Mohammed Nasim Explained

Mohammed Nasim
Native Name:মোহাম্মদ নাসিম
Native Name Lang:bn
Nationality:Bangladeshi
Office:Minister of Health and Family Welfare
Term Start:12 January 2014
Term End:6 January 2019
Predecessor:AFM Ruhal Haque
Successor:Zahid Maleque
Office1:Minister of Home Affairs
Term Start1:12 March 1999
Term End1:15 July 2001
Predecessor1:Rafiqul Islam
Successor1:Altaf Hossain Chowdhury
Office2:Minister of Post and Telecommunication
Term Start2:23 June 1996
Term End2:15 July 2001
Predecessor2:M Keramat Ali
Office3:Member of Parliament
Term Start3:9 January 2014
Term End3:13 June 2020
Predecessor3:Tanvir Shakil Joy
Term Start4:28 October 2001
Term End4:27 October 2006
Predecessor4:Mohammad Selim
Term Start5:5 March 1991
Term End5:24 November 1995
Predecessor5:Shafiqul Islam
Term Start6:10 July 1986
Term End6:6 December 1987
Constituency6:Sirajganj-1
Term Start7:23 June 1996
Term End7:15 July 2001
Predecessor7:Mirza Muraduzzaman
Successor7:Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku
Constituency7:Sirajganj-2
Party:Bangladesh Awami League
Birth Date:2 April 1948
Birth Place:Sirajganj District, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan
Death Place:Dhaka, Bangladesh
Father:Muhammad Mansur Ali
Relatives:Mohammad Selim (brother)
Children:3, including Tanvir Shakil Joy
Alma Mater:Jagannath College
Death Cause:COVID-19
Successor3:Tanvir Shakil Joy
Spouse:Laila Arjumand

Mohammed Nasim (2 April 1948 – 13 June 2020) was a Bangladesh Awami League politician who served as Bangladesh's minister of home affairs and minister of health and family welfare during 1999–2001 and 2014–2019, respectively.[1] He was a 6-term Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Sirajganj-1 and Sirajganj-2 constituencies.[2] He was a presidium member of Awami League and the spokesperson of the 14-party alliance.[3]

Early life

Nasim was born on 2 April 1948, to a Bengali Muslim family of Sarkars hailing from Kuripara in Qazipur, Sirajganj (then under Pabna District), Bengal Presidency.[4] His parents were Muhammad Mansur Ali and Amena Monsur.[1] Ali served as the 3rd prime minister of Bangladesh in 1975 and was one of the four leaders killed in the Dhaka Central Jail as a part of the coup d'état on 7 November 1975.[5] He studied at Edward College in Pabna. He was a leader of Chhatra Union, the student wing of Communist Party. In 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went to Pabna for six point movement rally after which he visited the home of Mansur Ali where he learned Nasim was a leader of Chhatra Union. At Rahman's request, Nasim attended a program of Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League, and subsequently joined the organization. In 1967, Nasim was elected to the Edward College Students' Union.[6]

Nasim moved to Dhaka in 1969 and got admitted to Jagannath College. During the Bangladesh Liberation war, Nasim worked for the Mujibnagar government, the Bangladesh government in exile, in which his father was a minister. He graduated in political science from the college.[7]

Career

Nasim became the joint secretary of Pabna District unit of Awami League after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. He sought the nomination of Awami League for the 1973 parliamentary election but lost out to a more senior politician. He was made a presidium member of Bangladesh Jubo League, the youth wing of Awami League. Following the formation of BAKSAL in 1975, he was appointed its general secretary. He fled to India after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état. His father was arrested and subsequently killed extrajudicially in prison. Nasim was imprisoned on his return to Bangladesh.

In 1982, Nasim was made a presidium member of the Awami League. He was elected to the parliament for the first time in 1986, representing the Sirajganj-1 constituency. He was re-elected in 1996 from the same constituency.

Nasim was appointed public works, post and telecommunications minister in June 1996.[8] He took over the home ministry as well when the incumbent Rafiqul Islam was sacked in March 1999.[9] On 12 November 2006, he was injured after police baton charged a rally of Awami League.[10]

In February 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) published a list of 50 top corrupt suspects which included Nasim's name.[11] [12] The 50 were asked to submit their wealth statements at the ACC office within 72 hours of receiving the notification. Nasim was arrested by the joint forces on 5 February 2007.[13] [14] [15] On 8 October, he was sentenced to 13 years in jail by a special anti-graft court. His wife, Laila Arzumand Banu, was also sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment for aiding him in amassing the wealth illegally.[16]

Following the charges and convictions, Nasim did not get the Awami League nomination at the 2008 Bangladeshi general election. Instead, Nasim's son, Tanvir Shakil Joy, got the nomination and won the election.[17]

Nasim was elected to the parliament from Sirajganj-1 in 2014.[18] He was appointed the minister of health and family affairs.[19]

Personal life and death

Nasim and Laila Arjumand Banu had three sons including Tanvir Shakil Joy.[1]

On 1 June 2020, Nasim was hospitalized in Dhaka after testing positive for COVID-19.[20] Four days later, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during his treatment.[21] On 13 June, he died while being treated at the hospital.[22] [23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hon'ble Minister. 2018-07-25. Bangladesh National Portal.
  2. Web site: Constituency 62_11th_En. Bangladesh Parliament. 2019-09-27.
  3. News: 2019-09-02. Nasim calls for political unity to solve Rohingya crisis. 2020-06-10. The Daily Star. en.
  4. Web site: In Memorium . SMA Medical College . 21 March 2016.
  5. News: Nasim tests COVID negative, but condition remains critical. 2020-06-10. 2020-06-09. The Financial Express . Dhaka.
  6. News: 2020-06-13. Mohammed Nasim: A life in politics. 2020-06-13. Dhaka Tribune.
  7. Web site: Press Information Department, Government of Bangladesh. pressinform.portal.gov.bd. 2018-09-19.
  8. Book: Hunter, B. . The Statesman's Year-Book 1997-8. 2016 . Springer. 9780230271265. en. 188.
  9. News: Bangladesh home minister sacked. 2020-06-10. BBC News.
  10. News: In memory of Mohammed Nasim . 2020-06-13 . bdnews24.com . 13 June 2020.
  11. News: 50 given 72 hours to submit wealth report. The Daily Star. 2007-02-19. 2018-10-25.
  12. News: List of 50. The Daily Star. 2007-02-19. 2018-10-25.
  13. News: Midnight crackdown on 'corrupt' politicians. 2020-06-13. The Daily Star. 2007-02-05. 2019-09-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20190905010858/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/02/05/d7020501011.htm. dead.
  14. News: Tarique held at midnight : Ex-health minister Mosharraf, Ctg Mayor Mohiuddin, Jamaat's ex-MP Tahir, Janakantha editor Masud also held; raid on Sudha Sadan. The Daily Star. 2007-02-05. 2018-10-26. 2019-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20190604232009/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/02/05/d7020501011.htm. dead.
  15. News: The Fall of the Titans. 2020-06-13. Star Weekend Magazine. The Daily Star. 2007-02-02.
  16. News: 2007-10-08. Former Bangla home minister sentenced. 2020-06-10. Hindustan Times. en.
  17. News: 2008-11-18. Poll dreams over for many AL stalwarts. 2020-06-13. The Daily Star. en.
  18. Web site: Mohammad Nasim -মোহাম্মদ নাসিম History. Amarmp. 2018-07-25.
  19. News: People to decide on BNP's vision: Nasim. 2017-05-14. The Daily Star. 2018-07-25.
  20. News: Former health minister Mohammed Nasim tests Covid-19 positive. The Daily Star. 1 June 2020.
  21. News: Former Health Minister Nasim suffers brain haemorrhage during corona treatment. 5 June 2020. The Financial Express . Dhaka.
  22. News: Shawon . Ali Asif . Senior Awami League leader Mohammed Nasim dies at 72 . 2020-06-13 . Dhaka Tribune. 13 June 2020.
  23. News: Mohammed Nasim, AL leader and former health minister, dies at 72 . 2020-06-13 . Bdnews24.com. 13 June 2020.