Tajuddin Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Tajuddin Ahmad (July 23, 1925 – November 3, 1975) was a Bangladesh
i politician and statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh
. He was a prominent leader of the Bengali nationalist Awami League party and served as its General Secretary during the critical period of the Bangladesh independence movement.
Ahmad was instrumental in forming the Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, popularly known as the Mujibnagar Government, during the Bangladesh Liberation War
. After the independence of Bangladesh, Tajuddin served as Finance Minister until 1974. After the assassination of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
in August 1975, Tajuddin was arrested by the military government and executed by a group of army officers in Dhaka Central Jail
on 4 November 1975.
Named as "one of the most influential political leaders in the history of Bangladesh", he is highly regarded by Bangladeshis for his leadership of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in 1971 and for being a staunch secular democrat.
in the Gazipur District
of the province of Bengal
(now in Bangladesh). He studied the Quran and, becoming a Hafidh , memorized it with guidance from his father Moulavi Muhammad Yasin Khan. He passed his matriculation exam in first division while earning a twelfth position in merit list nationwide in 1944 from St. Gregory's High School, then considered to be the best school in Bangladesh. He earned fourth position in his high school examinations in 1948 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Economics from Dhaka University in 1953. He would also later obtain a law degree. As a student activist, Ahmad supported the Muslim League and the Pakistan movement
. He would later organize the student wing of the Awami Muslim League
in 1949, joining Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
.
of 1952. He was arrested by police and imprisoned for several months. After his release, he was elected to the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in 1954 but was arrested following the dismissal of the A. K. Fazlul Huq
-led government. He would be arrested again following the imposition of martial law
by Ayub Khan in 1958 after taking power in a military coup. Ahmed worked in the pro-democracy campaign led by the Awami League and other political parties in Pakistan. He organized protests against the arrest of Mujib in 1966 on charges of sedition. He participated at the round table conference in Rawalpindi
convened by Ayub Khan to resolve the crisis between the government and the opposition parties. Following the restoration of democracy, he was elected member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
in 1970.
Following the arrest of Mujib on March 25, 1971 by the Pakistan Army
, which continued to kill civilians, Ahmad organized a government-in-exile popularly known as the Mujibnagar government to win his nation freedom. Ahmad named the capital Mujibnagar,after Shaikh Mujibur Rahman.The oath taking ceremony of the first government of Bangladesh took place on the soil of Bangladesh, in Meherpur, Kushtia on April 17, 1971. He presided over the significant Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971 that created and formed the entire Bangladesh Forces under the command of General M. A. G. Osmani
. As the first Prime Minister he led efforts to organize a guerrilla insurgency of Bengali civilians and armed forces and win international support. During this period, Ahmad encountered vehement intra party strife led by khandokar Mushataq Ahmad who conspired to harm the national struggle for independence through a failed attempt to form a confederacy with Pakistan. Among Ahmad's great diplomatic achievements were to win international support and recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation by the government of India. After the independence of Bangladesh, Ahmad returned to Dhaka
on 22 December 1971. In the subsequent cabinet formed under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ahmad was given charge of the ministries of finance and planning. He was also appointed member of the committee in charge of writing the Constitution of Bangladesh
. However, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was influenced to question the integrity of Tajuddin for the party and for himself by the parties within the Awami League who were proved redundant during the Liberation war. Tajuddin was widely publicized by them to be a stooge of the neighbouring Indian government probably because of the respect he commanded from Mrs Gandhi, the then prime minister of India and also for his declared gratefulness for the assistance that India gave during the war. The sycophants of Mujib also portrayed Tajuddin as aspiring to be the next Prime Minister of the country. Khondokar Mushtaque who was a pro-Pakistan conspirator during the war led the effort to malign Mr. Tajuddin. He had active support from the student leadership who also had contempt for Tajuddin as they too were restrained by him from taking advantage of the situation during the war. Till today Awami League failed to evaluate Tajuddin Ahmad's role.
by a group of army officers on 15 August 1975, Ahmad was immediately placed under house arrest
. On August 22, he was arrested with other political leaders by the regime of the new president Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed and imprisoned at the Dhaka Central Jail
. On November 3, in what became infamously known as the "Jail Killing Day", Ahmad and Syed Nazrul Islam
, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman
and Muhammad Mansur Ali
were killed by a group of army officers on the instruction of President Ahmed.
The release on March 25, 2007 of a documentary, Tajuddin Ahmad: An Unsung Hero (directed by Tanvir Mokammel
), reflects a growing interest in the life and works of Ahmad.
On January 6, 2009, Ahmad's son Tanzim Ahmed MP, was appointed Minister of State for Home Affairs, in the Awami League Administration.
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 statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Prime Minister of Bangladesh
The Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is the Head of the Government of Bangladesh. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Jatiya Sangsad Parliament, to their political party and ultimately to the electorate...
. He was a prominent leader of the Bengali nationalist Awami League party and served as its General Secretary during the critical period of the Bangladesh independence movement.
Ahmad was instrumental in forming the Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, popularly known as the Mujibnagar Government, 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....
. After the independence of Bangladesh, Tajuddin served as Finance Minister until 1974. After the assassination of President 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...
in August 1975, Tajuddin was arrested by the military government and executed by a group of army officers in 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....
on 4 November 1975.
Named as "one of the most influential political leaders in the history of Bangladesh", he is highly regarded by Bangladeshis for his leadership of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in 1971 and for being a staunch secular democrat.
Early life
Tajuddin Ahmad was born in 1925 in the village of Dardaria, KapasiaKapasia Upazila
Kapasia is an Upazila of Gazipur District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.-Geography:Kapasia is located at . It has 59221 units of house hold and total area 356.98 km². Kapasia is a very beautiful Thana of Gazipur District, often becoming a destination for shooting films, and...
in the Gazipur District
Gazipur District
Gazipur District is a district of Dhaka Division, it has an area of 1741.53 km2 and is bounded by Mymensingh and Kishoreganj districts on the north, Dhaka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi districts on the south, Narsingdi on the east, Dhaka and Tangail districts on the west. Annual average...
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...
(now in Bangladesh). He studied the Quran and, becoming a Hafidh , memorized it with guidance from his father Moulavi Muhammad Yasin Khan. He passed his matriculation exam in first division while earning a twelfth position in merit list nationwide in 1944 from St. Gregory's High School, then considered to be the best school in Bangladesh. He earned fourth position in his high school examinations in 1948 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Economics from Dhaka University in 1953. He would also later obtain a law degree. As a student activist, Ahmad supported the Muslim League and 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 would later organize the student wing of the Awami Muslim League
Awami 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...
in 1949, joining Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was a Pakistani-Bengali politician and statesman who served as 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1956 till 1957, and a close associate of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime minister of Pakistan...
and 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...
.
Political career
Ahmad organized protests and other activities during the Language MovementLanguage 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...
of 1952. He was arrested by police and imprisoned for several months. After his release, he was elected to the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in 1954 but was arrested following the dismissal of the A. K. Fazlul Huq
A. K. Fazlul Huq
Not to be confused with the cricket ground in Dhaka Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium Sher-e-Bangla Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq was a well-known Bengali statesman in the first half of the 20th century...
-led government. He would be arrested again following the imposition of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
by Ayub Khan in 1958 after taking power in a military coup. Ahmed worked in the pro-democracy campaign led by the Awami League and other political parties in Pakistan. He organized protests against the arrest of Mujib in 1966 on charges of sedition. He participated at the round table conference in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
convened by Ayub Khan to resolve the crisis between the government and the opposition parties. Following the restoration of democracy, he was elected member of 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.
Following the arrest of Mujib on March 25, 1971 by the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, which continued to kill civilians, Ahmad organized a government-in-exile popularly known as the Mujibnagar government to win his nation freedom. Ahmad named the capital Mujibnagar,after Shaikh Mujibur Rahman.The oath taking ceremony of the first government of Bangladesh took place on the soil of Bangladesh, in Meherpur, Kushtia on April 17, 1971. He presided over the significant Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971 that created and formed the entire Bangladesh Forces under the command of General M. A. G. Osmani
M. A. G. Osmani
General Muhammad Ataul Ghani Osmany, popularly referred to as Bangabir General M.A.G. Osmany was the Commander-in-Chief of Bangladesh Forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971...
. As the first Prime Minister he led efforts to organize a guerrilla insurgency of Bengali civilians and armed forces and win international support. During this period, Ahmad encountered vehement intra party strife led by khandokar Mushataq Ahmad who conspired to harm the national struggle for independence through a failed attempt to form a confederacy with Pakistan. Among Ahmad's great diplomatic achievements were to win international support and recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation by the government of India. After the independence of Bangladesh, Ahmad returned to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
on 22 December 1971. In the subsequent cabinet formed under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ahmad was given charge of the ministries of finance and planning. He was also appointed member of the committee in charge of writing the Constitution of Bangladesh
Constitution of Bangladesh
The Constitution of Bangladesh is the supreme law of Bangladesh. It declares Bangladesh as a secular democratic republic where sovereignty belongs to the people; and lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles of the state and spells out the fundamental rights of citizens...
. However, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was influenced to question the integrity of Tajuddin for the party and for himself by the parties within the Awami League who were proved redundant during the Liberation war. Tajuddin was widely publicized by them to be a stooge of the neighbouring Indian government probably because of the respect he commanded from Mrs Gandhi, the then prime minister of India and also for his declared gratefulness for the assistance that India gave during the war. The sycophants of Mujib also portrayed Tajuddin as aspiring to be the next Prime Minister of the country. Khondokar Mushtaque who was a pro-Pakistan conspirator during the war led the effort to malign Mr. Tajuddin. He had active support from the student leadership who also had contempt for Tajuddin as they too were restrained by him from taking advantage of the situation during the war. Till today Awami League failed to evaluate Tajuddin Ahmad's role.
Assassination
When Mujib assumed the title of President and banned other political parties in 1975, Ahmad opposed the forming of a one-party system known as BAKSAL. When Mujib was assassinatedAssassination 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...
by a group of army officers on 15 August 1975, Ahmad was immediately placed under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
. On August 22, he was arrested with other political leaders by the regime of the new president Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed and imprisoned at 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....
. On November 3, in what became infamously known as the "Jail Killing Day", Ahmad and Syed Nazrul Islam
Syed Nazrul Islam
Syed Nazrul Islam was a Bangladeshi 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.-Early life:...
, 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...
were killed by a group of army officers on the instruction of President Ahmed.
The release on March 25, 2007 of a documentary, Tajuddin Ahmad: An Unsung Hero (directed by Tanvir Mokammel
Tanvir Mokammel
Tanvir Mokammel is a Bangladeshi film director. He earned a Masters degree in English Literature at Dhaka University...
), reflects a growing interest in the life and works of Ahmad.
On January 6, 2009, Ahmad's son Tanzim Ahmed MP, was appointed Minister of State for Home Affairs, in the Awami League Administration.