Ghulam Azam ( bn, গোলাম আযম; 7 November 192223 October 2014) was a Bangladeshi Islamist politician. He was the former

leader Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ( bn, বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী, Bānglādēsh Jāmāyatē Islāmī, Bangladesh Islamic Assembly), previously known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, or Jamaat for short, was ...

, the largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh. Azam was arrested by the

Government of Bangladesh The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার — ) is the central executive government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Co ...

on 11 January 2012 after he was found guilty in war crimes charges during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. He founded the

Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ( bn, বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী, Bānglādēsh Jāmāyatē Islāmī, Bangladesh Islamic Assembly), previously known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, or Jamaat for short, was ...

for East Pakistan during 1971 unrest that was aimed at to oppose the independence of Bangladesh. He led the party until 2000. On 15 July 2013, a Bangladeshi special tribunal, the International Crimes Tribunal found him guilty of war crimes such as conspiring, planning, incitement to and complicity in committing genocide and was sentenced to 90 years in jail. The tribunal stated that Azam deserved capital punishment for his activity during

Liberation war of Bangladesh The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali n ...

, but was given a lenient punishment of imprisonment because of his age and poor health condition. The trial was criticized by several international observers, including

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...

and Amnesty International. Human Rights Watch, which was initially supportive of a trial subsequently criticized "strong judicial bias towards the prosecution and grave violations of due process rights", calling the trial process deeply flawed and unable to meet international fair trial standards. Notably, it was at the center of the 2012 ICT Skype controversy. As a leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, he led the formation of the Shanti Committees that were formed at the time of the Liberation War alongside other pro-Pakistan Bengali leaders. Azam was accused of forming paramilitary groups for the Pakistani Army, including Razakars, and

Al-Badr Al Badr is a village in Mecca Province, in western Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making ...

. These

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s opposed the

Mukti Bahini The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...

members who fought for the independence of Bangladesh, and also stand accused of war crimes. Azam's citizenship was cancelled by the Bangladeshi Government because of playing an opposition role during the Bangladesh liberation war. He lived informally in Bangladesh from 1978 to 1994 without any authorised Bangladeshi visa. His citizenship was then reinstated by the

Supreme Court of Bangladesh The Supreme Court of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশ সুপ্রীম কোর্ট) is the highest court of law in Bangladesh. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was created by Part VI C ...

. Azam was arrested on 11 January 2012 by the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh on the charges of committing war crimes during the Bangladesh liberation war. The tribunal rejected the plea of bail after noting that there were formal charges against Azam of which it had taken cognisance.Ghulam Azam is hospitalised after he loses bail appeal over war crimes
Corbis, 11 January 2012 He was 91 when he died of a stroke on 23 October 2014 at BSMMU. Thousands of people attended his funeral prayers that were televised and held at the National Mosque of Bangladesh Baitul Mukarram.

Early life and education

Azam was born on 7 November 1922 in his maternal home, the Shah Saheb Bari of Lakshmibazar,

Dacca Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

Bengal Presidency The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...

. He was the eldest son of Ghulam Kabir and Sayeda Ashrafunnisa. His father was a '' mawlana'' who hailed from the village of Birgaon in

Nabinagar Navinagar is a city cum Nagar Panchayat in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Bihar, and is the location of Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project. Geography Nabinagar is located at . Its average elevation is 138 metres (452 f ...

Brahmanbaria Brahmanbaria ( bn, ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া, Brāhmaṇabāṛiẏā) is a city of Bangladesh and the capital of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila as well as Brahmanbaria District. It is the second largest city after Cumilla i ...

, Tipperah District. Azam's education began at the local ''

madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

'' in Birgaon and then completed his secondary school education in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...

. After that, he enrolled at Dacca University where he completed BA and MA degrees in

Political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

Early political career

University

While studying at the University of Dhaka, Azam became active in student's politics and was elected as the General Secretary of the

Dhaka University Central Students' Union Dhaka University Central Students' Union, also known by its acronym DUCSU, is the official students' union of the University of Dhaka. Called the second parliament of Bangladesh, DUCSU represents Dhaka University students in the university's decisi ...

(DUCSU) for the two consecutive years between 1947 and 1949. As a General Secretary of the DUCSU, Azam in 1947 submitted a memorandum on the union's behalf to the

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...

Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...

, demanding that

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

be made a state language along with

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' "Bangla was a wrong decision with regard to the establishment of Pakistan since

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Jamaat-e-Islami

In 1950, Azam left Dhaka to teach political science at the Government Carmichael College in Rangpur. During this time, he was influenced by the writings of

Abul Ala Maududi Abul A'la al-Maududi ( ur, , translit=Abū al-Aʿlā al-Mawdūdī; – ) was an Islamic scholar, Islamist ideologue, Muslim philosopher, jurist, historian, journalist, activist and scholar active in British India and later, following the part ...

and he joined Maududi's party

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami (JI; Urdu: , "Islamic Congress"), or Jamaat as it is simply known, is an Islamist political party which is based in Pakistan and it is the Pakistani successor to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was founded in colonial India in 1941. It ...

in 1954, and was later elected as the Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami's

East Pakistan East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wi ...

branch. In 1964, the government of Ayub Khan banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its leaders, including Azam, and imprisoned them for eight months without trials. He played a prominent role as the general secretary of the Pakistan Democratic Movement formed in 1967 and later, he was elected as the member of Democratic Action Committee in 1969 to transform the anti-Ayub movement into a popular uprising. In 1969, he became the Ameer of the Jamaat in East Pakistan. He and other opposition leaders including future President of Bangladesh

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( bn, শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান; 17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), often shortened as Sheikh Mujib or Mujib and widely known as Bangabandhu (meaning ''Friend of Bengal''), was a Bengali politi ...

took part in the Round Table Conference held in Rawalpindi in 1969 to solve the prevailing political impasse in Pakistan. On 13 March 1969, Khan announced his acceptance of their two fundamental demands of parliamentary government and direct elections.Keesing's Record of World Events (formerly Keesing's Contemporary Archives), Volume 15 (1969), May 1969 PAKISTAN, Page 23353 In the runup to the

1970 Pakistani general election General elections were held in Pakistan on 7 December 1970 to elect members of the National Assembly. They were the first general elections since the independence of Pakistan and ultimately the only ones held prior to the independence of Bangla ...

, Azam together with leaders of a number of other parties in East Pakistan (including the

Pakistan Democratic Party The Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) was a political party in Pakistan, founded by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan in June 1967. Nawbzada Nasrullah Khan led the party until his death in 2003. After Nawab's death, the party's leadership was later taken ...

National Awami Party The National Awami Party (NAP), translated from Urdu to English as National People's Party, was the major left-wing political party in East and West Pakistan. It was founded in 1957 in Dhaka, erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), by A ...

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam ( ur, جمیعت علماءِ اسلام, abbreviated as JUI) was founded by Shabbir Ahmad Usmani as an offshoot of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) on 26 October 1945. History The original Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind was formed in Br ...

and the Pakistan National League) protested at the Awami League approach to electioneering for, accusing them of breaking up public meetings, physical attacks on political opponents and the looting and destruction of party offices. During 1970, while Azam was the head of Jamaat-e-Islami East Pakistan, a number of political rallies, including rallies of Jamaat-e-Islami, were attacked by armed mobs alleged to be incited by the Awami League.

Bangladesh Liberation War

Activities during 1971 War

During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Azam took a political stance in support of unified Pakistan, and repeatedly denounced Awami League and

secessionists, whose declared aim after 26 March 1971 became the establishment of an independent state of Bangladesh in place of East Pakistan. Excerpts from Azam's speeches after 25 March 1971 used to be published in the spokespaper of the

named ''

The Daily Sangram ''The Daily Sangram'', also known as ''Dainik Sangram'' ( bn, দৈনিক সংগ্রাম ''Doinik Shônggram'' "Daily Struggle") is a Pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Bengali daily newspaper published from Dhaka, Bangladesh. The name of the editor ...

''. On 20 June 1971, Azam reaffirmed his support for the Pakistani army by citing that 'the army has eradicated nearly all criminals of East Pakistan'. During the war of 1971, it was alleged that Azam played a central role in the formation of

East Pakistan Central Peace Committee East Pakistan Central Peace Committee ( bn, পূর্ব পাকিস্তান কেন্দ্রীয় শান্তি কমিটি; ur, مشرقی پاکستان مرکزی امن کمیٹی), also known as the Nagorik Shan ...

on 11 April 1971, which declared the independence movement a conspiracy planned by India.ঢাকায় নাগরিক শান্তি কমিটি গঠিত (Citizen's Peace Committee formed in Dhaka), Daily Pakistan, 11 April 1971. It was also alleged that Azam was one of the founding members of this organization. The Peace Committee members were drawn from Azam's Jamaat-e-Islami, the Muslim League and

Biharis The Biharis () is a demonym given to the inhabitants of the Indian state of Bihar. Bihari people can be separated into three main Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic groups, Bhojpuris, Maithils and Magadhis. They are also further divided into a v ...

. The Peace Committee served as a front for the army, informing on the civil administration as well as the general public. They were also in charge of confiscating and redistribution of shops and lands from Hindu and pro-independence Bengali activists, mainly relatives and friends of Mukti Bahini fighters. The Shanti Committee has also been alleged to have recruited Razakars.''The Wall Street Journal'', 27 July 1971; quoted in the book ''Muldhara 71'' by Moidul Hasan The first recruits included 96 Jamaat party members, who started training in an Ansar camp at Shahjahan Ali Road, Khulna. During Azam's leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami, Ashraf Hossain, a leader of Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, created the

militia in Jamalpur district on 22 April 1971. On 12 April 1971, Azam and Matiur Rahman Nizami led demonstrations denouncing the independence movement as an Indian conspiracy. During the war, Azam travelled to West Pakistan at the time to consult the Pakistani leaders. He declared that his party (Jamaat) is trying its best to curb the activities of pro-independence "Miscreants". He took part in meetings with General

Yahya Khan General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan , (Urdu: ; 4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980); commonly known as Yahya Khan, was a Pakistani military general who served as the third President of Pakistan and Chief Martial Law Administrator following his p ...

, the military dictator of Pakistan, and other military leaders, to organize the campaign against Bangladeshi independence. On 12 August 1971, Azam declared in a statement published in the ''Daily Sangram'' that "the supporters of the so-called Bangladesh Movement are the enemies of Islam, Pakistan, and Muslims". He also called for an all out war against India. He called for the annexation of

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

. Azam was also alleged as the prime standard-bearer who presented the blueprint of the killing of the intellectuals during a meeting with

Rao Farman Ali Major General Rao Farman Ali ( ur, ; January 1, 1922 – 20 January 2004) was a Major General in Pakistan Army, and political figure who is widely considered a key architect of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide the Bangladesh Liberation War. ...

in early September 1971. According to this blue print, Pakistani Army and the local collaborators executed the killing of the Bengali intellectuals on 14 December 1971.

Allegations

On 20 June 1971, Azam declared in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...

that the Hindu minority in East Pakistan, under the leadership of

, are conspiring to secede from Pakistan. On 12 August 1971, Azam declared in a statement published in the ''Daily Sangram'' that "the supporters of the Bangladesh Movement are the enemies of Islam, Pakistan, and Muslims". On his side, Azam denied all such accusations and challenged by giving reasons to justify them. However, he later admitted that he was on the list of collaborators of the Pakistani army, but denied he was a war criminal. The military junta of General

decided to call an election in an effort to legitimize themselves. On 12 October 1971, Yahya Khan declared that an election will be held from 25 November to 9 December. Azam decided to take part in this election. On 15 October, the Pakistani government suddenly declared that 15 candidates were elected without any competition. According to the declaration of 2 November, as many as 53 candidates were elected without any competition.''Muldhara '71'' (মূলধারা '৭১ Mainstream '71) by Moidul Hasan, page. 128, footnote. 177. published by University Press Limited In this election Jamaat won 14 of the uncontested seats.''International Herald Tribune''; 4 November 1971 Former advisor to the

Caretaker government of Bangladesh The Caretaker Government of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশের তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার) was a form of government in which Bangladesh used to be ruled by a selected government for an interim period du ...

, human rights activist and witness for the prosecution Sultana Kamal said- "In brutality, Ghulam Azam is synonymous with German ruler Hitler who had influential role in implementation and execution of genocide and ethnic cleansing". In response to this statement, the defense counsel pointed out that the comparison was a fallacy and "fake with malicious intention" as Hitler held state power, which Azam did not and that in 1971 General Tikka Khan and Yahya Khan held state power. Prosecutor of ICT Zead-Al-Malum said- "He was the one making all the decisions, why would he need to be on any committee? Being Hitler was enough for Hitler in World War II".

Leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh

The government of newly independent Bangladesh, banned

and cancelled Azam's citizenship for playing alleged role during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Azam lived in exile in London until he was allowed to return home in 1978. Following the independence of Bangladesh, he migrated to

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

(previously West Pakistan) as he opposed the independence and continued to be a

Pakistani citizen Pakistani nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds Pakistani nationality. The primary law governing nationality regulations is the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951, which came into force on 13 April 1951. With few exceptions ...

even after 1971 (until 1994) Jamaat's rehabilitation began when

Ziaur Rahman Lt. General Ziaur Rahman (19 January 1936 – 30 May 1981), was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in Chittagong in an army coup d ...

became president after a coup in 1975 and lifted the previous ban on religious parties. In 1977, Zia removed secularism in the constitution, replacing it with Islamic ideals, further clearing the way for Jamaat-e-Islami to return to political participation. In 1978, Azam returned to Bangladesh on a Pakistani passport with a temporary visa, and stayed as a Pakistani national until 1994 even after his visa expired; he refused to leave the country and continued to live in Bangladesh. His stay was however unwelcome in Bangladesh, and he was beaten by an angry mob at the footsteps of the Baitul Mukarram mosque while attending a funeral in 1981. In the 1980s, Azam was particularly critical of the military rule of General Ershad after he seized power in a bloodless coup in 1982 and Jamaat-e-Islami took part in demonstrations and strikes as well as other opposition parties such as the Awami League and the

Bangladesh Nationalist Party The Bangladesh Nationalist Party ( bn, বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল, Bangladesh Jātīyotābādī Dol; BNP) is a centre-right to right-wing nationalist, political party in Bangladesh and one of the major ...

(BNP). He proposed a caretaker government system to facilitate free and fair elections, which was adopted in 1990. In the

1991 Bangladeshi general election General elections were held in Bangladesh on 27 February 1991. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the largest party in parliament, winning 140 of the 300 directly-elected seats. The BNP formed a government with the support of the I ...

, Jamaat-e-Islami won 18 seats and its support allowed the BNP to form a government. During this time, he acted unofficially as the Ameer (leader) of Jamaat-e-Islami until 1991, when he was officially elected to the post. This led the government arresting him and an unofficial court called "The People's Court" was established by the civilians such as Jahanara Imam to try alleged war criminals and anti-independence activists. Imam held a symbolic trial of Azam where thousands of people gathered and gave the verdict that Azam's offences committed during the Liberation War deserve capital punishment. In 1994, he fought a lengthy legal battle which resulted in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh ruling in his favor and restoring his nationality. In the 1996 election, Jamaat won only three seats, and most of their candidates lost their deposits. Azam announced his retirement from active politics in late 2000. He was succeeded by

Motiur Rahman Nizami Motiur Rahman Nizami ( bn, মতিউর রহমান নিজামী, links=no; 31 March 1943 – 11 May 2016) was a politician, former Minister of Bangladesh, Islamic scholar, writer, and the former leader of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-I ...

War crimes trial

Arrest and incarceration

On 11 January 2012, Azam was arrested on charges of committing crimes against humanity and peace, genocide and war crimes in 1971 by the International Crimes Tribunal. His petition for bail was rejected by the ICT, and he was sent to

Dhaka Central Jail Dhaka Central Jail was the largest jail in Bangladesh, located in the old section of Dhaka, the country's capital. The jail has been used to house criminals as well as political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the 6 ...

. However, three hours later he was taken to the

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) is a graduate medical university in Bangladesh. It was established in 1965. The university offers postgraduate degrees only, not offering undergraduate medical or dental degrees. History Est ...

(BSMMU) hospital for a medical check-up because of his aging. According to ''The Daily Star'', Azam was allowed to remain in a hospital prison cell despite being declared fit for trial by a medical team on 15 January. The same paper later acknowledged that he had been placed there because to his "ailing condition". Azam's health was deteriorating rapidly since being imprisoned. His wife, Syeda Afifa Azam reported in several newspapers as being shocked about Azam's treatment and stated that he was very weak and had lost 3 kilograms in a month due to malnutrition. She described his treatment as "a gross violation of human rights" even though he was kept in a hospital prison cell. Azam's wife complained that he had been denied proper family visits and access to books, saying that this amounted to "mental torture". ''The Daily Star'' reported that Azam's wife and his counsels were allowed to meet him on 18 February. On 25 February 2012, ''The Daily Star'' further reported that Azam's nephew was denied a visit shortly before he was about to enter hospital prison. This was despite the application for the visit being first approved. Islamic activists from different countries expressed their concerns for Mr. Azam. The

International Union of Muslim Scholars The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS; ar, الاتحاد العالمي لعلماء المسلمين; ') is an organization of Muslim Islamic theologians headed by Ahmad al-Raysuni described as the "supreme authority ...

, chaired by

Yusuf al-Qaradawi Yusuf al-Qaradawi ( ar, يوسف القرضاوي, translit=Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī; or ''Yusuf al-Qardawi''; 9 September 1926 – 26 September 2022) was an Egyptian Islamic scholar based in Doha, Qatar, and chairman of the International Union of ...

called the arrest "disgraceful", and called on the Bangladesh government to release him immediately, stating that "the charge of Professor Ghulam Azam and his fellow scholars and Islamic activists of committing war crimes more than forty years ago is irrational and cannot be accepted". The judicial process under which Azam was on trial was criticized by international organizations such as

and Amnesty International. So far, the ICT has sentenced two of the accused to death and another one to life imprisonment.

Verdict

Azam was convicted of war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War by the controversial International Crimes Tribunal-1 of Bangladesh. The charges against Azam were torturing and the killings of a police officer "Shiru Mia" and three other civilians. He was found guilty on all five charges and was sentenced to 90 years in prison. The judges unanimously agreed that Azam deserved capital punishment but was given a lenient punishment because of his aging and poor health condition. In a press release, Jamaat's Acting Secretary General "Rafiqul Islam" rejected the International Crimes Tribunal's verdict against Azam by stating his conviction "nothing but a reflection of what AL-led 14-party alliance leaders had said against him Ghulam Azam in different meetings". A popular newspaper ''Daily Amardesh'', the publication of which is banned by the ruling Bangladesh Awami League since 2013, reported that the evidence presented before the court against Ghulam Azam consisted of newspaper clippings published during 1971."

Death

Ghulam Azam died after suffering a stroke on 23 October 2014 at 10:10 PM at BSMMU while serving jail sentences for crimes against humanity during Bangladesh Liberation War. His death was reported by Abdul Majid Bhuiyan, director of BSMMU. Ghulam Azam was put on life support system at 8 PM. He was also suffering from kidney ailments. Azam was buried at his family graveyard at Moghbazar, Dhaka on 25 October. His

namaz-e-janaza ( ar, صلاة الجنازة) is the Islamic funeral prayer; a part of the Islamic funeral ritual. The prayer is performed in congregation to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims. The is a collective obligation upon Muslims () i. ...

(Islamic funeral prayer) was held at Bangladesh's national mosque Baitul Mokarram, which is still considered one of the largest gatherings at any funeral prayers. Different quarters of the country protested against taking Azam's body to the national mosque because of his war crimes conviction and his opposition role to the independence of the country.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azam, Ghulam 1922 births 2014 deaths Bangladesh Liberation War Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan politicians Pakistani lobbyists Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami politicians Bangladeshi Islamists Bangladeshi people convicted of crimes against humanity Bangladeshi people convicted of war crimes Pakistani emigrants to Bangladesh People from Brahmanbaria district 1971 Bangladesh genocide perpetrators Prisoners who died in Bangladeshi detention