Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami MAULANA MATIUR RAHMAN NIZAMI of Pabna district in the north­

west of Bangladesh, is currently the secretary general and leader of the parliamentary party of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Nizami carried out a wide range of activities against the war of independence in 1971. At the time he was president of Jamaat's youth front, the Islami Chattra Sangha (ICS, or Islamic St~dent's Organisation). Under his direct supervision, and leadership, the Al-Badr force was set-up to eliminate freedom fighters . Nizami was the commander-in-chief of the Al-Badrs.

The principal aim of the Al-Badr, as a para-military force auxiliary to the Pakistan army, was to tum the Bangalee people into a populace, which would believe in Pakistan and the Islamic philosophy of life from a cultural and political viewpoint.

Leaders of the Al-Badr drew-up the blue-print for the murder of hundreds of Bangalee intellectuals across the country. On their orders, hundreds of such prominent men and women of letter and crafts were murdered throughout Bangladesh including Dhaka. Horrifying tales of these killings by the Al-Badr under Nizami' s command have been published in many newspapers and journals at home and abroad.

Nizami exhorted his followers through speeches as well as articles in newspapers. In one such article in the party mouth-piece daily Sangram, he wrote, "The day is not far away when the young men of Al-Badr, side by side with the armed forces, will defeat the Hindu force (enemies) and raise the vi~torious banner of Islam all ov~r the world, after the destroying the existence of India" (source: Daily Sangram,Nov. 14, 1971).

On ~pril 12, 1971, Nizami joined Azam and other leading collaborators such as Khan A Sabur etc., to lead a procession in Dhaka to declare support for Pakistan. The processiOn, under the banner of the "Peace Committee", ended with a special prayer for the survival of Pakistan (Daily Sang ram, April 13, 1971).

In Jessore south-west of Dhaka, Nizami addressed para-military troops at the district headquarters of the Razakar force, and said, "In this hour of national crisis, it is the duty of every Razakar to carry out his national duty to eliminate those who are engaged in war against Pakistan and Islam" (Daily Sangram, Sept 15, 1971).

People in Nizami's home district of Pabna have brought allegations of direct and indirect involvement in killings, rape, arson, looting etc.

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One such person is Aminul Islam Dablu of Brishlika village under the Bera police station (in Bangladesh, all administrative units below the level of districts are organised under a police station, hence all sub-districts are called Thana, or PS). Dablu told the Commission that his father M Sohrab Ali was killed on the orders of Nizami. Dablu further said other people of the area, including Profulla Pramanik, Bhadu Pramanik, Manu Pramanik and Shashthi Pramanik were killed on Nizami' s orders. He said there were several eyewitnesses to those killings.

Abdul Quddus, a freedom fighter from Madhabpur village in Pabna, once spent two weeks in an Al-Badr camp after being arrested. He witnessed plans being discussed and drawn-up by the Al-Badr men under supervision of Nizami, to carry out killings, arson, rape etc.

On Nov 26, a Razakar commander named Sattar guided Pakistani troops to the Dhulaupara village where 30 freedom fighters were subsequently killed. According to Quddus, Sattar carried out his activities under Nizami's orders.

Quddus told the Commission he was able to attend a secret gathering of Al­Badr, which was also attended by Nizami who gave instructions about elimination of freedom fighters. In that meeting, houses of A wami League supporters and possible b~ses and safe-houses being used by freedom fighters were identified. Quddus said, Nizami gave orders to finish off Awami League supporters and destroy bases of the freedom fighters.

The day after · the meeting, Al-Badr fore~ in cooperation with Razakars, surrounded the village of Brishlika and burnt it to the ground. Quddus said Nizami himself bayoneted to death one Bateswar Shaha in Madhabpur village, situated under Sathia PS, which is now part of the parliamentary constituency ~here Nizami won a seat in 1991 with a slender majority.

Similar allegations against Nizami was brought by M Shahjahan Ali of Madhabpur village. Ali was captured by Razakars along with several other freedom fighters. The Razakars then proceeded to torture the prisoners with bayonets, finally using long knives to slit their throats. Twelve freedom fighters were slaughtered in that manner, but Ali miraculously survived, although he has a deep scar along his throat and is permanently paralysed.

Ali said one prisoner was burnt alive after being doused with petrol. He said all these killings of prisoners were carried out on Nizami's order.

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Matiur Rahman Nizami (Motiya Dalal)

he chiefofoperations of the Al-Badr (Jamati death squad) forces, Matiur Rahaman Nizami is responsible for the murder of thousands of Bengalis involved in or connected to the war of independence. He was also personally involved in murder of hundreds of Hindus and confiscation of their assets and properties. By confiscation and extortion oflarge mount of money, jewelry and assets from the wealthy

.,t;fi¥·1., • Hindu Bengalis, Nizami became a millionaire. During the i:fi'~~'"(·~ · Sheikh Mujib government (1971-75) Nizami hid himself from public life and engaged himself, like a dormant mice, in conspiracy with his fellow Razakar peers lo overthrow the Sheikh Mujib government. In i976, ns a part of Gen Zia's Razakar rehabilitation project, Nizami reasserted himself and became active as a 2IC under the wings ofl1is notorious master Golam Azam as Zia conferred Golam Bangladeshi citizenship revoked by the Sheikh Mujib government. Ni11ami is presently the chief of Jamat-e-lslam. Besides his involvement in assassination, murder, extortion and confiscation, Nizami is also committed to establish Jamati ideological hegemoni (a Maudoodi version of Islamic fundamentalism tinged with Maoist militant flair) to perpetuate the Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh. Since 1976, thanks to the political backing of the so-called freedom fighter Gen Zia and financial generosity of the Islamic countries like Saudi Arab, Iran and Libya, Nizami and his gang invested millions of dollars to open hundreds of Islamic kindergartens around tl1e country. The syllabi and curricula of those kindergartens are based on the precepts of Maudoodi, the spiritual guru of Jamat-e-Islam. This network of schools enabled Jamat-e-Islam to sustain a huge number of their cadres as employees of tl10se schools. From organizational point of view, those schools are a big success for Jamat-e-Islam: it secured them a sustaining source of income (education is the most thriving business in Bangladeshi cities) and employment for its cadres in education industry. But intellectually those schools cripple its students forever as they teach pre Copernican /Ptolemic world views, orient them to alien Arabic culture and emotionally invest them with jejune Islamic sentiments. Jamal's goal to render intellectual bankruptcy is not confined to pre school stage only. Nizami successfully expanded its mission to the tertiary level as well. Nizami's wife founded an English medium college in the most aristocratic residential area in Dhaka city. The college boasts of having international educational standard as its name indicates" Manarat lnternational College". The off-springs of the Muslim Bangladeshi elites swarm into that so-called English medium college. Manarat is an English medium college in the limited sense that it disseminates its knowledge in English language. But what constitutes its epistemological corpus? Koran and all forms of Arabic medieval precepts . The graduates from Manarat college are apparently smart (as the definition of smart in Bangladesh means ability to speak trash in English) but intellectually and attitudinally medieval: perfect elements for Islamic fundamentalism. Politically Golam Azams and Mainucldins are feared monsters, but culturally Nizami's and Said i's are more corrosive a and their impact on society far reaching. Some facts about Nizami's criminal past:

t. Du~n~ the liberation war in Jessore, Nizami addressed paramilitary troops at the distract headquarters of the Razakar force, and said, "In this hour of national crisis, it is the duty of every Razakar to carry out his national duty to eliminate those who are engaged in war against Pakistan and Islam' (Daily Sangram, Sept 15, 1971).

2. l:'~ople m N1zamt's home distract ol l:'abna have, brought allegations ol tlirect and_ mdirect involvement in killings, rape, arson, looting etc. One such person is Ammul Islam Dablu of Brishlika village. According to Dablu his father M Sohrab Ali ~as kil~ed on the orders of Nizami. Dablu further said other people of the area, mcludmg Profulla Pramanik, Bhadu Pramanik Manu Pramanik and Shwashati Praman.ik were killed on Nizami's orders. He said there were several eyewitnesses to those killings.

J. Abdul Quddus: a freedom fighter from Madhabpur village in Pabna, once s~ent two weeks m an Al-Badr camp as their captive. He witnessed plans being discussed and drawn-up by the Al-Badr men under supervision of Nizami to carry out killings, arson, rape etc. '

4 . On Nov 26, a Razakar commander named Sattnr guided Pakistani troops to the Dh~laupara village where JO freedom fighters were subsequently killed. According to Q~ddus, Sattar carried out his activit ies under Nizami's orders. Q~ddu.s also said he was able to attend a secret gathering of Al-Badr which N1zarm p~es1ded and gave inst~uctions about elimination of freedom fighters. In that meeti_ng, houses of Awam1 League supporters and possible bases and safe houses bemg used by freedom fighters were identified. Quddus said Nizami gave orders to finish off Awami League supporters and destroy bases of the freedom fighters. The day after the meeting, Al-Badr forces in cooperation with Razakars, surrounded the village of Brishlika and burnt it to the ground.

5. Quddus said Nizami himself bayoneted to death one Bateswar Saha in Ma~habpur village, s ituated under Sathia PS, which is now part of the par!ia?1entary constituency where Nizami won a seat in 1991 with a slender ma.ionty.

6 . In Pabna Nizami led the killing of a young freedom fighter Latif and his group. Latif was only 19 years old and a first year student of Pabna Edward college. Latifs small ~ro~p was captured by the Pakistani occupation army in a front c?mha~ at D.1,ml.mn. They were ~hen handed over to Nizami's gang for exec~llon. N1zam1 s lieutenants publicly slew Latifs co-fighters with daggers speciall_y used for slaughtering bulls for sacrifice (during Islamic festival called korb~n~) as a part of Islamic ritual. TI1e bastards in Nizami's group celebrated the .killmg of the captured .freed?m _fighte~ wi~ cannibalistic zeal. They gouged Latifs ~yes, c~opped offh15 gemtaha and tied his dead body on a stick at Shanth1a. Latifs father Sufian Paramanik is an witness to his son's brutal murder and the razakars' ecstatic outburst of pleasure in killing the brave sons of the soil. Latifs brother Shahjahan, a freedom fighter himself, nearly met the same fate. ~er slaughtering Shahjahan, along with his co-fighters, in Islamic manner, N1zam's people left him taking him for dead. But Shahjahan was a die hard ~reedom fighter. The slayer's knife could not take his life. Deadly wounded, ShahJahan lay on ground for hours. Foxes smelled at him, dogs bit h im. Fortunately his relatives came by before it was too late and saved his life Nizami's knife could not take Shahjahan's life, but took away his vocal c~rd.

7. Shahjaban Ali also said one prisoner was burnt alive after being doused with petrol. He said all those killings of prisoners were carried out on Nizami's order.

Verifiable lis t of people killed by Nizami and his gangs:

M SohrabAli Monu Pramanik

Latif

Profulla Pramanik Shwashati Pramanik

JO freedom fighters in Latifs group

Bhadu Pramanik Bateswar Saha

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