date|1943|3|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = [[Santhia Upazila]], [[Pabna]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]

| death_date   = {{death date and age|2016|5|11|1943|3|31|df=y}}

| death_place = [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh

| death_cause = Hanging (capital punishment)

| nationality =

| party       = [[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami|Jamaat-e-Islami]]

| otherparty   =

| spouse       = Shamsunnahar Nizami

| relations   =

| children     =

| residence   =

| alma_mater   = [[University of Dhaka]]

| occupation   =

| profession   = Politician, scholar

| signature   =

| website     =

| footnotes   =

'''Motiur Rahman Nizami''' ({{lang-bn|মতিউর রহমান নিজামী|links=no}}; 31 March 1943 – 11 May 2016)<ref name=noose>{{cite news |author=Mohiuddin Faruq |date=5 May 2016 |title=Noose tightens on Nizami for war crimes as Bangladesh Jamaat chief loses last legal battle |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/05/05/noose-tightens-on-nizami-for-war-crimes-as-bangladesh-jamaat-chief-loses-last-legal-battle |access-date=5 May 2016 |newspaper=bdnews24.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh hangs Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami for 1971 war crimes to protect Pakistan |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/05/11/bangladesh-hangs-jamaat-e-islami-chief-nizami-for-1971-war-crimes-to-protect-pakistan |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=11 May 2016 |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref> was a politician, former Minister of [[Bangladesh]], Islamic scholar, writer, and the former leader of the [[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami]].[[Al-Badr (East Pakistan)|Al-Badr]] [[Bangladesh Liberation War]].<ref name="Karlekar">{{cite book |last=Karlekar |first=Hiranmay |date=2005 |title=Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan? |publisher=Sage |page=152 |isbn=978-0761934011}}</ref> On 29 October 2014, he was convicted and later [[Capital punishment|executed]] blaming of masterminding the [[Demra massacre]] by the [[International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh)|International Crimes Tribunal]] of [[Bangladesh]].<ref name="bbc29Oct2014" /> Turkey withdrew Bangladesh ambassador after Jamaat-e-Islami leader Nizami's execution (BBC). A large number of Human rights organisations of the world protested against the judicial killing of Nizami and declare it an unfair trail against Nizami. He was the [[Member of Parliament]] for the [[Pabna-1]] constituency from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006.<ref name=noose/> He also served as the [[Ministry of Agriculture (Bangladesh)|Bangladeshi Minister of Agriculture]] and [[Ministry of Industries (Bangladesh)|Minister of Industry]].

While various political entities and international organizations<ref>{{cite news |title=EU supports war crime trial, wants fairness |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=90186 |work=The Daily Star |agency=UNB |date=28 May 2009}}</ref> had originally welcomed the trials,<ref name="Adams">{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/05/18/letter-bangladesh-prime-minister-regarding-international-crimes-tribunals-act |title=Letter to the Bangladesh Prime Minister regarding the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act |last=Adams |first=Brad |date=18 May 2011|website=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref><ref name="Ullah">{{cite news |last=Ullah |first=Ansar Ahmed |title=Vote of trust for war trial |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-221052 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=3 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="Haq">{{cite book |last=Haq |first=M. Zahurul |date=2011|editor=M.N. Schmitt |editor2=Louise Arimatsu |editor3=T. McCormack |title=Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law - 2010 |edition=1st |publisher=Springer |page=463 |isbn=978-9067048101 }}</ref> in November 2011 [[Human Rights Watch]] criticized the government for aspects of their progress, lack of transparency, and reported harassment of defense lawyers and witnesses representing the accused.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/02/bangladesh-stop-harassment-defense-war-tribunal |title=Bangladesh: Stop Harassment of Defense at War Tribunal |date=2 November 2011 |website=Human Rights Watch}}</ref><ref name="Karim">{{cite book |last=Karim |first=Bianca |author2=Tirza Theunissen |date=2011 |editor=Dinah Shelton |title=International Law and Domestic Legal Systems: Incorporation, Transformation, and persuasion |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=114 |isbn=978-0199694907}}</ref><ref name="Ghafour">

In 2004, Nizami was convicted under separate charges for [[Chittagong arms case|arms trafficking]] to the state of [[Assam, India]] and was sentenced to death, along with 13 other men in January 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami to hang |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25962798 |work=BBC News |date=30 January 2014 |access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref>

On 29 October 2014, he was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in masterminding the [[Demra massacre]], in which 800–900 unarmed [[Hindus|Hindu]] civilians were killed after the women were raped. The people of Pakistan have supported his public execution. He was executed by [[hanging]] at [[Dhaka Central Jail]] on 11 May 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nizami executed |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/104261/Nizami-executed |newspaper=[[Prothom Alo]] |access-date=10 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511133902/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/104261/Nizami-executed |archive-date=11 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is the third minister of Bangladesh to be hanged.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh hangs Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami for 1971 war crimes |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/10/29/bangladesh-to-hang-jamaat-e-islami-chief-nizami-for-1971-war-crimes |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=29 October 2014 |access-date=10 May 2016}}</ref> He was frequently listed on ''[[The 500 Most Influential Muslims]]''.<ref name=TheMuslim500>{{cite book |editor-last=Schleifer |editor-first=S. Abdallah |editor-link=Abdallah Schleifer |title=The Muslim 500: The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims, 2013/14 |url=http://themuslim500.com/downloads/m500-2013-131112-low.pdf |location=[[Amman]] |publisher=[[Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre]] |page=145 |isbn=978-9957-428-37-2 |access-date=13 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://themuslim500.com/downloads/151001-TheMuslim500-2016v009(23%7C48)-Web-Low.pdf |title=The Muslim 500 : The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims |author=S Abdallah Schleifer |website=The Muslim 500 |access-date=10 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126065025/http://themuslim500.com/downloads/151001-TheMuslim500-2016v009(23%7C48)-Web-Low.pdf |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After the [[assassination]] by military officers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 1975, [[Ziaur Rahman]] became president in a coup in 1977. He permitted top Jamaat leaders,<ref>{{cite news |title=Explain what is 'Hanadar Bahini' |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/explain-what-hanadar-bahini-187342 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=14 December 2015 |access-date=10 May 2016}}</ref> such as [[Ghulam Azam]] and Nizami,{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}  to return to Bangladesh in 1978; they revived the Jamaat party, which became the largest Islamist party in the country. Nizami emerged as a key leader of the Jamaat, organising the [[Islami Chhatra Shibir]] (Jammat Students Organisation), which serves as the youth wing of the Jamaat.

In 1971, Nizami was a chief of the infamous [[Al-Badr (East Pakistan)|Al-Badr]] militia.<ref name="2016a1">{{cite news |title=War crimes charges against pro-Pakistan militia commander Nizami who headed Bangladesh Jamaat |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/05/11/war-crimes-charges-against-pro-pakistan-militia-commander-nizami-who-headed-bangladesh-jamaat |work=bdnews24.com |date=11 May 2016 |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref> Along with the Pakistan Army, this militia abducted and [[1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals|massacred 989 Bengali intellectuals]] including professors, journalists, litterateurs, doctors and [[Mukti Bahini|pro-Bangladesh activists]] in general.<ref name="2016a2">{{cite news |last1=Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary |last2=Wasim Bin Habib |last3=Mahbubur Rahman Khan |title=Operated like Gestapo |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/operated-like-gestapo-48000 |work=The Daily Star |date=29 October 2014 |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="2016a3">{{cite news |title=Al-Badr's onus on Nizami |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/may/11/al-badrs-onus-nizami |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=11 May 2016 |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref>

Nizami took over as the leader of Jamaat from Ghulam Azam in 2001.<ref name="Islamic Voice">[http://www.islamicvoice.com/december.2000/news.htm#peo "Prof. Ghulam Azam Retires"], ''Islamic Voice,'' December 2006.</ref> In the same year, representing his party as part of a four-party alliance including BNP, Nizami won a seat in Parliament in [[Pabna-1]], receiving 57.68% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://votemonitor.net/bangladesh/EADetails_1991_1996_2001.php?EA=68 |title=Parliament Election Result of 1991,1996,2001 Bangladesh Election Information and Statistics |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Vote Monitor Networks |access-date=30 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229003022/http://votemonitor.net/bangladesh/EADetails_1991_1996_2001.php?EA=68 |archive-date=29 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ec.org.bd/MenuExternalFilesEng/124.pdf |title=Statistical Report: 8th Parliament Election |website=Bangladesh Election Commission |page=90 |access-date=30 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001427/http://www.ec.org.bd/MenuExternalFilesEng/124.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> From 2001 to 2003, he served as the Minister of Agriculture, then as the Minister of Industry from 2003 to 2006.

Nizami was charged with conspiring with 12 other politicians to award the contract to GATCO although the company did not meet the conditions of the tender. The prosecution alleged that the deal with GATCO caused a total loss of more than 100 million [[Bangladeshi Taka]] to the Government.<ref name="independent20080515">{{cite news |title=12 'fugitives' face arrest order |url=http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/200805165400/country/12-fugitives-face-arrest-order.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=Dhaka |date=16 May 2008 |access-date=15 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813180412/http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/200805165400/country/12-fugitives-face-arrest-order.html |archive-date=13 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nizami denied the charges and said they were politically motivated.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite news |title=Bangladeshi religious leader held |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7407665.stm |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2008}}</ref> He was released after two months on bail.

In a public speech on 17 March 2010, the Dhaka Jamaat chief, Rafiqul Islam, compared Nizami's life to that of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]], persisting in the face of persecution. On 21 March, the Bangladesh Tariqat Federation sued Rafiqul, Nizami and other Jamaat members "for hurting Islamic sentiments of the masses by comparing Nizami with the Prophet".<ref name=arrest>{{cite news |title=Nizami, Mojaheed, Saydee arrested |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=24492 |newspaper=The Daliy Star |date=29 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108205132/http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=24492 |archive-date=8 January 2012}}</ref>

Nizami, along with three other senior Jamaat leaders, was arrested on charges on 29 March 2010.<ref name=bdnews270311>{{cite news |title=Proceeding against Nizami, Mojaheed put off |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2011/03/27/religious-sentimentproceeding-against-nizami-mojaheed-put-off |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=27 March 2011}}</ref> He secured bail the next day and appealed for dismissal of the case on 14 February 2011. The High Court adjourned the case for four months in March 2011.<ref name=bdnews270311/>

On 4 May 2011, Nizami was arrested on allegations of smuggling arms to [[Assamese insurgents]] in India in 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nizami quizzed in Ctg arms haul cases |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/war-crimes-trials/2011/05/07/nizami-quizzed-in-ctg-arms-haul-cases |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=7 May 2011}}</ref> His bail petition on 7 September 2011 was denied.<ref name=nobail>{{cite news |title=10-Truck arms case: Nizami denied bail |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2011/09/07/10-truck-arms-case-nizami-denied-bail |newspaper=[[bdnews24.com]] |date=7 September 2011 |access-date=7 September 2011}}</ref>

In 2009, the [[Awami League]]-led Bangladesh government established a tribunal in Bangladesh to investigate those suspected of committing atrocities during [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] in 1971. Nizami and eight other leaders of [[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami|Jamaat-e-Islami]] were charged with war crimes by the prosecution, as were two leaders of the [[Bangladesh National Party]]. Opposition parties and human rights groups alleged political interference in the trial, given that all the accused were leading opposition politicians.<ref name=WSJ1>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh War-Crime Tribunal Bogs Down |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323777204578189153918592308 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=20 December 2012 |access-date=18 April 2013}}</ref> Nizami was the last high-profile suspect to be tried for 1971 war crimes; the court delayed his verdict in June 2014 because of the state of his health.<ref name="warverdict"/> On 29 October 2014, it was announced that Nizami had been sentenced to death for war crimes committed during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan.<ref name="bbc29Oct2014">{{cite news |title=Bangladesh Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami sentenced to death |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29813571 |work=BBC News |date=29 October 2014 |access-date=29 October 2014}}</ref>

On 11 May 2016, Nizami was [[Hanging|hanged]] at [[Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj|Dhaka Central Jail]], just days after the nation's highest court dismissed his final appeal to overturn the death sentence for atrocities committed during the country's 1971 war. He was hanged just before midnight (1800 GMT) after he refused to seek mercy from the [[President of Bangladesh]]. He was executed between 11:50 pm and 12:01 am midnight.<ref name="Bangladesh executes top Jamaat leader - Dawn">{{cite news |title=Bangladesh executes top Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman over '1971 war crimes' |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1257512/bangladesh-executes-top-jamaat-leader-motiur-rahman-over-1971-war-crimes |newspaper=Dawn |date=11 May 2016 |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref>

{{flag|Pakistan}}:Pakistan's foreign office said in statement that "Pakistan is deeply saddened over the hanging of the emir of Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh, Mr Motiur Rahman Nizami, for the alleged crimes committed before December 1971.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan condemns BD JI chief's execution |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1257796 |newspaper=Dawn |access-date=17 May 2016}}</ref>

{{flag|Turkey}}:Turkey condemned execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-condemns-execution-of-bangladeshs-islamist-party-head-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=99042&NewsCatID=356|title=Turkey condemns execution of Bangladesh's Islamist party head - ASIA|access-date=17 May 2016}}</ref> and withdrew Turkish Ambassador from Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/turkey-withdraws-bangladesh-ambassador-after-jamaat-e-islami-leader-nizami-execution/1/666831.html|title=Turkey withdraws Bangladesh ambassador after Jamaat-e-Islami leader Nizami's execution |magazine=India Today |access-date=17 May 2016}}</ref>

{{s-ttl | title=Ameer of [[Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh]] | years=2001–2016}}