Jamaat-e-Islami’s involvement in the killing of intellectuals

Preset 71

“There may be disagreements about the number of intellectuals killed, but we believe it was done by ‘Jamaat thugs’. It is widely believed that it happened with the ‘connivance’ or consent of the Pakistani army. This incident could raise claims of revenge and war crimes against non-Bengalis.”

The US Consul in Dhaka, Herbert D. Spivak, sent this information in a telegram sent to Washington on December 20, 1971. On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistan army began the killing of intellectuals at the beginning of Operation Searchlight. That night, they killed at least 8 teachers, as well as students of Dhaka University. At that time, the US Consul in Dhaka was Archer Blood. He also mentioned the killing of intellectuals on March 25 in his famous telegram. Spivak later replaced Archer Blood.

On 4 April, Ghulam Azam, the East Pakistan chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, met with Martial Law Administrator Tikka Khan. In May, the first Razakar Bahini was formed by Maulana A.K.M. Yusuf, the assistant ameer of the party’s East Pakistan branch, with 96 Jamaat-e-Islami workers at an Ansar camp on Khanjahan Ali Road in Khulna. Later, Razakar Bahini were also formed in other parts of the country.

On 1 June, General Tikka Khan issued the East Pakistan Razakar Ordinance 1971, transforming the Ansar force into a Razakar force. However, its leadership remained in the hands of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders. Later, Jamaat-e-Islami formed two militia forces, Al-Badr with members of its student organization and Al-Shams with Biharis, in support of the Pakistanis.

Towards the end of the Liberation War, the final incidents of the killing of intellectuals began to occur from November 15. On that morning, Al-Badr abducted Dr. Azharul Haque, an assistant surgeon at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and Dr. Humayun Kabir, a trainee physician, from their house on Free School Street in Hatirpool, Dhanmondi. On December 10, Al-Badr abducted renowned journalist and freedom fighter Sirajuddin Hossain. Then on December 14 and 15, countless more intellectuals. How many intellectuals did Al-Badr kill during this time?

Spivak’s message also contains information on this. In a telegram dated February 2, 1972, he reported that about 200 to 300 intellectuals had been killed in the days leading up to the end of the war. Similar reports have come from other major cities, but this has not been confirmed. All of the people on the list are Bengalis but are generally politically inactive. Most of them were arrested from their homes between the night of December 11 and December 15. They were often arrested by armed men disguised as military personnel in uniform. According to newspapers, local staff of the consulate, and American correspondents, most of them were killed in a brick factory in the northwest of Dhaka. American journalists saw about 20 bodies and said they had been tortured before they died. Local senior USCIS staff reported that many previously unaccounted for intellectuals were interned and killed in the Mohammadpur Bihari camp.

The specific fact that Al-Badr led it has been confirmed by US diplomatic documents as well as research by Western researchers. One of them is Professor Dr. Syed Vali Reza, former Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in the US. In his book, ‘The Vanguard of the Islamic Revolution: The Jamaat-e-Islami’, on page 66, he gives specific information about Al-Badr’s relationship with the Jamaat’s affiliate, Islami Jamiat-e-Tulaba (IJT), and the killing of intellectuals by them. It is also significant that Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami’s name appears in this book. He writes, “The IJT joined the army’s counter-insurgency campaign in East Pakistan. With the help of the army, the IJT organized two paramilitary units. They were Al-Badr and Al-Shams. Their task was to fight the Bengali guerrillas.

“Most of the Al-Badrs were drawn from IJT members who had supported the Muhajir community in East Pakistan. IJT Nazim-e-Ala Matiur Rahman Nizami organized Al-Badr and Al-Shams from Dhaka University.”

An attempt to pin the blame for the killing of intellectuals on the Mukti Bahini probably began soon after December 16. But in his message sent on December 23, Spivak informed Washington:

(1) To our knowledge, the killings took place on 14-15 December. At that time, the Pakistani army was in control and the curfew was in full force. (2) There is little evidence that the Mukti Bahini was active at that time. (3) Some of the people killed were named, none of them were ‘collaborators’. Rather, most of them were known as Bengali nationalists.

Spivak mentioned the names of eight prominent intellectuals. They were: Professor Munir Chowdhury, Professor M. F. Rabbi, Shahidullah Kaiser, Sirajuddin Hossain, S. A. Mannan, Nizamuddin Ahmed, Professor A. Khair and Dr. Alim Chowdhury.

[“Testimony from US documents: Why were intellectuals killed? How is Jamaat involved?” – Information collected from the writings of the late journalist and researcher Mizanur Rahman Khan]