Mir Quasem Ali

Mir Quasem Ali
Occupation Politician
Political party Jamaat-e-Islami
Religion Islam
Criminal charge 14 charges including murder, arson and torture.
Criminal penalty Death Sentence

Mir Quasem Ali (born 1952) is a leader of the Bangladeshi political party Jamaat-e-Islami who was sentenced to death on 2 November 2014 for crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.[1]

Biography

Mir Quasem Ali was born to Mir Tayeb Ali and Rabeya Begum. He was born in Munsidangi Sutalori in Manikganj on December 31, 1952. He joined the Islami Chhatra Sangha in 1967 while studying in Chittagong Collegiate School.[2] Quasem was the third most powerful man of the Al-Badr force which collaborated with Pakistan occupation forces and carried out crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh. He is known as a key financier of the political party Jamaat-e-Islami, which was instrumental to block the independence of Bangladesh.[3]

Business

Mir Quasem Ali is a director of Islami Bank. He is the chairman of the Diganta Media Corporation, which owns Diganta TV. He is the founder of Ibn Sina Trust and director of the NGO Rabita al-Alam al-Islami.[4]

Bangladesh Liberation War

Mir Quasem was a freshman Physics student of Chittagong College in 1971. He was the president of Chittagong Chhatra Sangha’s unit.He was elected a to the Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha's provincial working council on Nov 6. He was also general secretary of East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha.[5] Al-Badr was a paramilitary force composed of Jamaat e Islami's then student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha to support Pakistan army and crackdown on pro liberation groups.[6]Al-Badr branch of Chittagong seized Mohamaya Bhaban building at Andrrkilla. The building was owned by a local Hindu family. They renamed it "Dalim Hotel" and used it as an interrogation and detention centre. Freedom fighters Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Syed Md Emran testified at Quasem's trial that the prison was used to torture suspected members of Mukti Bahini. Mukti Bahini members "Jasim", Tuntu Sen and Ranjit Das were killed at this place. Witnesses testified at the trial that guards at hotel Dalim would announce the arrival of Quasem with "Mr Quasem has come. Mr Commander has come."[7]

Bangladesh

After independence Quasem fled to Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Mujib banned Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh along with all religious parties. He return to Bangladesh after the assassination of Shiekh Mujib. Ziaur Rahman legalized jamaat and allowed Quasem to return to Politics. He became the founding president of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the Jamaat's student front, on Feb 6, 1977. The organisation is the spiritual successor to Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha.[8][9]

War Crimes trial

10 out of 14 charges were proved against Quasem in the trial at International Crimes Tribunal and he was awarded death sentence for two of the charges including murder and kidnapping.[3] After the announcement of the verdict of the trial the lawyers from the defense said that justice had not been done on Quasem and he did not get proper judgment.[10] Gonojagoron Moncho supported the verdict and expressed satisfaction.[11] They pledged an appeal to Bangladesh High court. Some critics of the current Bangladeshi Government said that Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of the country used the trials to target her political enemies.[12] Quasem's political Party Jamaat-e-Islami called for a nationwide three days strike as a protest of the verdict.[10] He filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Jamaat leader given death sentence". Aljazeera. 2 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Star Online Report. "War trial: Mir Quasem verdict Sunday". thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Death for Quasem:10 out of 14 charges proved". The Daily Star. 2 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Staff Correspondent. "War crimes verdict on Mir Quasem Ali Sunday". bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  5. ↑ Staff Correspondent. "War crimes verdict on Mir Quasem Ali Sunday". bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  6. ↑ Manik, Julfikar Ali. "Al-Badr commander Mir Quasem to die". dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  7. ↑ Chowdhury, Minto; Huq, Quazi Shahreen. "Mir Quasem’s Dalim Hotel was a 'death factory'". bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Staff Correspondent. "War crimes verdict on Mir Quasem Ali Sunday". bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Supreme Court Correspondent. "Deadline for Mir Quasem appeal summary extended by four weeks". bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  10. 1 2 Paul, Ruma. "Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death for war crimes". Reuters. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  11. ↑ Tribune Report. "Gonojagoron Moncho happy with Quasem verdict". dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  12. ↑ Zain Al-Mahmood, Syed (2 November 2014). "Bangladesh Court Sentences Islamist Politician Mir Quasem Ali to Death". Wall Street Journal.
  13. ↑ Star Online Report. "Submit concise statements on Quasem plea in 4 weeks: SC". thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
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