Muhammaad Kamaruzzaman

Muhammad Kamaruzzaman was a Bangladeshi politician and journalist who served as the senior assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was convicted of war crimes during the 1971 independence war of Bangladesh. Following his conviction, he was executed by hanging at Dhaka Central Jail at 22:01 on 11 April 2015.

Early life and education

Kamaruzzaman was born on 4 July 1952 at Sajbarkhila village in Sherpur Thana. At the time of his birth, this location was part of East Bengal within the Dominion of Pakistan. His father, Moulavi Insan Ali Sarker, worked as a businessman.

He pursued higher education in Dhaka. Kamaruzzaman obtained a master's degree in journalism from Dhaka University in 1976.

Career

During the 1971 war, Kamaruzzaman was a college student. He was allegedly a member of the East Pakistan Islami Chattra Sangha in Mymensingh. He served as the chief organizer of the Al-Badr and pro-Pakistan militant groups to assist the Pakistan Army. According to the Daily Sangram on 16 August 1971, he presided over an Al-Badr rally at the local Muslim Institute in Mymensingh to mark the 25th independence day of Pakistan.

His political career continued after independence. He served as a two-time president of Islami Chhatra Shibir, which is the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. In 1981, he began working as a journalist at the Weekly Sonar Bangla and later became its editor. He also held the position of executive editor at The Daily Sangram.

Kamaruzzaman attempted to enter legislative politics through four successive elections between 1991 and 2008. He unsuccessfully contested the Sherpur-1 seat for Jamaat-e-Islami. He lost his final three attempts to the Awami League candidate, Md. Atiur Rahman Atik.

His legal battles began when he was arrested on 13 July 2010. He remained detained for over a year without being formally informed of specific charges. In November 2011, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention stated that his detention breached human rights conventions and was disproportional. He was eventually charged with seven counts of crimes against humanity involving genocide, murder, rape, looting, arson, and deportation.

The International Crimes Tribunal found him guilty of five out of the seven counts. These convictions included the torture of Lecturer Abdul Hannan in May 1971 and the planning of the Sohagpur village massacre on 25 July 1971. The court also cited his involvement in the killing of Badiuzzaman on 29 June 1971 and the murder of Golam Mostafa on 23 August 1971. He denied all charges, claiming they were politically motivated.

The trial faced significant controversy. In December 2012, published emails and conversations suggested the government sought a quick verdict from the tribunal. This led to the resignation of Justice Nizamul Huq, who was replaced by Fazle Kabir. While the government prioritized justice, opposition parties like the BNP accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of using the tribunal for persecution. Human Rights Watch described the trial as seriously flawed.

Kamaruzzaman appealed his verdict to the Supreme Court. The court upheld the death sentence regarding the Sohagpur massacre. After his review petition was dismissed by the appellate division, he was executed on 11 April 2015.

Personal life

Kamaruzzaman was married to Nurun Nahar. He had five sons.