Bot at 16:49, 12 December 2022

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{{Short description|Bangladeshi politician}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox criminal
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed
| honorific_suffix =
| native_name = আলী আহসান মুহাম্মদ মুজাহিদ
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Mojaheed at 2010 public meeting
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|6|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Faridpur District|Faridpur]], [[East Bengal]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|11|22|1948|6|23|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Dhaka Central Jail]], [[Dhaka, Bangladesh]]
| death_cause = [[Execution by hanging]]
| resting_place = Kabashpur, Faridpur
| resting_place_coordinates =
| monuments =
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politics
| years_active =
| organization = [[Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh]], [[Al Badr]]
| agent =
| known_for = Politics, [[war crimes]]
| notable_works =
| style =
| net_worth = 
| height = 
| television =
| title = Member of [[Jatiyo Sangshad|Parliament]] and Minister of Social Welfare
| term = 2001–2006
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party = [[Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh]]
| movement =
| opponents =
| boards =
| criminal_penalty = [[Capital punishment|Death]]
| criminal_status = [[Executed]]
| spouse =
| partner = 
| children =
| awards =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| signature_size =
| footnotes =
| conviction = [[Crimes against humanity]]
}}

'''Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed''' ({{lang-bn|আলী আহসান মুহাম্মদ মুজাহিদ}}; 23 June 1948 – 22 November 2015) was a [[Bangladeshi]] politician<ref>{{cite news |date=16 June 2015 |title=Bangladesh upholds death sentence for war collaborator |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mojaheed-death-sentence-upheald/1/444839.html |work=India Today}}</ref> who served as a [[Jatiyo Sangshad|Member of Parliament]] and as the [[Minister for Social Protection|Minister of Social Welfare]] from 2001 to 2007. He was executed in 2015 for [[war crimes]] committed during the 1971 [[Liberation war of Bangladesh]].

He was second in command of the infamous paramilitary force [[Al-Badr (East Pakistan)|Al-Badr]] in 1971, which committed war crimes at that time.<ref name=TDC-008>{{cite magazine |title=Jamaat Secretary General gets death for war crimes in Bangladesh |url=http://www.tehelka.com/jamaat-secretary-general-gets-death-for-war-crimes-in-bangladesh/ |magazine=Tehelka |agency=Press Trust of India |access-date=21 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422232540/http://www.tehelka.com/jamaat-secretary-general-gets-death-for-war-crimes-in-bangladesh/ |archive-date=22 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=DS-0008>{{cite news |title=Mojaheed to hang |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/mojaheed-brought-to-tribunal/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=17 July 2013 |access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref> On 17 July 2013, he was found guilty of war crimes such as [[genocide]], conspiracy in [[1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals|helping to kill intellectuals]] and abduction during the 1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh by the [[International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh)|International Crimes Tribunal]]-2 and sentenced to death for 2 of the 7 charges brought against him.<ref name="reuters.com">{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ruma |date=17 July 2013 |title=Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death for 1971 war crimes |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bangladesh-warcrimes-idUSBRE96G09X20130717?irpc=932 |work=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="dw.de">{{cite news |title=Bangladesh Islamist party leader sentenced to death for war crimes |url=http://www.dw.de/bangladesh-islamist-party-leader-sentenced-to-death-for-war-crimes/a-16957509 |work=Deutsche Welle}}</ref><ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite news |last=Habib |first=Haroon |date=18 July 2013 |title=Jamaat secretary-general gets death penalty for war crimes |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/jamaat-secretarygeneral-gets-death-penalty-for-war-crimes/article4923688.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> The High Court rejected his review petition on 18 November 2015. He received [[death penalty]] from the tribunal on 22 November 2015, becoming one of the world's first Ministers to be hanged.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Adhikary |first1=Tuhin Shubhra |last2=Habib |first2=Wasim Bin |title=Hanged, Together |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/two-hanged-together-176215 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=22 November 2015 |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> Until his death, he was the Secretary General of [[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami]].<ref name=TOI1>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death for war crimes |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Bangladesh-Islamist-leader-sentenced-to-death-for-war-crimes/articleshow/21118211.cms? |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=17 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="Al Jazeera17">{{cite news |title=Death penalty for leading Bangladesh Islamist |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/07/201371765535804837.html |work=[[Al Jazeera]] |access-date=17 July 2022}}</ref><ref name=TDC-008/><ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:মুজাহিদকে ফাঁসির আদেশ |trans-title=Mojaheed sentenced to death |url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2013-07-17/news/368562 |newspaper=[[Prothom Alo]] |language=bn |access-date=17 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720213409/http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2013-07-17/news/368562 |archive-date=20 July 2022}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Mojaheed was born in 1948, in [[Faridpur district]]. His father, Mohammad Ali, an Islamic scholar, was a member of the [[East Pakistan Central Peace Committee|Peace Committee]] during the Liberation War with alleged involvement in [[crimes against humanity]]. After the liberation of Bangladesh, he was acquitted by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from trials on request of local Awami League leaders.<ref name="bn02042012">{{cite news |last=Ahmed |first=Jakia |date=2 April 2012 |title='Mojaheed not own his father's crimes' |url=http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=6a307655ba6a4f31e4f2da46d7516c84&nttl=2012040237679 |work=BanglaNews24.com |location=Dhaka |access-date=9 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429215712/http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=6a307655ba6a4f31e4f2da46d7516c84&nttl=2012040237679 |archive-date=29 April 2022}}</ref> After completing schooling from Faridpur, Mojaheed took admission to the [[Dhaka University]] in 1970.<ref name="na22062012"/>

== Political career ==

=== During the Liberation war ===
In 1968, Mojaheed became the Faridpur district president of Islami Chhatra Sangha (Urdu: [[Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba]]).<ref name="na22062012">{{cite news |title=Mojaheed indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity |url=http://newagebd.com/detail.php?date=2012-06-22&nid=14609 |work=New Age |location=Dhaka |date=22 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017182805/http://newagebd.com/detail.php?date=2012-06-22&nid=14609 |archive-date=17 October 2013 |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref> In 1970, he took admission at the [[Dhaka University]]. On moving to Dhaka, he became the Dhaka district president of the Islami Chhatra Sangha.<ref name="na22062012"/> Around August–September 1970 Mojaheed became the Secretary of the East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha, the provincial wing of the Nikhil Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha.<ref name="na22062012"/> In October 1971, he was elected the president of East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha.<ref name="tds25052012">{{cite news |title=Discharge plea for Mojaheed |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=235633 |work=The Daily Star |location=Dhaka |date=25 May 2012 |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref> On 17 October, Mojaheed addressed an Islami Chhatra Sangha meeting at Rangpur, where he directed the students to join the Al Badar.<ref name="tds04042010">{{cite news |title=Newspaper archives testify to 1971 role of Mojaheed, other war crimes suspects |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=132863 |work=The Daily Star |location=Dhaka |agency=BSS |date=4 April 2010 |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref>

The prosecutors at the International Crimes Tribunal in their formal charge stated that Mojaheed took over as the supreme commander of the [[Al Badar]] forces from [[Motiur Rahman Nizami]] in October 1971.<ref name="tds25052012"/> He was accused by the prosecution of having led a group that looted around 300–350 Hindu houses and killed around 50–60 Hindus in May 1971.<ref name="tds17012012">{{cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Ashutosh |date=17 January 2012 |title=Mojaheed pressed Pak army for hasty killings |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=218696 |newspaper=The Daily Star |location=Dhaka |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref> On the occasion Mojaheed put forward a four-point declaration. He allegedly stated that he did not recognise [[India|Hindustan]] as a sovereign state. The Al Badr shall not rest till Hindustan is erased from the map of the world. He also allegedly forbade the selling, publicising or keeping books either written by the Hindus or written in favour of them.<ref name="tds04042010"/>

=== Post war ===
Mojaheed contested the parliamentary elections in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2008. Except for 2001, he lost in all the elections.<ref name="na22062012"/> Between 2001 and 2006, he was the Minister of Social Welfare.

==War crimes trial==

===Prosecution===
The trial of Mojaheed at the [[International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh)|International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh]] began on 19 July 2012. On 11 December 2011, the prosecution submitted before the tribunal, pressing 34 counts of charges against Mojaheed. The tribunal indicted Mojaheed on two counts of genocide against the [[Bengali Hindus]] and five counts of crimes against humanity for killing, forced deportation, abduction, torture and arson.<ref name="na22062012"/> Among the victims listed in the charges was [[Serajuddin Hossain]], who was the executive editor of ''[[The Daily Ittefaq]]'' in 1971.<ref name="na22062012"/>

Opposition parties and human rights groups alleged political interference in the trial, given that all the accused were leading opposition politicians.<ref name=WSJ1>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh War-Crime Tribunal Bogs Down |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323777204578189153918592308 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=20 December 2012 |access-date=18 April 2022}}</ref> ICT have delivered its verdict on war crimes charges of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed on 17 July 2013, two days after ICT-1 sentenced war criminal [[Ghulam Azam]] to 90 years in prison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Verdict on Mujaheed Wednesday |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/07/16/verdict-on-mujaheed-wednesday |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=16 July 2022}}</ref>

===Skype controversy===
{{Main|2012 ICT Skype controversy}}
In late 2012, the ICT was the centre of [[2012 ICT Skype controversy|a controversy]] after [[Skype]] conversations and e-mails between the head judge, [[Mohammed Nizamul Huq|Nizamul Huq]] and [[Ahmed Ziauddin]], a [[Brussels]]-based lawyer were leaked. According to ''[[The Economist]]'', the recordings and emails suggested that the Bangladesh Government pressured and attempted to intervene in the International Crimes Tribunal to speed proceedings up.
The neutrality and independence of Huq was also called into question, as Ziauddin appeared to help him to prepare documents for the tribunal and make detailed recommendations for Huq, and informed Huq about how the prosecutors may develop their case while in contact with the prosecution.<ref Name=EconomistSkype>{{cite magazine |title=The trial of the birth of a nation |url=https://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21568349-week-chairman-bangladeshs-international-crimes-tribunal-resigned-we-explain |magazine=[[The Economist]] |date=15 December 2012 |access-date=10 April 2022}}</ref>
Nizamul Huq later resigned from the post of head judge of the tribunal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tribunal chief quits over Skype scandal |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=260836 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=12 December 2022}}</ref>

===Conviction===
On 17 July 2013, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed was found guilty of [[war crimes]] such as genocide, conspiracy in [[1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals|killing intellectuals]], torture and abduction during 1971 [[Liberation war of Bangladesh]] by the International Crimes Tribunal-2 and was sentenced to death for 2 of the 5 charges brought against him.<ref name="reuters.com"/><ref name="dw.de"/><ref name="thehindu.com"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Mujaheed guilty of war crimes |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/07/17/mujaheed-guilty-of-war-crimes |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=17 July 2013 |access-date=17 July 2022}}</ref> Mujaheed was found guilty on the charge related to the killing of [[Shafi Imam Rumi|Rumi]], Badi, Jewel, Azad and [[Altaf Mahmud]] at the army camp set up in [[Nakhalpara]], Dhaka, during the Liberation War.<ref name=DailyStarThey>{{cite news |last=Khan |first=Tamanna |title=They now can rest in peace |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/they-now-can-rest-in-peace/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=18 July 2013 |access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref> Defence lawyer Abdur Razzaq claimed that this verdict was unfair.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:এটা ভুল রায়: রাজ্জাক |url=http://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article648099.bdnews |newspaper=bdnews24.com |language=bn}}</ref>

On 14 October 2015, Ahsan filed a review petition with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh against the sentence. On 18 November 2015, the High Court of Bangladesh upheld the death sentence of Ali Ahsan, rejecting his pleas for reviewing death penalties.<ref>{{cite news |title=Verdicts read out to Salauddin, Mojaheed |url=http://www.en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86455/Verdicts-read-out-to-Salauddin-Mojaheed |newspaper=[[Prothom Alo]] |access-date=21 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121051206/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86455/Verdicts-read-out-to-Salauddin-Mojaheed |archive-date=21 November 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> According to jail officials and the Minister for Justice, Mojaheed asked for mercy in a petition to the President of Bangladesh, but his appeal was rejected.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Bangladesh president rejects mercy plea of 2 war criminals |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Bangladesh-president-rejects-mercy-plea-of-2-war-criminals/articleshow/49875037.cms |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh president rejects death-row mercy petitions |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/bangladesh-president-rejects-death-row-mercy-petitions/articleshow/49875033.cms |newspaper=The Economic Times |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref> Although, his family claimed that he didn't ask for mercy to the president and it was a lie from the government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Govt, family versions contradict |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/govt-family-versions-contradict-176245 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=22 November 2015 |access-date=23 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Effort to create confusion over mercy petitions on |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86757/Confusion-over-mercy-petitions-Law-minister |newspaper=Prothom Alo |access-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123151814/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86757/Confusion-over-mercy-petitions-Law-minister |archive-date=23 November 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Death ==
On 22 November 2015, 12:45 AM, GMT+6, Mojaheed was hanged at [[Dhaka Central Jail]].<ref name=":13">{{cite news |script-title=bn:সাকা-মুজাহিদের ফাঁসি কার্যকর |trans-title=Mojaheed execution |url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/690262/%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BE-%25E0%25A6%25AE%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%259C%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B9%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25A6%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25AB%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%2581%25E0%25A6%25B8%25E0%25A6%25BF-%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25B0 |newspaper=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=17 June 2015 |title=Mixed reaction in Faridpur |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/mixed-reaction-faridpur-98353 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref> The execution was reported by the Minister for Justice, [[Anisul Huq (politician)|Anisul Huq]].<ref>{{cite news |date=22 November 2015 |title=Bangladesh executes 2 opposition leaders for war crimes |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world/bangladesh-on-high-alert-ahead-of-execution-of-2-opposition-leaders/story-C60moXJqSDKFbe4Sm2YNBI.html |newspaper=Hindustan Times |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref> At the same time and place, another Bangladeshi politician, [[Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury]], was hanged for war crime charges. Ahsan was buried at his hometown [[Faridpur District|Faridpur]] after his namaz-e-janaza had held on Adarsha Academy's Ideal Madrasa ground at West Khabaspur of the town.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 November 2015 |title=Mojaheed buried in Faridpur town |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86699/Mojaheed-buried-in-Faridpur-town |newspaper=Prothom Alo |access-date=22 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083451/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/86699/Mojaheed-buried-in-Faridpur-town |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=22 November 2015 |title=Mojaheed buried in his hometown Faridpur |url=http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/11/22/119480 |newspaper=The Financial Express |location=Dhaka |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>

=== Reactions ===

==== Domestic reactions ====
Ahsan's party [[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami]] offered funeral prayers in absentia on 22 November morning, and called for a strike across the country on 23 November 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jamaat launches two-day protest including Monday strike |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/11/22/jamaat-launches-two-day-protest-including-monday-strike |newspaper=bdnews24.com |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>

Thirteen treasury bench of the [[Jatiyo Sangshad]] praised and congratulating the Prime Minister [[Sheikh Hasina]] for executing the two top war criminals of Bangladesh Liberation war.<ref>{{cite news |title=MPs praise govt, PM at JS |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/city/mps-praise-govt-pm-js-176692 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=23 November 2022}}</ref>

==== International reactions ====
{{Flag|Pakistan}} - In a statement from Pakistan Foreign Ministry said after the execution, "We have noted with deep concern and anguish the unfortunate executions of the Bangladesh National Party Leader, Mr Salauddin Quadir Chowdhury, and Mr Ali Ahsan Mojaheed. Pakistan is deeply disturbed at this development."<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan 'deeply' perturbed over executions in Bangladesh |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/country/pakistan-%E2%80%9Cdeeply%E2%80%9D-perturbed-over-executions-bangladesh-176329 |newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |date=22 November 2015 |access-date=23 November 2022}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Char Bhadrasan massacre]]
* [[List of Bangladeshi criminals]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{1971 Bangladesh genocide|state=expanded}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mojaheed, Ali Ahsan Mohammad}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi Muslims]]
[[Category:Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami politicians]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi people convicted of crimes against humanity]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi people convicted of war crimes]]
[[Category:People from Faridpur District]]
[[Category:Executed Bangladeshi people]]
[[Category:21st-century executions by Bangladesh]]
[[Category:People executed by Bangladesh by hanging]]
[[Category:Executed politicians]]
[[Category:People executed for crimes against humanity]]
[[Category:People executed for war crimes]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi politicians convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:Social Welfare ministers of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi male criminals]]
[[Category:1971 Bangladesh genocide perpetrators]]
[[Category:Executed mass murderers]]

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed - Revision history

Bot at 16:49, 12 December 2022