Abdul Mannan | |
|---|---|
আবদুল মান্নান | |
| Minister of Religious Affairs | |
| In office 1986 –14 June 1988 [1] | |
| Member of Parliament for | |
| In office 2 April 1979 –24 March 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury [2] |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Chandpur-6 | |
| In office 10 July 1986 –6 December 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Alamgir Hyder Khan [3] |
| Personal details | |
| Died | (aged 71) Dhaka,Bangladesh |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
Abdul Mannan (died 6 February 2006) [4] was a Bangladeshi religious leader and journalist who served as the minister for religious affairs in the cabinet of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. He was accused of being a collaborator of the Pakistan Army and was accused of war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War. [5]
Mannan was a general secretary of the Islamic Advisory Council and Regional Council during the administration of Ayub Khan.[ citation needed ]
On 29 September,under the leadership of Mannan,a group of the teachers of Madrasah met Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi. At that meeting,Mannan gave a copy of the Quran to general Niazi and stated that they are ready to support the Pakistan army to preserve the security of Pakistan and the glory of Islam. [6]
Mannan was allegedly involved in the abduction and murder of physician AFM Alim Chowdhury. [7]
After independence,he became the president of the Jamiat-e-Mudarressin Bangladesh,an organisation of madrasah teachers and the founder of the Daily Inqilab ,one of the country's highly circulated newspapers. [4] [8] In Saptahik Bichitra (a weekly magazine),Mannan denied that he had been a member of Peace Committee and claimed that he had not issued any statement in favor of Pakistan Army and the genocide committed by them. [6]
In 1979,he was elected a lawmaker from Chandpur and was appointed minister by President Hussain Muhammad Ershad's cabinet. [4] [9]
Hotel Intercontinental and Holy Family Hospital was declared neutral zones by the government on 11 December 1971. Mannan took shelter in one of these zones. [10]
In a report released in March 1994,a People's Inquiry Commission,identified,in addition to Ghulam Azam,eight others as the collaborators of the Al-Badr in the atrocities. Mannan was one of those identified collaborators. [9]
Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury,wife of AFM Alim Chowdhury,alleges that Mannan was responsible for the death of her husband. [11]
Mannan died on 6 February 2006 at his Banani residence in Dhaka. His funeral was held at the Gausul Azam Mosque Complex in Mohakhali the next day where he was buried. [4]