Mohammad Abdul Jalil

Mohammad Abdul Jalil
মোহম্মদ আব্দুল জলীল
Personal details
Born(1942-02-09)9 February 1942
Wazirpur, Backergunge District, Bengal[1]
Died19 November 1989(1989-11-19) (aged 47)
Islamabad, Pakistan
PartyJatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (Jasod)
ProfessionMilitary officer, politician
Awards
Independence Award (2026)
Military service
Allegiance Pakistan
Bangladesh
Branch/service Bangladesh Army
 Pakistan Army (before 1971)
Years of service
1962-1972
RankMajor
Commands
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Bangladesh Liberation War
Religious life
ReligionIslam
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceHanafi
TariqaChishti
MovementDeobandi
Muslim leader
Disciple ofMuhammadullah Hafezzi
Influenced by

Mohammad Abdul Jalil (Bengali: মোহম্মদ আব্দুল জলীল; 9 February 1942 – 19 November 1989) was a freedom fighter and Mukti Bahini Sector Commander of Sector 9 during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. He was one of the founding members of the political party Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal.[2][3] In 2026, he was posthumously awarded Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh.[4]

Early years

Mohammad Abdul Jalil was born on 9 February 1942 at his maternal home in Wazirpur Sadar, Backergunge District. He was the son of SME businessman Janab Ali and homemaker Rabeya Khatun. He passed the matriculation examination from Wazirpur WB Union Institution in 1959 and the Intermediate of Arts examination from Murray Young Cadet Institution.[2]

Career

Abdul Jalil joined the Pakistan army in 1962 as a cadet. He obtained his graduation and Master of Arts in history during his service in the army. Abdul Jalil was promoted to captain in 1965 and was elevated to the position of major in 1970. In February 1971, he came to Barisal on leave from his place of posting in Multan and later joined the Bangladesh Liberation War as a Sector 9 commander.[2] Major Abdul Jalil, Captain Abdul Latif and other Bengali freedom fighters would regularly seek advice and supplications from Syed Muhammad Ishaq, the Pir of Charmonai Darbar Sharif.[5] The Charmonai madrasas became a lodge for Bengali freedom fighters where they would stay and return from various battles. The freedom fighters were provided two large rooms to use and they were accommodated for. For the entirety of the nine-month war, several government officials based in Sector 9 would shelter themselves with their families at the Charmonai madrasas.[4]

Jalil was removed from the position of Sector commander in November.[6][7] He ignored it and continued to fight for the country until it achieved final independence. On December 17, he entered Khulna city in triumph with the allied forces. Brigadier Hayat Khan, the commander of the Pakistan army, surrendered at the Khulna Circuit House with 8,000 soldiers.[8] Subsequently, following independence, he was arrested on 31 December 1971 by freedom fighter of Sector 8 on a charge of misconduct.[9] In his memoir Arakhsmita Swadhinata‑i Paradhinata, he claimed that he was detained because he had opposed Indian troops’ post-war looting[10][11] in the Khulna–Jessore region.[12][13] Kamal Siddiqui, the then deputy commissioner of Khulna, later wrote that Jalil was involved in multiple abuses of power in Khulna, including kidnapping, extortion, and seizure of property.[14][15][16] He was released on July 7, 1972.[17]

Jalil had a pioneering role in floating the new political party Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD)[3] in October 1972. At the inception of the party, he was the joint convener, and was elected chairman of the party in the council session held on 26 December 1972.[2] The JSD under his leadership endeavored to establish "scientific socialism" in the country and was altogether active in anti-government politics. Jalil contested from seven constituencies in the Jatiya Sangsad elections in 1973 but was not elected. Jalil was arrested while launching a program of the party activists to besiege the official residence of the then Home Minister on 17 March 1974. He was released on 8 November 1975. Jalil was again arrested on 25 November by the martial law government for his alleged conspiracy for the overthrow of the government and attempts at usurping state power. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a trial by the special military tribunal. He was, however, released on 24 March 1980.[2]

Jalil contested the presidential election in 1981 as a nominee of the three-party alliance of JSD, Workers Party, and Krishak Sramik Samajbadi Dal. He left the chairmanship of the JSD in 1984. He started a party called Jatiya Mukti Andolon.[2] At this time he was active in creating Shommilito Shongram Parishad, under the leadership of Hafezzi Huzur. He was under house-arrest in January 1985 for one month. He was put in Dhaka Central Jail from 30 December 1987 to March 1988, for joining the protest against autocrat Ershad.[18]

Grave of Major Mohammad Abdul Jalil

Personal life

Abdul Jalil was an observant Sunni Muslim. On 26 October 1984, amidst the ceremonious observance of the nationwide Day of Supplication convened by the Combined Action Committee, and within the precincts of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Abdul Jalil pledged his spiritual allegiance to the Hanafi jurist and politician Muhammadullah Hafezzi in accordance with the mystic Chishti order of Sufism.[19]

Notable works

  • Seemahin Samay (1976)
  • Dristibhangi O Jiban Darshan
  • Surjodoy (1982)
  • Arakshita Swadhinatayi Paradhinata (1989)
  • Bangladesh Nationalist Movement for Unity: A Historical Necessity

Death and legacy

He died in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 19 November 1989.[2] His body was brought to Dhaka on 22 November 1989 and buried at the Mirpur Graveyard for Intellectuals with full honors. A bridge in Barisal is named after him.[20] He was posthumously awarded Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh in 2026.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Major Jalil's anniversary of death today". The Daily Star (Press release). 18 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Jalil, (Major) MA". Banglapedia.
  3. 1 2 Alim, Syed Fattahul (1 February 2012). "Has Left Politics any Future?". Forum. The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Khaleda Zia, 14 individuals and 5 institutions to receive Independence Award". Prothom Alo. 5 March 2026. Archived from the original on 7 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  5. ↑ Shibli, Shaker Hosain. আলেম মুক্তিযোদ্ধার খোঁজে (in Bengali). Bangla Bazar, Dhaka: Al-Eshaq Prakashani. pp. 333–334.
  6. ↑ "Jalil, Major Mohammad Abdul". Banglapedia. 9 February 1942. Archived from the original on 6 October 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "বীর মুক্তিযোদ্ধা মেজর আবদুল জলিল". Jugantor (in Bengali). 19 November 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Report, TBS (12 December 2019). "The bloody battle to free Khulna". The Business Standard. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Mostafa, Obaidur Rahman (2007). Muktijuddhe Nobom Sector O Amar Juddhokotha (PDF) (in Bengali). Dhaka: Bhaskar Prokashoni. pp. 116, 123–135.
  10. ↑ "Article clipped from The Guardian". Newspapers.com. 22 January 1972. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Chowdhury, Moinul Hossain (2000). Ek General-er Nirob Sakkhi: Swadhinotar Prothom Doshok (in Bengali) (4th ed.). Mowla Brothers. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9844101751.
  12. ↑ জলিল, মেজর এম. এ. (2015). "বাংলাদেশে ভারতীয় বাহিনীর পরিকল্পিত লুন্ঠন". অরক্ষিত স্বাধীনতাই পরাধীনতা (in Bengali). ঢাকা: কমল কুঁড়ি প্রকাশন. ISBN 984-8300-55-4.
  13. ↑ "Liberation War of Bangladesh: Actions, reactions and inactions of foreign powers – XXIV". New Age. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Siddiqui, Kamal (2024). In One Life: The Memoirs of a Third World Civil Servant. Vol. 2. APPL. pp. 160–162. ISBN 9789849725084.
  15. ↑ Chowdhury, Moinul Hossain (2000). Ek General-er Nirob Sakkhi: Swadhinotar Prothom Doshok (in Bengali) (4th ed.). Mowla Brothers. pp. 22–23. ISBN 9844101751.
  16. ↑ CTARA Peace (12 January 2025). মুক্তিযুদ্ধের স্মৃতিচারণ । ড. কামাল সিদ্দিকী | সিতারা লেকচার সিরিজ. Retrieved 18 July 2026 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "মুক্তিযুদ্ধের ৯ম সেক্টরের কমান্ডার মেজর জলিল : কিছু কথা". দৈনিক ইনকিলাব (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 19 December 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  18. ↑ জলিল, মেজর এম. এ. (2015). অরক্ষিত স্বাধীনতাই পরাধীনতা এবং কৈফিয়ত ও কিছুকথা (in Bengali). ঢাকা: কমল কুঁড়ি প্রকাশন. p. 9. ISBN 984-8300-55-4.
  19. ↑ Arafat, Moulana Nasim (2016). আমীরে শরীয়ত মাওলানা মুহাম্মদুল্লাহ হাফেজ্জী হুজুর রহ (in Bengali) (2 ed.). 11/1, Islami Tower, Bangla Bazar: Maktaba al-Hudā al-Islāmiyya. pp. 301–302.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  20. ↑ "Major M.A Jalil Bridge". wikimapia.org.
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