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{{short description|Bangladeshi politician and former association football player}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Hafizuddin Ahmed
| native_name = হাফিজ উদ্দিন আহম্মদ
| native_name_lang = bn
| image =
| office = [[Ministry of Water Resources (Bangladesh)|Minister of Water Resources]]
| term_start = 22 May 2003
| term_end = 29 October 2006
| predecessor = [[L. K. Siddiqi]]
| successor = [[Ramesh Chandra Sen]]
| office1 = [[Ministry of Commerce (Bangladesh)|Minister of Commerce]]
| term_start1 = 24 April 2006
| term_end1 = 29 October 2006
| predecessor1 = [[Altaf Hossain Chowdhury]]
| successor1 = [[Faruk Khan]]
| constituency_MP2 = [[Bhola-3]]
| term_start2 = 10 July 1986
| term_end2 = 27 October 2006
| predecessor2 = ''Constituency created''
| successor2 = [[Mohammad Jashimuddin (politician)|Mohammad Jashimuddin]]
| birth_place = [[Bhola]]
| party = [[Bangladesh Nationalist Party]]
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| branch = {{ubl|{{army|Pakistan}}|{{army|Bangladesh}}}}
| rank = [[Major]]
| serviceyears = 1968 – 1975<ref name=ProthomAlo/>|
| birth_date = 29 October 1944
}}
[[Bir Bikrom]] '''Hafizuddin Ahmed''' is a [[Bangladesh Nationalist Party]] politician, a retired [[Bangladesh Army]] major,<ref name=Ittefaq>{{cite news |date=22 December 2013 |script-title=bn:ভোলার বীর মুক্তিযোদ্ধা এম হাফিজ উদ্দিন |trans-title=Bhola Freedom fighter M Hafiz Uddin |url=http://www.ittefaq.com.bd/index.php?ref=MjBfMTJfMjJfMTNfMV8yNV8xXzk1MDc1 |language=bn |newspaper=The Daily Ittefaq |access-date=30 December 2022}}</ref> and a 6-term [[Jatiya Sangsad]] member representing the [[Bhola-3]] constituency.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/images/pdf/mps_of_8th_parliament.pdf |title=List of Members of 8th Parliament of Bangladesh Jatiyo Sangsad |website=Bangladesh Parliament}}</ref> He fought in the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] and was awarded the third highest gallantry award in Bangladesh, the Bir Bikrom, for his courage. He is currently a vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.<ref>{{Cite news |title=BNP leader Hafizuddin Ahmed, former army officer arrested over ‘anti-state propaganda’|url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2019/10/13/bnp-leader-hafizuddin-ahmed-arrested-at-airport-under-digital-security-act|access-date=11 September 2020|work=bdnews24.com}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Ahmed's father, Dr. Azharuddin, was a member of the National Council of [[East Pakistan]] from Bhola.<ref name="Rokomari.Com">{{cite web |url=http://rokomari.com/book/1848 |script-title=bn:রক্তেভেজা একাত্তর-মেজর (অব.) হাফিজ উদ্দিন আহমেদ বীর বিক্রম |trans-title=Major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram |language=bn |publisher=Rokomari.Com |access-date=30 December 2013|isbn=9844651247}}</ref> In 1968, Ahmed received his MA degree in political science from Dhaka University.<ref name=Ittefaq/>

==Career==
===Football===
Ahmed was a [[Association football|football]] player during his university days. A striker, he later joined the [[Mohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka)|Mohammedan Sporting Club]], in 1964. He remained with the Black and Whites until his retirement in 1978. He won 6 [[Dhaka League]] titles with MSC: 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1976, and 1978. He also won two [[Aga Khan Gold Cup]] titles with the Black and Whites. In 1976 he led the Mohammedan SC team successfully. He replaced defender [[Zakaria Pintoo]] in the job. Mohammedan SC won the Dacca league title defeating arch rivals Abahani in the final 2–0. Hafiz scored both the goals. Mohammedan SC reached the finals of the Aga Khan Gold Cup Football later in the year, beating Sri-Lanka national team 2–1 in the SF. But they lost to the [[Penang F.C.|Penang Football Association]] Team (Malaysia) 3–0 in the final.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} That year, Hafiz became the first after independence to score a double hat-trick in the Dhaka League, as Mohammedan defeated Fire Service SC 6–0.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/বাংলাদেশের-প্রথম-ডাবল-হ্যাটট্রিকের-গল্প |script-title=bn:বাংলাদেশের প্রথম ডাবল হ্যাটট্রিকের গল্প |work=Prothom Alo |date=1 May 2022}}</ref>

He was selected for the [[Pakistan national football team]] in 1967.<ref name=ProthomAlo>{{cite news |date=11 February 2012 |script-title=bn:তোমাদের এ ঋণ শোধ হবে না |trans-title=You do not have to pay back the loan |url=http://archive.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2012-11-02/news/302105 |language=bn |newspaper=Prothom Alo |access-date=30 December 2013 |archive-date=8 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608155016/http://archive.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2012-11-02/news/302105 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Military===

====Pakistan Army====
While playing for the Pakistan and Mohammedan football teams, in 1967, Ahmed was inspired to join the [[Pakistan Army]] by the General Secretary of the [[Pakistan Football Federation]], Major Mohammad Hossain Malik. Ahmed applied to join the army's Education Corps, and was commissioned in 1968.<ref name=Ittefaq/> He was trained at the [[Pakistan Military Academy]] in [[Kakul]], [[Abbottabad]]. After being commissioned, he continued his career as a football player and participated in many tournaments. After the [[1970 Bhola cyclone]], he, as a captain, with Bravo Company, engaged in relief work at Galachipa, [[Patuakhali]].<ref name="Rokomari.Com" />

====Role in Bangladesh Liberation War====
Ahmed was at Jagdishpur Village in the border area of Jessore as part of a training exercise. He was barred from all type of communication there and had no idea of [[Operation Searchlight]], by Pakistan Army, and the declaration of independence of Bangladesh. He returned to the Jessore Cantonment on 29 March. He learned from his [[Batman (military)|batman]] that there was an order for the [[Baloch Regiment]] to disarm the East Bengal Regiment, and that 25 Baloch Regiment and 3 Frontier Force had taken up positions in front of the cantonment. The arsenal had been broken into by East Bengal non-commissioned officers and soldiers. He joined the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]<ref name="Ittefaq" /> and asked his commanding officer, Colonel Jalil, to join the war. But Jalil, who maintained contact with [[M. A. G. Osmani]] of the [[Bangladesh Awami League]], refused to join the liberation, as Osmani had asked.<ref name="Rokomari.Com" />

During the subsequent battle, Ahmed fought alongside his troops, but realised that the ammunition they had with them would not be enough to last for more than three hours. So, he started thinking about an exit plan. After fighting relentlessly for almost two hours, he finally escaped the cantonment with 200 companions.<ref name="Rokomari.Com"/>

In later campaigning, Ahmed, under continuous attack from the Pakistani army, he maintained a free zone at [[Jessore (city)|Jessore]], including [[Benapole]] BOP, from April to mid-May.<ref name="Rokomari.Com" /> During the second week of May 1971, Ahmed was ordered to move to [[Tura, India|Tura, Meghalaya]] to join the [[Bangladesh Forces|BDF]] Sector 11 under Major [[Ziaur Rahman]]. He was selected to lead the Bravo formation as company commander of 1st [[East Bengal Regiment]] in Jessore.<ref name=ProthomAlo/> He was injured during the [[Battle of Kamalpur]], one of the most significant battles fought by Bangladesh forces in 1971.<ref name="Rokomari.Com" />

===Political===
Ahmed entered politics as an independent candidate from [[Bhola District|Bhola]]. He has been elected as a member of parliament from the [[Bhola-3]] constituency 6 times from 1986 until 2006. He served as the [[Ministry of Water Resources (Bangladesh)|Minister of Water Resources]], during the tenure of the second government of Prime Minister [[Khaleda Zia]]. Ahmed held several talks with India about the sharing of water.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 September 2003 |title=Water minister flies to Delhi today to talk river project |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/09/28/d3092801033.htm |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref> After the reshuffling of the cabinet, he was also appointed as the commerce minister.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 April 2006 |title=Cabinet reshuffle: Altaf minister without portfolio, Hafizuddin Commerce Minister |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2006/04/24/cabinet-reshuffle-altaf-minister-without-portfolio-hafizuddin-commerce-minister-updated |newspaper=bdnews24 |access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref>

Ahmed was detained while protesting the government's decision to repeal the caretaker government system, on 11 June 2011.<ref name="Priyo News">{{cite news |date=12 June 2011 |title=Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Altaf Hossain Chowdhury arrested at Mohakhali |url=http://news.priyo.com/politics/2011/06/12/hafiz-uddin-ahmed-and-altaf-ho-28592.html |newspaper=Priyo News |access-date=2 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192623/http://news.priyo.com/politics/2011/06/12/hafiz-uddin-ahmed-and-altaf-ho-28592.html |archive-date=2 January 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Again, on 28 December 2013, Ahmed was arrested on the National Press Club premises, when he was leaving there after announcing a new program of demonstrations to be led by his party.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 December 2013 |title=Hafizuddin Ahmed arrested |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2013/12/29/hafizuddin-ahmed-arrested |newspaper=bdnews24 |access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Bir Bikrom}}
{{Dhaka League Top scorers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Hafizuddin}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Bhola District]]
[[Category:Bangladesh Army officers]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi footballers]]
[[Category:Pakistan international footballers]]
[[Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players]]
[[Category:Association football forwards]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Bir Bikrom]]
[[Category:3rd Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:4th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:5th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:6th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:7th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:8th Jatiya Sangsad members]]
[[Category:Water Resources ministers]]
[[Category:Commerce ministers of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Bangladesh Nationalist Party politicians]]
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Mukti Bahini personnel]]

Hafizuddin Ahmed - Revision history

Bot at 12:34, 20 December 2022