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Abul Kalam Azad (politician, born 1947)

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Abul Kalam "Bachchu" Azad, (born March 5, 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who was once a "rokan" (member) of Jamaat-e-Islami and a TV personality. He is widely known as 'Bachchu Razakar', because of the role he played in the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh.[1][2] He was indicted by The International Crimes Tribunal-2 of Bangladesh for crimes against humanity, including genocide and rape committed during the Liberation War.[3][4] On January 21, 2013 Azad was sentenced to the death penalty because of crimes he committed during the 1971 Liberation [5][6][7][8] The trial was held in absentia because Azad went into hiding hours before Tribunal-2 issued an arrest warrant against him on April 3, 2012.[3][9] The United Kingdom, France and Germany welcomed this trial.[10]

Previously Bachchu had anchored an Islamic television show, called Apnar Jiggasa (আপনার জিজ্ঞাসা), or Your questions on a private TV channel in Bangladesh.[11]

Early life

Azad is the son of Abdus Salam Mia of Barakhardia village under Saltha Police Station of Faridpur District. He was born on March 5, 1947, and was a student at Rajendra College in Faridpur.[3]

Bangladesh Liberation War 1971

During the Liberation war of 1971, he was a close associate of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, the then president of East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha. Before the formation of the Razakar force, he is known to have actively aided the Pakistani army in committing criminal acts.[3]

Azad assisted the Pakistani occupation force in his capacity as razakar and as the chief of Al-Badr force in Faridpur. He could speak Urdu well because he studied in a madrasa. As a close associate of the Pakistani army, he actively participated and substantially assisted them in committing atrocities on civilians, the Hindu community and pro-liberation Bangalee people.[12][3]

Investigators claim to have identified 14 people murdered by Bachchu, three of whom were raped and nine of whom were abducted. Investigators also said that Bachchu had burnt down at least five houses, looted 15, and forced at least nine persons to convert to Islam.[13][14][15][16]

After the war

After the war, Azad emerged as an Islamic cleric. He anchored a TV show where he explained Islamic virtues.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Bangladesh court gives death penalty to 1971 war criminal". IBN Live. Jan 21, 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  2. ^ "Azad flees to India". The Daily Star. Tuesday, April 10, 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e "Abul Kalam indicted". The Daily Star. Monday, November 5, 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Bachchu `Rajakar` indicted". Banglanews24.com. 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  5. ^ war.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44161
  6. ^ "Azad gets death for war crimes". bdnews24.com. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  7. ^ "Maiden war crimes verdict 'Bachchu razakar' to be hanged". Banglanews24.com. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  8. ^ PTI Jan 21, 2013, 01.07PM IST (2013-01-21). "Bangladesh court hands down death penalty to 1971 war criminal - Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-01-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Where is Bachchu Razakar?". bdnews24.com. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  10. ^ "UK, Germany, France support war crimes trial". The Daily Star. Tuesday, January 22, 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Televangelist to hang for Bangladesh war crimes". ABC News. Jan 21, 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  12. ^ "Azad used to decide who to be killed". Thedailystar.net. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  13. ^ a b "First war crimes verdict Monday". bdnews24.com. 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  14. ^ "Azad abducted, confined a girl". Thedailystar.net. 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  15. ^ "Azad, his men raped 2 sisters". Thedailystar.net. 2012-12-06. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  16. ^ "Azad killed 2 in Faridpur". Thedailystar.net. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
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