Name Maulana Sobhan | Role Bangladeshi Politician | |
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Against construction of Tipaimukh Dam part 2 of 9
Maulana Muhammad Abdus Sobhan (Bengali: মাওলানা মুহাম্মদ আব্দুস সুবহান) (born September, 1929), is a Bangladeshi politician. He is a Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and member of its Central Working committee and Central Executive committee. He is a two time elected parliamentarian from Pabna-5 constituency, during the elections of 1991 and 2001 respectively. He is undergoing trial for his relation with war crimes allegedly committed during the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
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Early life
Maulana Mohammad Abdus Sobhan was born in September, 1929, in the village of Mominpara, Sujanagar thana, Pabna district. His father, Late Munshi Nayeem Uddin Ahmed, was an Islamic scholar. In 1965, he moved with his family to Pathortola, Gopalpur, Pabna city, and has resided there permanently.
Education
He started his education in Ramchandrapur Maktab. Then he completed his primary education in Manikhaat and Machpara Primary School. In 1941, he enrolled into Ulat Madrassah and studied there till 1947, completing his matriculation. In 1950, he obtained his Alim certification. In 1952, he obtained his Fazil Degree from Sirajganj Alia Madrassah. In 1954, he obtained his Kamil degree with distinction from the same madrassah, obtaining 7th position in the first division in the Madrassah Board.
Teaching experience
After completion of his Fazil studies, he joined Pabna Aliya Madrassah as Head Mawlana. After that he taught at Gopalchandra institute, Arifpur Ulat Senior Madrassah and Magura Baroria Fazil Madrassah. His teaching career spanned for 10 years from 1952-1962.
Political career
Maulana Abdus Sobhan was active in politics from his student life. He was Secretary of Pabna District for East Pakistan Jamiat Talaba Arabiya. In 1951, he joined Jamaat-e-Islami and over time was appointed the Ameer of Pabna District. He is a member of the Central Majlis-e-Shura, the Central Working Committee and the Executive Committee of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He is also a Nayeb-e-Ameer of the party.
Member of Parliament
In 1962 and again in 1965, he was elected as a member of the East Pakistan Constituent Assembly and acted as the senior deputy leader of the opposition in his latter term. He was a member of parliament elected from Pabna-5 constituency in 1991, and deputy leader of the Jamaat’s parliamentary group, securing. In 2001, he was again elected as a Member of Parliament from Pabna-5 constituency as a candidate of 4-party alliance, securing 56.78% of the votes in his constituency.
Arrest
Maulana Abdus Sobhan was arrested on 20 September, 2012 from Bangabandhu Bridge area while he was traveling from Dhaka to Pabna. Later, he was taken to Pabna to produce before the court that issued the warrant against him in connection with a case filed in 2003.
War crimes trial
A day after his arrest he was produced before the International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) in Dhaka on charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT) framed nine charges of wartime offences against Maulana Abdus Sobhan for alleged crimes against humanity in 1971.