Syed Nazrul Islam
Encyclopedia
Syed Nazrul Islam (1925 – November 3, 1975) was a Bangladesh
i politician and a senior leader of the Awami League
. During the Bangladesh Liberation War
, he served as the acting President of Bangladesh
in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
.
(then Mymensingh District) of the province of Bengal
. He obtained degrees in history and law from the University of Dhaka
and was an active student political leader in the Muslim League. Syed captained his college's cricket and hockey teams and participated in the Pakistan movement
. He entered the civil service
of Pakistan
in 1949 but resigned in 1951 to work as a professor of history at the Anandmohan College in Mymensingh
, where he also practised law.
and participated in the Language Movement
in 1952, for which he was arrested by Pakistani police. He would rise to various provincial and central party leadership positions, becoming a close confidante of the party's leader Sheikh Mujib. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan
in 1970, where he served briefly as deputy leader of the majority. Following the arrest of Mujib on March 25, 1971 by Pakistani forces, Syed escaped to Mujibnagar
with other party leaders and proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh. Mujib was elected president of Bangladesh but Syed would serve as acting president, with Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister. Syed played a key role in leading the nationalist cause, coordinating the Mukti Bahini
guerrilla force and winning support from India
and other nations.
After the independence of Bangladesh, Syed was appointed minister of industries, the deputy leader in parliament and a member of the constitution committee. When Mujib banned other political parties and assumed sweeping powers as president in 1975, Syed was appointed vice president and became a chief organiser of the BAKSAL
party and Mujib loyalist groups.
on 15 August 1975 Syed fled underground with other Mujib loyalists such as Tajuddin Ahmed, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman
and Muhammad Mansur Ali
, but was ultimately arrested by the regime of the new president Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad
. The four leaders were imprisoned in the Dhaka Central Jail
and assassinated on November 3 under controversial and mysterious circumstances. This day is commemorated every year in Bangladesh by the Awami League as Jail Killing Day
.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i politician and a senior leader of the Awami League
Bangladesh Awami League
The Bangladesh Awami League , commonly known as the Awami League, is the mainstream center-left, secular political party in Bangladesh...
. During the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, he served as the acting President of Bangladesh
President of Bangladesh
Since 1991, the President of Bangladesh is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament. Since 1996, the President's role becomes more important after the term of the government has finished, when his executive authority is enhanced as laid down in the constitution of the...
in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
.
Early life
Syed Nazrul Islam was born in 1925 at Jashodal Dampara in the Kishoreganj DistrictKishoreganj District
-Place of Interest:Kishorganj is a place of the creed of respectively Sanatana and Loukik Islam. Both Meghna and Brahmaputra river have contributed to its existence. Many traditional rituals are observed every year in Kishoreganj. Among them Kurikhai Mela is one of the most celebrated fair. It is a...
(then Mymensingh District) of the province of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. He obtained degrees in history and law from the University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
and was an active student political leader in the Muslim League. Syed captained his college's cricket and hockey teams and participated in the Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
. He entered the civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1949 but resigned in 1951 to work as a professor of history at the Anandmohan College in Mymensingh
Mymensingh
Mymensingh , pronounced moy-mon-shing-haw, is a city of Bangladesh situated on the river Brahmaputra. It is the headquarters of the administrative unit Mymensingh District. Mymensingh is the anglicized pronunciation of the original name Momenshahi, referring to a ruler called Momen Shah. The cadet...
, where he also practised law.
Political career
Syed Nazrul's political career began when he joined the Awami Muslim LeagueAwami Muslim League
Awami Muslim League Pakistan is a Pakistani political party formed in June 2008 by Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad.- NA-55 :This is a national assembly seat fought by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of the Awami Muslim League Pakistan on February 24, 2010 but lost by a margin of more than 28000 votes...
and participated in the Language Movement
Language Movement
The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement , was a political effort in Bangladesh , advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan...
in 1952, for which he was arrested by Pakistani police. He would rise to various provincial and central party leadership positions, becoming a close confidante of the party's leader Sheikh Mujib. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
in 1970, where he served briefly as deputy leader of the majority. Following the arrest of Mujib on March 25, 1971 by Pakistani forces, Syed escaped to Mujibnagar
Mujibnagar
Also See: Provisional Government of the People's Republic of BangladeshMujibnagar , formerly known as Baidyanathtala is a town in the Meherpur District of Bangladesh...
with other party leaders and proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh. Mujib was elected president of Bangladesh but Syed would serve as acting president, with Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister. Syed played a key role in leading the nationalist cause, coordinating the Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
guerrilla force and winning support from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and other nations.
After the independence of Bangladesh, Syed was appointed minister of industries, the deputy leader in parliament and a member of the constitution committee. When Mujib banned other political parties and assumed sweeping powers as president in 1975, Syed was appointed vice president and became a chief organiser of the BAKSAL
BAKSAL
The Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League was a political amalgmation of the Awami League with the Krishak Sramik Party that supported President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in governing Bangladesh...
party and Mujib loyalist groups.
Death
Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur RahmanAssassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took place in the early hours of August 15, 1975, when a group of junior Bangladesh Army officers invaded Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence with tanks...
on 15 August 1975 Syed fled underground with other Mujib loyalists such as Tajuddin Ahmed, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman
A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman
Abul Hasnat Muhammad Qamaruzzaman was a Bangladeshi politician, senior government minister and a leading member of the Awami League...
and Muhammad Mansur Ali
Muhammad Mansur Ali
Muhammad Mansur Ali was a Bangladeshi politician who was a close confidante of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh...
, but was ultimately arrested by the regime of the new president Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad
Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad
Khondaker Moshtaq Ahmad was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 15 August to 6 November 1975 after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh...
. The four leaders were imprisoned in the Dhaka Central Jail
Dhaka Central Jail
Dhaka Central Jail is the largest jail in Bangladesh, located in the old section of Dhaka, the country's capital. The jail has been used to house criminals as well as political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the 6 Point Movement, and the Bangladesh Liberation War....
and assassinated on November 3 under controversial and mysterious circumstances. This day is commemorated every year in Bangladesh by the Awami League as Jail Killing Day
Jail Killing Day
Jail Killing Day is observed by the Awami League of Bangladesh and many other political organization on November 3 each year. It commemorates the killing of four Awami League leaders: former Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmed and Captain Mansur...
.