Syed Nazrul Islam (1925 – 3 November 1975) was a Bangladeshi politician and a senior leader of the

Awami League The Awami League, officially known as Bangladesh Awami League, is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achievin ...

. During the Bangladesh War of Independence, he was declared as the

Acting President An acting president is a person who temporarily fills the role of a country's president when the incumbent president is unavailable (such as by illness or visiting abroad) or when the post is vacant (such as for death Death is the en ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

by the

Provisional Government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, a transitional government or provisional leadership, is a temporary government formed to manage a period of transition, often following state collapse, revoluti ...

Early life

Syed Nazrul Islam was born in 1925, into a

Bengali Muslim Bengali Muslims (; ) 'Mussalman'' also used in this work./ref> are adherents of Islam who ethnically, linguistically and genealogically identify as Bengalis. Comprising over 70% of the global Bengali population, they are the second-largest ...

family of Syeds in the village of Bir Dampara, Jashodal Union in Kishoreganj (then Mymensingh District) of the

Bengal Presidency The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal until 1937, later the Bengal Province, was the largest of all three presidencies of British India during Company rule in India, Company rule and later a Provinces o ...

. He obtained degrees in history and law from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

and was an active student political leader in the Muslim League. Syed captained his college's cricket and hockey teams and participated in the

Pakistan movement The Pakistan Movement was a religiopolitical and social movement that emerged in the early 20th century as part of a campaign that advocated the creation of an Islamic state in parts of what was then British Raj. It was rooted in the two-nation the ...

. He entered the civil service of

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

in 1949 but resigned in 1951 to work as a professor of history at the Ananda Mohan College in

Mymensingh Mymensingh () is a metropolis, metropolitan city and capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of the Old Brahmaputra River, Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center ...

, where he also practised law.

Political career

Nazrul Islam's political career began when he joined the Awami Muslim League and participated in the Language Movement in 1952, for which he was arrested by police. He would rise to various provincial and central party leadership positions, becoming a close confidante of the party's leader Sheikh Mujib. He was jailed during the Six Point Demand movement. He was elected to the

National Assembly of Pakistan The National Assembly of Pakistan, also referred to as ''Aiwān-ē-Zairīñ'', is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Pakistan, with the upper house being the Senate of Pakistan, Senate. As of 2023, the National Assem ...

in 1970, where he served briefly as deputy leader of the majority. Following the arrest of Mujib on 25 March 1971 by Pakistani forces, Syed escaped to Meherpur, Khulna with other party leaders and proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh. Syed stepped in as the acting President, with Tajuddin Ahmed as the government's prime minister. Syed played a key role in leading the nationalist cause, co-ordinating the BDF guerrilla force and winning support from

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and other nations. After the independence of Bangladesh, Syed was appointed minister of industries, the deputy leader in parliament and a member of the constitution committee. When Mujib banned other political parties and assumed sweeping powers as president in 1975, Syed was appointed vice-chairman of the BAKSAL.

Personal life

Nazrul Islam married Syeda Nafisa Islam with whom he had six children. His four sons were Sayed Ashraful Islam, Syed Manzurul Islam Manju, Syed Shariful Islam and Syed Shafayetul Islam. His oldest daughter was MP Syeda Zakia Noor Lipi. Mujib_at_a_press_conference_-_2

Death

Following the

assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh, was assassinated along with most of his family members during the early hours of 15 August 1975 by a group of Bangladesh Army personnel who invaded his Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, re ...

on 15 August 1975, Syed went into hiding with other Mujib loyalists such as Tajuddin Ahmad, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman and Muhammad Mansur Ali, but was ultimately arrested by the regime of the new president

Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad (; 27 February 1919 – 5 March 1996) was a Bangladeshi politician. He was the Minister of Commerce in the third Mujib Rahman ministry under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and assumed the presidency of Bangladesh after the A ...

. The four leaders were imprisoned in the Dhaka Central Jail and assassinated on 3 November under controversial and mysterious circumstances known as the Jail Killing. This day is commemorated every year in Bangladesh as Jail Killing Day. Captain (relieved) Kismat Hashem was sentenced in absentia to life in prison for the killings. He died due to cardiac arrest in Canada.

Legacy

Government-run Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College in Kishoreganj is named in his memory. Sayed Ashraful Islam is son of Sayed Nazrul Islam.

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nazrul Islam, Syed 1925 births 1975 deaths Bangladeshi Muslims Awami League politicians Vice presidents of Bangladesh People of the Bangladesh Liberation War Bangladeshi people who died in prison custody University of Dhaka alumni Pakistani politicians Bangladeshi Islamists Prisoners who died in Bangladeshi detention Recipients of the Independence Award Ministers of industries of Bangladesh 20th-century Bengalis Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League executive committee members Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League central committee members Mymensingh Zilla School alumni Syed family Bangladesh independence activists Candidates in the 1970 Pakistani general election Members of the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh Provisional Government of Bangladesh