Ghulam Azam returned with Pakistani passport

Former Jamaat-e-Islami chief and war crimes accused Ghulam Azam had returned to Bangladesh, seven years after the liberation war, with a Pakistani passport.

Soon after Bangladesh’s independence, he went over to Pakistan and took the citizenship of that country.

The formal charges against Ghulam Azam mentioned that he returned to Bangladesh in 1978 after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman.

After the liberation of Bangladesh he started conspiring against the nascent nation by forming a ‘Purbo Pakistan Punoruddhar Committee (PPPC)’, according to the charges brought against him.

Later on November 22, 1971, he left for Pakistan.

But he continued to carry out his anti-Bangladesh propaganda and tried to discredit Bangladesh among international community, particularly among the Middle East countries.

In 1973, he went to London where he set up the headquarters of the PPPC.

He even published a newspaper ‘Sonar Bangla’, ironically for carrying on the political propaganda against Bangladesh.

Azam met the Saudi Arabian King Faisal in March 1975 to seek the latter’s support against Bangladesh.

He told King Faisal that Hindus had taken over East Pakistan and are putting Qurans and mosques on fire.

The mosques have been made into temples and many Muslims have been murdered, he told King Faisal.

Through such falsehood he managed to collect funds in the name of reconstructing mosques and madrasas.

He returned to the country on July 11, 1978 on the pretext of visiting his ailing mother, but as a Pakistani citizen.

But instead of returning to Pakistan after the expiry of his visa, he stayed on to get involved in Bangladesh politics.

Recalling the controversial home coming of Ghulam Azam, acting president of the Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee Shahriar Kabir told bdnews24.com, “ He had returned to the country in 1978 ostensibly to visit his sick mother. But after three months when his visa expired he did not go back to Pakistan. His illegal stay in the country had evoked strong reactions and controversy at that time.”

“Musallis had thrashed Ghulam Azam with shoes in 1982 after recognising him at the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque where he had gone to attend a funeral prayers.”

Shahriar Kabir said, “At that time, many prominent figures and journalists had opposed Ghulam Azam’s stay in the country but the government did not pay heed to their demands. But till then he was not involved in the organizational activities of Jamaat.”

Only after the 1991 elections when the BNP formed a coalition government with the support of Jamaat-e-Islami, the political career of Ghulam Azam was formally revived.

The support to BNP was extended on the condition that Azam be allowed to head the Jamaat. He was declared chief of the Jamaat on Dec 19, 1991.

There was strong reaction across the country for allowing the “war criminal” and a “Pakistani citizen” to participate in the country’s politics, Shahriar Kabir said.

“Awami League protested against this in the Parliament."

This led to the formation of ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’ with Bangladesh’s 100 prominent citizens, he added.