Jail Killing Day today
The four leaders — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali, and AHM Quamruzzaman — played key roles in the 1971 Liberation War by leading the Mujibnagar government in exile that steered the nation towards independence from Pakistan
Today is the Jail Killing Day, which marks the brutal assassination of four national leaders inside the Dhaka Central Jail on 3 November 1975.
The four leaders — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali, and AHM Quamruzzaman — played key roles in the 1971 Liberation War by leading the Mujibnagar government in exile that steered the nation towards independence from Pakistan.
In the Mujibnagar government, Syed Nazrul Islam served as the acting president, Tajuddin Ahmad prime minister, Mansur Ali finance minister, and AHM Qamruzzaman as the home, relief, and rehabilitation minister.
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They were gunned down in the second most disgraceful attack three months after the 15 August murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members.
The killings were meticulously planned by Khondoker Mustaque Ahmad, who had seized the presidency after the August coup, in connivance with Mujib's killers, including Colonel (retd) Syed Faruque Rahman and Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Khondoker Abdur Rashid.
A five-member killing squad, led by Resalder Musleh Uddin, who was reportedly very close to Colonel (retd) Faruque Rahman, executed the heinous plot in the early hours of 3 November.
Golam Murshid in his book, "Muktijuddo o Tarpar", noted that "Khondoker Mustaque Ahmad had designed the heinous killing plot exclusively with Faruque Rahman and Abdur Rashid."
The Awami League, or any like-minded party, has not taken any programme to observe the day with its political activities banned imposed by the interim government. The party chief, Sheikh Hasina, fled to India after her ouster in the student-led mass uprising in August 2024.
The court verdict in the murder trial convicted and sentenced 11 individuals. Among them, three were sentenced to death and eight to life imprisonment. Ten of the 11 convicted individuals are still absconding.
Among those sentenced to life imprisonment, captain (dismissed) Abdul Majed, who was also sentenced to death in the Mujib assassination case, was apprehended in April 2020 after decades as a fugitive following his return to the country. His execution was carried out later that month.
