M. M. Rahmat Ullah

Muhammad Rahmatullah
Muhammad Rahmatullah
	মোহাম্মদ রহমত উললাহ
	Young Ullah
Chief Engineer ; Public Works Department
	In office; 1986–1988
President	Hussain Muhammad Ershad
Prime Minister	Khaleda Zia
Chairman; Capital Development Authority
	In office; 1989–1992
President	Hussain Muhammad Ershad
Personal details
Born	June 13, 1940 (age 78); Rajshahi
Alma mater	Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Occupation	Engineer

Last updated April 21, 2019

Mian Muhammad Rahmatullah, (Bengali : মোহাম্মদ রহমত উললাহ, 13 June 1940 – 2014) was a former East Pakistani and later Bangladeshi bureaucrat and politician. He was the former Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department and later the chairman of the Capital Development Authority of the Government of Bangladesh. In 2000, he was an electoral candidate from Natore Area for the Parliament of Bangladesh.^[1]

Bengali language Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Bengali people of South Asia

Bengali, also known by its endonym Bangla, is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the Bengalis in South Asia. It is the official and most widely spoken language of Bangladesh and second most widely spoken of the 22 scheduled languages of India, behind Hindi. In 2015, 160 million speakers were reported for Bangladesh, and the 2011 Indian census counted another 100 million.

East Pakistan was the eastern provincial wing of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, covering the territory of the modern country Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, with a coastline on the Bay of Bengal.

A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can compose the administration of any organization of any size, although the term usually connotes someone within an institution of government.

In 1991, after former military dictator General Ershad stepped down as the President of Bangladesh, Rahmatullah was charged in the infamous Janata Tower Case and named the third defendant after the President and the former First Lady (and Member of Parliament) by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.^[2]^[3] He was later acquitted when the judge agreed that the case was filed on political grounds by the newly elected ruling party.^[4]

Hussain Muhammad Ershad is a former Bangladeshi Army Chief and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990, a time many consider to have been a military dictatorship.

The President of Bangladesh is the Head of State of Bangladesh.

The Janata Tower Case was a corruption case in Bangladesh over Janata tower in Karwan Bazar in Dhaka. The case lead to the conviction of former military dictator H. M. Ershad.

He was the husband of Gole Afroz of the aristocratic Singranatore Family; the grand daughter of Jalaluddin Mirza, a Zamindar of Natore and was instrumental in building the Gole Afroz College which was named after his wife.^[5]

Gole Afroz was a Bangladeshi socialite and member of the Singranatore family, the wife of politician M. M. Rahmat Ullah. She was the eldest daughter of Gulbadan Begum of Natore who was the eldest child of Jalaluddin Mirza and her husband Shamez Uddin Ahmed.

Sahibzada Mīrzā Mu'hammad Jalāl ud-Dīn Mridha Sahib, better known as Jalaluddin Mirza (1898-1975), was a Bengali Indian aristocrat in the erstwhile British Empire who served as the fifth and last hereditary Zamindar of Natore from the House of Singra and Natore before it was abolished in 1951.

Zamindars of Natore were influential aristocratic Bengali Zamindars, who owned large estates in what is today Natore District in Bangladesh.

Early life and education

Rahmatullah was born to an eminent landholding Muslim family called the Mandals and the clan gave name to the town of origin, Mondolpara (meaning "area of the Mandals" in Bengali) in Natore, then part of British India. The Mondol family were chiefs of the Mandals or small estates of the Raj.

The British Raj was the rule by the British Crown in the Indian subcontinent from 1858 to 1947. The rule is also called Crown rule in India, or direct rule in India. The region under British control was commonly called British India or simply India in contemporaneous usage, and included areas directly administered by the United Kingdom, which were collectively called British India, and those ruled by indigenous rulers, but under British tutelage or paramountcy, and called the princely states. The whole was also informally called the Indian Empire . As India, it was a founding member of the League of Nations, a participating nation in the Summer Olympics in 1900, 1920, 1928, 1932, and 1936, and a founding member of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945.

After being educated around Rajshahi, he graduated from the Ahsanullah College of Engineering in Dacca with a BS in Civil Engineering and became a public official during the East Pakistan Provincial Government, where he served as a Divisional Engineer before becoming the Superintending Engineer. He served throughout the 1971 War of Liberation and then joined the government service of independent Bangladesh.

Rajshahi is a metropolitan city, and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the Padma River, near the Bangladesh-India border, the city has a population of over 763,952 residents. The city is surrounded by the satellite towns of Nowhata and Katakhali, which together build an urban agglomeration of about 1 million population.

On large construction projects, the superintendent's job is to run the day-to-day operations on the construction site and control the short-term schedule. The role of the superintendent also includes important quality control and subcontractor coordination responsibilities. It is common for most finance-related tasks and long-term scheduling to be handled by a project manager. The project manager and superintendent need to cooperate and share control effectively. Superintendents are almost universally stationed on the construction site, while project managers are usually based in the contractor's office with part-time on site responsibilities.

Bangladesh Liberation War Conflict that led to the independence of the majority-Bengali country

The Bangladesh Liberation War, 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 nationalist and self-determination movement in what was then East Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It resulted in the independence of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The war began after the Pakistani military junta based in West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight against the people of East Pakistan on the night of 25 March 1971. It pursued the systematic elimination of nationalist Bengali civilians, students, intelligentsia, religious minorities and armed personnel. The junta annulled the results of the 1970 elections and arrested Prime minister-designate Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The war ended on 16 December 1971 after West Pakistan surrendered.

Career

After graduating from the Engineering School, he witnessed the partitioning of India and Pakistan in 1947 (? Does this mean he graduated at 7 years old?), where the responsibility of engineering and construction work for the Central Government of Pakistan was vested in the Central Public Works Department. The Communication and Building Directorate (C&B), which existed at the time, was entrusted with all construction work for the Provincial Government of the then East Pakistan. After the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, the country inherited two separate organizations for the construction and maintenance of Government Buildings: the Central PWD and the Buildings Directorate of the Provincial Government. These two entities were merged into one department in 1977 to form the Public Works Department (PWD) of which he became the appointed Executive (Chief Engineer) before becoming the Agency Chief (chairman) of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) which was then known as Dhaka Improvement Trust since 1956 and sat at the RAJUK Bhaban in the capital city of Dhaka.

The Partition of India was the division of British India in 1947 which eventually accompanied the creation of two independent dominions, India and Pakistan. The Dominion of India became, as of 1950, the Republic of India (India), and the Dominion of Pakistan became, as of 1956, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan) In 1971, the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bangladesh) came into being after Bangladesh Liberation War. The partition involved the division of three provinces, Assam, Bengal and Punjab, based on district-wide Hindu or Muslim majorities. The boundary demarcating India and Pakistan came to be known as the Radcliffe Line. It also involved the division of the British Indian Army, the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Civil Service, the railways, and the central treasury, between the two new dominions. The partition was set forth in the Indian Independence Act 1947 and resulted in the dissolution of the British Raj, as the British government there was called. The two self-governing countries of Pakistan and India legally came into existence at midnight on 14–15 August 1947.

The Government of Pakistan is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces of a proclaimed and established by the parliamentary democratic republic, constitutionally called the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

RAJUK Bhaban is the head office of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), which is literally the Capital Development Authority of the Government of Bangladesh. RAJUK Bhaban is situated at RAJUK Avenue, Dilkhusha, Dhaka-1000. This is one of the most well known buildings of the Dhaka city.

Charges

On 14 April 1991, the Bureau of Anti-Corruption sued the President of Bangladesh, his wife Rowshan Ershad and the Chief of RAJUK, M.M. Rahmatullah. In September 1989, it was alleged that him and the former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad in collusion with each other dishonestly and fraudulently with malafide intention helped to illegally get public land in their favour and then helped private executives to get 12 kathas of land at a negligible sum causing loss to RAJUK amounting to BDT 54,870,900 to obtain advantage for themselves. All other accused acted illegally in collusion with each other thereby abusing their position as public servants (as President of Bangladesh and appointed chief of a public agency) which is punishable under section 109 of the Bangladesh Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The officials were sentenced to simple imprisonment for seven years, at which point an appeal was made. The High Court Division heard the appeal, along with others and dismissed the appeal with modification of the sentence from simple imprisonment of seven years to a sentence of fine of Taka 10,000 each, in default, to suffer for two years in prison each and maintained the order of confiscation of the landed property.^[6]

Cases

Discussing bridge designs with Bangladesh President Hussein Muhammad Ershad. PresidentArshadandRahmatullahreviewofCosntructionplansandcivildrawings.jpg — Discussing bridge designs with Bangladesh President Hussein Muhammad Ershad.

In the case of State Vs. M.M Rahmatullah, the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh expressed its opinion on Article 7 (2) of the Bangladesh Passport Order, 1973 that apprehension on the part of the authority seizing the passport that the holder of the passport will not return to Bangladesh, if he is allowed to leave the country was not a ground for impounding of a passport of a citizen who wants to leave the country for medical check up and treatment. This argument can be applied to many identical situations. Right to travel abroad is a fundamental right as recognized in Article 36 of the Bangladeshi Constitution.

It was noted that the Supreme Court of India has taken a similar view in the case of Satwant Singh Vs. D. Ramarathnam, Assistant Passport Officer, New Delhi and others, AIR 1967 (SC) 1836 wherein it has been observed that withdrawal of a passport given to an individual violates Articles 21 and 14 of Indian Constitution.^[7]

Implications

Analyzing the site with the President of Bangladesh, General Ershad. GeneralArshadandRahmatullahsiteplan.jpg — Analyzing the site with the President of Bangladesh, General Ershad.

The Supreme Court has upheld the High Court ruling of jail and fines in the 'much-publicised' Janata Tower graft case against former first lady Raushan Ershad and Rahmatullah. Raushan's husband, the former President, however, had been convicted of the charges and sentenced of five years in prison.

After three and a half years in prison, the Appellate Division maintained the fine but relieved Ershad from serving out the remaining one and a half years. As a result, the chief of Bangladesh Jatiya Party could not participate in the 2001 Elections.^[8] He along with the former First Lady were later acquitted when the Judge agreed that the case was filed on political grounds by the newly elected ruling party and he went on to contest elections representing Singra constituency in 2001 even though the former President could not. He was defeated by the alliances of BAL and BNP parties. He retired and permanently quit politics in 2002.

Family, later life and political career

He unsuccessfully contested the seat of Natore-3 constituency as a Member of Parliament to Jatiyo Sangshad (The National Assembly) of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in the Eighth National Parliamentary Elections of 2001.

He married Begum Gole Afroz and had four daughters and three sons.

Related Research Articles

A. F. M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury President of Bangladesh

Justice Abul Fazal Mohammad 'AFM' Ahsanuddin Chowdhury served as the President of Bangladesh.

Shahabuddin Ahmed served as the President of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001, and the Chief Justice of Bangladesh from 1990 to 1995. He previously served as the acting President during 1990-91 when Hussain Muhammad Ershad resigned from the post. He headed a caretaker government and held a general election in February 1991.

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh 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 Chapter I of the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted in 1972. This is also the office of the Chief Justice, Appellate Division Justices, and High Court Division Justices of Bangladesh. As of April 2019 there are 7 Justices in Appellate Division and 92 in High Court Division.

The judiciary of Pakistan is a hierarchical system with two classes of courts: the superior judiciary and the subordinate judiciary. The superior judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Federal Shariat Court and five High Courts, with the Supreme Court at the apex. There is a High Court for each of the four provinces as well as a High Court for the Islamabad Capital Territory. The Constitution of Pakistan entrusts the superior judiciary with the obligation to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. Neither the Supreme Court nor a High Court may exercise jurisdiction in relation to Tribal Areas, except otherwise provided for. The disputed regions of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan have separate court systems.

The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the killing of the president of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and almost his entire family. It took place in the early hours of 15 August 1975, when a group of Bangladesh Army personnel went to his residence and killed him, during a coup d'état.

Mustafa Kamal was the 10th Chief Justice of Bangladesh. His landmark judgment was on the Masdar Hossain case, widely known as the ‘separation of judiciary', which was a milestone in the quest for separation of power between the judiciary and the executive of the state. Kamal was a pioneer of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Bangladesh, and is considered by many as the 'father of ADR' in Bangladesh.

The Singranatore family is the consanguineous name given to a noble family in Rajshahi of landed aristocracy in erstwhile East Bengal that were prominent in the nineteenth century till the fall of the monarchy in India by Royal Assent in 1947 and subsequently abolished by the newly formed democratic Government of East Pakistan in 1950 by the State Acquisition Act.

Rahmatullah is a male or female Muslim given name and, in modern usage, surname, meaning mercy of God. It may refer to:

The Chief Justice of Bangladesh is the chief amongst the judges of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and also head of the whole judicial establishments, including subordinate courts. The Chief Justice is appointed by The President of Bangladesh, who sits in the Appellate Division with other judges to hear and decide cases. Chief Justice presides over full court meetings to transact business relating to the administration of the Supreme Court, and control discipline of the judges and magistrates of the subordinate courts. Most rules for regulating the practice and procedure of both the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court including those specified in certain legislative acts, such as the Companies Act 1994 and the Banking Companies Act 1991, are also duly scrutinized and approved in full court meetings presided over by the Chief Justice. He also distributes judicial business of the High Court Division by constituting different benches to exercise its original, appellate and revisable jurisdictions.

The 1982 Bangladeshi military coup d'état deposed the civilian government headed by the president of Bangladesh Abdus Sattar and brought to power the Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army Lt. Gen. Hussain Muhammad Ershad. After serving initially as the Chief Martial Law Administrator, Ershad assumed the post of president in 1983 and ruled until 1990.

Gol-e-Afroze Government College also called Gule Afroze Degree College is the only public residential, coeducational, institute of higher learning of Singra in Natore, Bangladesh. It is one of the five government colleges in the Natore District, and the third oldest, established before the War of 1971 and the Independence of the country. Although it was a private college of the aristocratic Singranatore family, in 1986, the then President and former military ruler, HM Ershad announced that it would be made into a public college. Since then it is under the Ministry of Education of the Government of Bangladesh.

Gulbadan Begum was a Bengali social worker, and former head of the princely Singranatore family, the eldest daughter of Jalaluddin Mirza, the Zamindar of Natore.

Mullah Mu'hammad Shamez-ud'din Ahmed was the hereditary Qadi of Natore, seated at Singra Upazila in the erstwhile Indian Empire.

Corruption in Bangladesh has been a continuing problem. According to all major ranking institutions, Bangladesh routinely finds itself among the most corrupt countries in the world.

The Judiciary of Bangladesh or Judicial system of Bangladesh is based on the Constitution and the laws are enacted by the legislature and interpreted by the higher courts. Bangladesh Supreme Court is the highest court of Bangladesh. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has been described in Article 94(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh. It consists of two divisions, the High Court Division and the Appellate Division. These two divisions of the Supreme Court have separate jurisdictions.

The First Lady of Bangladesh is the unofficial title given to the spouse of the President of Bangladesh. Prominent former First Ladies include former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former Opposition Leader Rowshan Ershad. The incumbent First Lady is Rashida Hamid.

References

↑ ecs.gov.bd Bangladesh Election Commission Candidacy List
↑ Government of Bangladesh Presidential Palace Information Former Military dictator’s Parliamentary seat vacated due to Janata Tower Case
↑ Chancery Law Chronicles The Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Appellate Division "MA Sattar and others Vs. State, 2008, 37 CLC"
↑ News Network Janata Tower case SC upholds First Lady’s conviction "High Court Issue on 13 November", 2008
↑ GuleAfrozCollege Prathista Porichiti 1996 page 29
↑ Chancery Law Chronicles The Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Appellate Division "MA Sattar and others Vs. State, 2008, 37 CLC"
↑ Human Rights in Bangladesh Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
↑ HC rejects Ershad's appeal, hands him 2yrs behind bars Daily Star