Jamaat-e-Islami picks new chief months after Nizami hangs for Bangladesh war crimes

Nizami, who succeeded Ghulam Azam, another convicted war criminal, as the chief of the party, held the position till his execution over his role during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation in 1971.

The new chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami is Maqbul Ahmed, who has been acting chief of the party for six years, a Jamaat statement said on Monday.

The statement said Maqbul took the oath as party chief at 10am in the presence of its executive council members.

The Jamaat’s chief election commissioner, Maulana ATM Masum, administered the oath, the release said, without disclosing the place where the oath-taking ceremony took place.

It also said its ‘Rukons’, members of the party’s central committee, elected Maqbul as party chief for the next three years by secret ballot.

The Jamaat-e-Islami has picked a new ‘Ameer’ or chief, five months after the execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami for crimes committed against humanity during the War of Independence.

Nizami, who succeeded Ghulam Azam, another convicted war criminal, as the chief of the party, held the position till his execution over his role during Bangladesh’s War of Liberation in 1971.

The new chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami is Maqbul Ahmed, who has been acting chief of the party for six years, a Jamaat statement said on Monday.

The statement said Maqbul took the oath as party chief at 10am in the presence of its executive council members.

The Jamaat’s chief election commissioner, Maulana ATM Masum, administered the oath, the release said, without disclosing the place where the oath-taking ceremony took place.

It also said its ‘Rukons’, members of the party’s central committee, elected Maqbul as party chief for the next three years by secret ballot.

‘Respecting Bangabandhu’

After taking charge of his new office, the Jamaat chief has “remembered with respect” Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the architect of Bangladesh’s independence.

Maqbul issued a statement on Monday night after taking oath as Jamaat ‘Ameer’.

“I remember with deep respect and gratitude the persons and valiant freedom fighters whose actions and pure sacrifices during the great Liberation War of 1971 brought us the independent Bangladesh,” he said in the statement.

“Especially the architect of independence Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, martyred president Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, Jananeta Maolana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and all the undisputed leaders of the struggle for independence, including the Liberation War commander-in-chief Ataul Gani Osmani,” he added.

Maqbul also termed the current government ‘authoritative’ and remembered his predecessor Nizami, Jamaat leaders Mujahid, M Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Molla and Mir Quasem Ali, all hanged for crimes committed against humanity during the war.

Source: Bd news24