The country’s most-condemned war-crimes convict and former ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Azam is no more. He passed away at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMUH) on Thursday night while serving the jail-unto-death sentence for his crimes against humanity in the 1971 War of Liberation. He was 92 years old. Ghulam Azam was under treatment at the prison cell of the hospital. In the evening, he was first taken to the ICU when his condition deteriorated and subsequently put on life support at 9:50pm. But ultimately he breathed his last around 10:10pm. Abdul Mazid Bhuiyan, director of BSMMU, told a press conference at 11:50pm on Thursday that Ghulam Azam was taken off the life support at 10:10pm. His body would be handed over to the jail authorities as per the prison rules. Brig Gen (retd) Abdullahil Aman Azmi, son of Ghulam Azam, told reporters that his father died much earlier, but the doctors willfully made delay in announcing his death. He also said his father had three last wishes -- he wished to be buried beside his father at their family graveyard at Maghbazar and that his namaz-e-janaza to be conducted by Motiur Rahman Nizami or Delwar Hossain Sayedee. On October 9, Ghulam Azam was taken to the cardiac intensive care unit of the hospital from the prison cell with kidney complications. A three-member medical board, headed by Prof Dr ABM Abdullah, dean of medicine faculty, was formed the next day for his treatment. Doctors said he had been suffering from multiple old-age complications. BSMMU director Mazid said his condition was deteriorating fast since Thursday afternoon as he was not able to breathe without oxygen. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had fixed December 2 to start the hearing of the appeal filed by Ghulam Azam against his 90-year imprisonment sentence awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal for his crimes against humanity. He was sentenced on July 15 last year for his involvement in crimes against humanity in 1971. He is the second war-crimes convict to die in the hospital prison cell while serving his jail term, after Abdul Alim, another convict sentenced to imprisonment until death. Alim died on August 30 while serving jail term. On July 15, last year former Jamaat Ameer Ghulam Azam sentenced to jail for 90 years for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, triggering mixed reactions at home and abroad. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) assigned to try war crimes accused handed down the verdict to the nonagenarian in a jam-packed courtroom protected by a security bulwark. Aged 91, the Jamaat guru faced five counts of charges like murder, arson, conspiracy, plotting, and instigation during the war of the Bengalis against the then Pakistani occupation army. The tribunal found him guilty of all the five charges but spared him from going to the gallows in view of his old-age complications, the prosecution told the press after the much-hyped verdict that was widely covered in the foreign media also. Sentencing Ghulam Azam to 90 years imprisonment, the tribunal said, “The period of aforesaid sentences awarded to the accused shall run consecutively or till his death.” The defence rejected the verdict and decided to challenge it in an appeal to the higher court for his acquittal while the campaigners for his capital punishment, especially Ganojagaran Mancha, also turned it down on a diametrically opposite ground. However, the governments law minister and the ruling Awami League appreciated the ICT judgment. But their allies in the 14-party alliance expressed their dissatisfaction with the commuting of the verdict. After having been convicted, Golam Azam was sent to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital prison cell where he was undergoing treatment. In the preamble to the verdict, presiding judge ATM Fazle Kabir said as there is no sufficient oral evidence in the case, the tribunal had to rely on the documentary evidence, mostly paper clippings. The tribunal itself collected some references to hand down the verdict in the befitting manner, he added. Justice Fazle Kabir said the lack of oral evidence caused delay in passing the judgment. The tribunal threw light on anti-liberation stand of Jamaat and its atrocities. It suggested the government not to allow the persons affiliated with the party or its student wing in government service. 1971 role and background In its verdict, the ICT mentioned that Ghulam Azam formed a committee named Purbo Pakistan Punoruddhar Committee (East Pakistan Restoration Committee) as part of his campaign in the first part of 1972. As a leader of the committee up to March 1973, he had tried to create public opinion against Bangladesh in the Islamic countries in the Middle East (ME) and campaigned internationally against recognition of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state. He told King Faisal that Hindus captured East Pakistan, Holy Quran books were burnt, mosques destroyed and converted to temples and many Muslims were killed. He collected funds from the Middle East in the name of establishing mosques and madrassas. He came back to the country on Pakistan passport on August 11, 1978, after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He had held the post of Ameer of Jamaat until replaced by Motiur Rahman Nizami. Charges against him Charge no 1 says a 12-member delegation, including Ghulam Azam, met General Tikka Khan on April 4, 1971. They conspired to form peace committee. As part of this plan, Ghulam Azam again called on Tikka Khan on April 6. He held a meeting with the then Pakistan president Yahya Khan in Rawalpindi on June 19. He further met Yahya Khan on December 1 and suggested the latter resist the liberation war. Charge no 2: Ghulam Azam along with others formed a 140-member peace committee in Dhaka on April 9. The committee held its maiden meeting attended by Ghulam Azam at the residence of AQM Shafiqul Islam at Dhanmondi on May 4. They planned to form peace committee in every union. It may be mentioned the peace committee was a tool to oppress innocent and pro-liberation people. Charge no 3 accused Ghulam Azam of instigating 28 incidents. At a meeting on April 7, 1971, he labelled the freedom fighters as Indian intruders and called upon people to eliminate them. On April 22, he termed the persons and organisations loyal to him as patriotic. As such, he called for elimination of other common people who do not show allegiance to him. Ghulam Azam at a meeting on May 17 compared liberation war with subversive activities. He termed freedom fighters traitor. He commended the mass murder committed by the Pakistan occupation army in the name of operation searchlight on March 25. He delivered instigating speech in Rajshahi on July 16, in Brahmanbaria on July 18, in Khulna on August 4 and in Kushtia on August 7. He made such statements at Curzon Hall in Dhaka University on August 14 and at party meeting on August 17 and 23. He incited people by his speeches at a function of Jamaat-e-Islami in Peshawar on August 26. On September 17, Ghulam Azam visited the physical education centre at Mohammadpur and instigated the people there to be armed to liquidate liberation war. He passed such statement at the party’s Majlish-e-Shura meeting on October 3. Charge no 4 dwells on Ghulam Azam’s complicity in 23 incidents. At meetings on April 4 and 6, Ghulam Azam and others assured Tikka Khan of their assistance and support. On April 9, peace committee was formed. Meeting of its central committee was held on April 15. Ghulam Azam was one of the 21 members of the executive committee. On June 18, he said at Lahore airport that East Bengal people would like to support Pakistan occupation forces. At a meeting in Rawalpindi on June 19, he suggested Yahya to supply arms to auxiliary forces like Rajakar, Al-Badr, and Al-Sams to resist freedom fighters. Charge no 5 was brought against the accused for murdering Siru Mia. The deceased was a Sub-Inspector of Mohammadpur Police Station during the liberation war. Siru along with wife Anwara Begum and 14-year-old son Anwar Kamal went to village home in Comilla on March 28, 1971. Siru used help people go to India. As six people, including Siru and his son, were going to India on October 27, they were nabbed by Rajakar. Some days after being tortured they were sent to Brahmanbaria jail. Later, wife and brother-in-law of Siru requested Ghulam Azam to release the detainee. The brother-in-law was teacher of Ghulam Azam’s sons Azmi and Amini. But Ghulam Azam sent a letter asking Brahmanbaria peace committee leader Peara Mia to kill Siru and his son. Following this letter, Pakistani troops with the help of Rajakar and Al-Badr brought 39 people, including Siru and his son, near Poiratola rail-bridge. All but one were shot dead. The ICT jailed the Jamaat leader for 10 years on charge no 1 and 2 each, 20 years on charge no 3, 20 years on charge no 4 and 30 years on charge no 5. The tribunal started reading out the verdict at 10:50 am in a jam-packed courtroom. Accused Ghulam Azam was sitting on chair in the dock during pronouncement of verdict. He looked attentive to the pronouncement of the sentences. The tribunal termed Ghulam Azam lighthouse of the Pakistan occupation army. After verdict, Ghulam Azam’s son Brig-General (Rtd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi said, “My father is deprived of fair justice. My father was tried on charge of his superior responsibility. But the names as to who was superior and who subordinate were not explained.” Ghulam Azam’s was arrested on January 11, 2012 on the charge of committing crimes against humanity.
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