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-—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—-
 
NEW YORK, NY (May 10, 2016) – In a press statement today, The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) strongly condemns the execution today of Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, the Ameer (Chief) of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami party by the current regime and declares it another shameful act of judicial killing which is part of the ongoing brutal persecution of political opponents by Shaikh Hasina’s government.

On 29 October 2014, he was sentenced to death by the so called International Crimes Tribunal-1 of Bangladesh. The sham “International Crime Tribunals” and their proceedings have been declared against the international legal standards by almost all global institutions including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch etc. They have criticized the government for aspects of their progress, lack of transparency, and reported harassment of defense lawyers and witnesses representing the accused. “Harassment of defense counsel and witnesses further tarnishes a flawed process,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “If the Bangladeshi government wants these trials to be taken seriously it must ensure that the rights of the accused are fully respected. That means making sure that lawyers and witnesses don’t face threats or coercion.” A complete detail of these harassment cases can be seen on the Human Rights Watch website here.
The Bangladeshi government has ignored – all requests by world leaders, US Senators, members of Congress, members of UK House of Lords – and continues to unjustly accuse, try, and punish members of Jamaat-e-Islami party. Critics insist that the trials are politically-motivated as the Hasina government wants to weaken the opposition and establish a single-party dictatorship in Bangladesh. According to Toby M. Cadman, a renowned international barrister and an expert on war crimes tribunals, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunals (ICT) fall short of international standards and violates norms of fair trial spelled out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Bangladesh is bound by.

Click here for these harassment cases by the Human Rights Watch.

Maulana Nizami was elected to the Parliament for two terms (1991-95 & 2001-2006). He was the former Agriculture Minister (2001-2003) and Industry Minister (2003-2006) of Bangladesh. He was also the permanent Member of the Muslim World League (Rabita) which is the Central Co-Ordination Committee among International Islamic Organizations and Centers. He was the Central President (1969-1971) of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Pakistan, which was then the largest student organization of Pakistan. He did his Masters in Islamic law with distinction. He is a Graduate of Dhaka University. Maulana Nizami was a Prominent Islamic Scholar & Author of 54 valuable books in different disciplines. He was named as one of the most top 50 Influential Muslims of the World in 2009 by USA based prestigious “the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center”.

44 Responses

    1. He preapared and provided the pakistani army a deathlist and collaborated to kill university professors, doctors , artists on 14 th december of 1971.
      And had direct involvement in massacre of villages in Pabna district Bangladesh during the liberation war. He fled the country right after 1971 and returned after assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the founder leader of Bangladesh.

    2. war crimes and supporting the genocide of
      Bangladeshis by Pak Army in 71. He fled the country after the war and
      returned after the killing by military officers of Sheikh Mujibur
      Rahman. The war criminal was leader of Al-Badr which in collusion with
      Pak Army abducted and killed Bengalis and Hindus by thousands.

  1. Numerous evidences have proved his direct involvement in in killing of Bangladeshi Muslims, along with other minorities living in Bangladesh. And yet, you are being too stupid?!
    InShallah, this shameful creature will meet his destination in Hell. Allah knows the best.

    1. No matter what the allegations, proper legal procedures should be followed. And what about the killings by Mikti Bahini terrorists with support of Indian Army ? Would you try them as well?

    2. TheDimwit, Like the interest in Islam it is equally a big no no to indulge in a transaction that involves interest and same is applicable to some ignorant folks who do not know anything but pretends to be Master of all.

  2. Why are you so ignorant about his dark sides? There are enough evidence about his involvement during the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.

    1. Allegations have to be proven in a legal system that is fair to both the sides and this is being advocated by all the bodies named above. In any case, as per the tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, it was agreed by Bangladeshi founder Mujeebur Rahman that noone from the 1971 war would be persecuted and prosecuted and everybody will look forward. Bangladeshi government has broken that agreement as well.

  3. I concede that his guilt was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and it was not a fair prosecution. But what does ICNA have do with politics in Bangladesh, why comment on this issue as an organization in north america? Let go of back home politics and work to defend the rights and freedom of muslim and minority in USA & Canada.

    1. His guilt was proven beyond all doubts and THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.. If some of us do not agree to what he did is a different matter.1971 was a question of defending Pakistan by some by a faction and creating Bangladesh by another. It is the atrocities that divided us as a human being.

      1. To be in the part of uniting the country is not a crime, but any allegation about killing individuals and groups, or raping women, off course, a crime. It is applicable to all including freedom fighters who kill our own people and rape our own women even now. Is the justice for all? Are we sure?

    2. Let go of back home politics and work to defend the rights and freedom of muslim and minority in USA & Canada.This is what exactly ICNA should do and I commend you for bringing this up.

  4. If there were so much evidence against him then why did the Govt. allow only 4 witnesses for him and didn’t allow the defense lawyers to challenge the prosecutors’ evidences against him? Why was the Govt afraid of giving him a fair chance to defend himself? He could have been found guilty if there were evidences against him. Don’t you agree a fair trial was needed? He allegedly violated the rights of others and now his right was violated not giving him a chance to defend himself. Let’s be just and fair under any circumstances. At the end Allah is there to judge him and his prosecutors. YOU CAN’T DECIDE FOR ALLAH IF HE IS GOING TO HELL OR NOT. Be conscious of Allah.

    1. Islam, brother looks like you still have doubts about his dubious activities during 1971 and the actions that followed before his execution.May I request you to look in to it if at all you are a truth seeker.—Thanks

  5. This a shameful act without knowing the facts. This person enabled killing of thousands of people of all religion in the name of saving pakistan, betraying the motherland’s will. ICNA press release does not represent my view and I reject that they represent anything about Islam.

    1. Dear brother can you explain if “ICNA press release does not represent my view and I reject that they represent anything about Islam.” then who is being represented here. I am expecting an honest revert please.—Thanks

  6. Fact is none of the allegations has proved. So those are all fake allegations against him. No one reading what has been proved or not. People who are commenting negative they are not reading about the issues.

  7. @TMG: He was a leader of a Islamic party of a country. That was the fact. It is true that thousands people got killed at the 1971 war in Bangladesh and lot Bangladeshi collaborator of Pakistani army helped Pakistan army to kill people whoever participating or not on the liberation war, however as a Islamic Student leader Nizami and his party was not involved with those. If he involved on those crime then why current government failed to prove those allegations? He was a minister of 2 different offices of last Bangladesh government and no one couldn’t find his involvement with any single corruption. Several human rights committee put questions on those trail. Its all fake and all about bad politics. Who ever stand against current regime of Bangladesh then he/she will be the slaughtered in different way.

    1. Hassan looks like you live in a fools paradise, that’s all I can say at this time. Dig deep and there lies the answer.

  8. This article is overwhelmingly biased. Releases from respected press sources would at least cite what it was he was killed for. It states he was experienced and educated, reinforcing an image of a qualified well-intentioned statesmen, but fails to mention any reason for his murder by the government. Murder is murder but it would help if we didn’t portray him as a saint and instead included allegations of what injustice he’s been involved in.

  9. Charges that brought death for Nizami:
    • Conspiracy to commit crimes, killing 450 people, raping 30-40 women and deporting Hindus of three villages in Pabna’s Santhia on May 14, 1971
    • Ordering the murder of 30 people of Dhulaura village in Santhia on November 27, 1971
    • Planning and executing the abduction, torture and murder of intellectuals and professionals in Dhaka and elsewhere in December 1971

    1. Are you sure he raped 30 to 40 women or he commanded to do so. If such thing happened, where are those women not charging him for so many years and finally AwamiLeage govt. found all the evidence. Do you know AwamiLeage leaders and workers raped how many women since 1971. Do you know how many thousands people are killed by Awami Leage leaders and workers even they killed themselves. Now give me the answer how many are them blamed to be hanged, where there are proofs, videos and direct witnesses are available.

  10. By siding with one of the most brutal war criminals in human history, ICNA I am sorry to say you sided with pure evil. Who do you work for, Almighty Allah or Iblis the Devil? What Jamaate Islam and its evil student leaders did in 1971, not even dogs and pigs will go that low. I used to respect you as an Muslim Organization, but not anymore.

  11. There is no evidence that he was involved in killing in 1971. He was MP several times in his area of Pabna, he was minister, in his life long, no evidence of corruption was found, nothing during MP, minister or as a leader. Yes, he opposed the separation of country which was independent based on Muslim nationality in 1947. He was murdered purposely fabricating a so called ICT, how it is International, ridiculous? It is formed by Awami fascist activists, leaders to murder leaders of opposition party.

  12. The whitewashing…. the stench doesn’t wash off does it? I don’t ICNA is doing itself any favor by supporting war criminals and attempting to whitewash their crimes.
    He was hanged for war crimes and supporting the genocide of Bangladeshis by Pak Army in 71. He fled the country after the war and returned after the killing by military officers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The war criminal was leader of Al-Badr which in collusion with Pak Army abducted and killed Bengalis and Hindus by thousands.

  13. Let me start
    by “CHALLENGING” the ICNA about its
    so called mission statement which reads 1)” The Islamic Circle of North
    America is a leading American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment
    of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, ICNA has
    worked to build relations between communities by devoting itself to education,
    outreach, social services and relief efforts.“
    If you are really dedicated to the betterment of society through
    the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, then please present any evidence regarding your role of any preventive
    measures you designed and/or executed during1971
    when these so called MAULANAS and
    PROMINENT ISLAMIC SCHOLARS were committing those despicable heinous
    crimes? or it is legal to kill in the
    name of Islam? You are purposefully so ignorant about the dark sides of
    these killers? There is enough solid and established evidence about his
    involvement during the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.Numerous evidences
    have proved his direct involvement in killing, rape, looting, forceful
    conversion, torture, extortion of Bangladeshi Muslims, along with other
    minorities living in Bangladesh. And yet, you are being so too stupid?! In-Sh-allah,
    this shameful creature will meet his destination in Hell. Because Allah knows
    the best. How dare you condemn this and declare it “Another shameful act of
    judicial killing which is part of the ongoing brutal persecution of political
    opponents by the current government.”You are so very ignorant about something
    so complex without even being reasonable? Sometimes I wonder where the almost
    all global institutions were including Amnesty International and Human Rights
    Watch etc. during those days of 1971 who now have criticized the government for
    doing a due diligent. You are talking about “threats or coercion.”?—Really? Do
    you have any idea when you capture a freedom fighter and take him to his family
    for a so called —“They want to see you” visit? Can you imagine the situation
    before and after this episode on both the side? No, you cannot, and I do not
    wish you may, as I know, it is very very painful when you lose two family members
    and don’t know what happened to them.
    2)“Bangladesh government has
    ignored – all requests by world leaders, US Senators, members of Congress,
    members of UK House of Lords – and continues to unjustly accuse, try, and
    punish members of Jamaat-e-Islami party. Critics insist that the trials are politically-motivated
    as the government wants to weaken the opposition and establish a single-party
    dictatorship in Bangladesh. Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunals (ICT)
    fall short of international standards and violates norms of fair trial spelled
    out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on
    Civil and Political Rights, both of which Bangladesh is bound by.”—
    Now you should explain why the
    Jamaat-e-Islami party should at all be in a position to involve in Bangladeshi
    politics when they were opposed to its creation? Shouldn’t a political party is
    suppose to be involve in the well being of its country? So when they kill (in
    the name of protecting Islam), force the religious beliefs is within the
    protection and practice of Islam I guess? But not politically motivated nor a
    dictatorship or authoritarian actions? Role of world leaders during 1971 is a
    historical record itself. Bangladesh government has every right to take those
    into consideration while making a political step and electoral commitment of
    which some of them may have a negative bearing reflected.
    3) Nizami was elected to the Parliament for two terms
    (1991-95 & 2001-2006). He was the former Agriculture Minister (2001-2003)
    and Industry Minister (2003-2006) of Bangladesh. He was also the permanent
    Member of the Muslim World League (Rabita) which is the Central Co-Ordination
    Committee among International Islamic Organizations and Centers. He was the
    Central President (1969-1971) of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Pakistan, which was
    then the largest student organization of Pakistan. He did his Masters in
    Islamic law with distinction. He is a Graduate of Dhaka University. Nizami was
    a Prominent Islamic Scholar & Author of 54 valuable books in different
    disciplines. He was named as one of the most top 50 Influential Muslims of the
    World in 2009 by USA based prestigious “the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies
    Center”.
    Well well well, two terms parliament
    member and tow different ministries? Do you know that he was involved in smuggling
    of ten trucks full of arms and ammunitions? To entice/help the miscreants in neighboring
    country against their Government. I guess it is allowed in Islam to create
    disturbance in your neighborhood if they are not Muslims? Hello: if all the
    prominent authors and scholars in this world start acting this way and start
    preaching what is not in real Islam, then we can easily find the results in the
    current Middle East situation. As far as him to look at as one of the most top
    50 Influential Muslims of the World in 2009 by USA based prestigious “the Royal
    Islamic Strategic Studies Center” I find it questionable, very ill motivated,
    poorly researched and well biased.
    As a
    moderate practicing Muslim I understand the basics of Islam and request ICNA to
    be the symbol of JUST and not just an organization which may be
    identified as a controversial one among the Ummah.

  14. Let me start
    by “CHALLENGING” the ICNA about its
    so called mission statement which reads 1)” The Islamic Circle of North
    America is a leading American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment
    of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, ICNA has
    worked to build relations between communities by devoting itself to education,
    outreach, social services and relief efforts.“
    If you are really dedicated to the betterment of society through
    the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, then please present any evidence regarding your role of any preventive
    measures you designed and/or executed during1971
    when these so called MAULANAS and
    PROMINENT ISLAMIC SCHOLARS were committing those despicable heinous
    crimes? or it is legal to kill in the
    name of Islam? You are purposefully so ignorant about the dark sides of
    these killers? There is enough solid and established evidence about his
    involvement during the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.Numerous evidences
    have proved his direct involvement in killing, rape, looting, forceful
    conversion, torture, extortion of Bangladeshi Muslims, along with other
    minorities living in Bangladesh. And yet, you are being so too stupid?! In-Sh-allah,
    this shameful creature will meet his destination in Hell. Because Allah knows
    the best. How dare you condemn this and declare it “Another shameful act of
    judicial killing which is part of the ongoing brutal persecution of political
    opponents by the current government.”You are so very ignorant about something
    so complex without even being reasonable? Sometimes I wonder where the almost
    all global institutions were including Amnesty International and Human Rights
    Watch etc. during those days of 1971 who now have criticized the government for
    doing a due diligent. You are talking about “threats or coercion.”?—Really? Do
    you have any idea when you capture a freedom fighter and take him to his family
    for a so called —“They want to see you” visit? Can you imagine the situation
    before and after this episode on both the side? No, you cannot, and I do not
    wish you may, as I know, it is very very painful when you lose two family members
    and don’t know what happened to them.
    2)“Bangladesh government has
    ignored – all requests by world leaders, US Senators, members of Congress,
    members of UK House of Lords – and continues to unjustly accuse, try, and
    punish members of Jamaat-e-Islami party. Critics insist that the trials are politically-motivated
    as the government wants to weaken the opposition and establish a single-party
    dictatorship in Bangladesh. Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunals (ICT)
    fall short of international standards and violates norms of fair trial spelled
    out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on
    Civil and Political Rights, both of which Bangladesh is bound by.”—
    Now you should explain why the
    Jamaat-e-Islami party should at all be in a position to involve in Bangladeshi
    politics when they were opposed to its creation? Shouldn’t a political party is
    suppose to be involve in the well being of its country? So when they kill (in
    the name of protecting Islam), force the religious beliefs is within the
    protection and practice of Islam I guess? But not politically motivated nor a
    dictatorship or authoritarian actions? Role of world leaders during 1971 is a
    historical record itself. Bangladesh government has every right to take those
    into consideration while making a political step and electoral commitment of
    which some of them may have a negative bearing reflected.
    3) Nizami was elected to the Parliament for two terms
    (1991-95 & 2001-2006). He was the former Agriculture Minister (2001-2003)
    and Industry Minister (2003-2006) of Bangladesh. He was also the permanent
    Member of the Muslim World League (Rabita) which is the Central Co-Ordination
    Committee among International Islamic Organizations and Centers. He was the
    Central President (1969-1971) of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Pakistan, which was
    then the largest student organization of Pakistan. He did his Masters in
    Islamic law with distinction. He is a Graduate of Dhaka University. Nizami was
    a Prominent Islamic Scholar & Author of 54 valuable books in different
    disciplines. He was named as one of the most top 50 Influential Muslims of the
    World in 2009 by USA based prestigious “the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies
    Center”.
    Well well well, two terms parliament
    member and tow different ministries? Do you know that he was involved in smuggling
    of ten trucks full of arms and ammunitions? To entice/help the miscreants in neighboring
    country against their Government. I guess it is allowed in Islam to create
    disturbance in your neighborhood if they are not Muslims? Hello: if all the
    prominent authors and scholars in this world start acting this way and start
    preaching what is not in real Islam, then we can easily find the results in the
    current Middle East situation. As far as him to look at as one of the most top
    50 Influential Muslims of the World in 2009 by USA based prestigious “the Royal
    Islamic Strategic Studies Center” I find it questionable, very ill motivated,
    poorly researched and well biased.
    As a
    moderate practicing Muslim I understand the basics of Islam and request ICNA to
    be the symbol of JUST and not just an organization which may be
    identified as a controversial one among the Ummah.

  15. This criminal was the chief of Al Badr, the paramilitary death squad formed to murder civilians, in 1971, No more evidence is needed period.

  16. You cant be an orginization that helps and protects people while safeguarding and safe-housing murderers, rapists and killers.

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