Mohammad Abdul Jalil

Mohammad Abdul Jalil
মোহম্মদ আব্দুল জলীল
Personal details
Born	(1942-02-09)9 February 1942 Wazirpur, Bengal, British India
Died	19 November 1989(1989-11-19) (aged 47) Islamabad, Pakistan
Political party	Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD)
Alma mater	Pakistan Military Academy
Profession	Military officer, politician
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan Bangladesh
Branch/service	Bangladesh Army Pakistan Army (Before 1971)
Years of service	1965-1972
Rank	Major
Unit	Armoured Corps
Commands	Commander of the Sector - IX
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War Second Siege of Dhaka

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.

Early years

Mohammad Abdul Jalil was born on 9 February 1942 at his maternal home in Wazirpur, Backergunge District. He was a son of Janab Ali Choudhury. He passed the matriculation examination from Wazirpur WB Union Institution in 1959, Intermediate of Arts examination from Murry Young Cadet Institution, and joined the Pakistan army in 1963 as cadet of PMA. He obtained his graduation and Master of Arts in History during his service in the army. Abdul Jalil was commissioned in September 1965. and was elevated to the position of Major in 1970. In February 1971, Major Jalil came to Barisal on leave from his place of posting in Multan, and joined the war of liberation in March.

Bangladesh Liberation War

Mohammad Abdul Jalil had pioneering role in floating the new political party Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) 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.

The JSD under his leadership endeavored to establish '"scientific socialism" in the country and was altogether active in anti-government politics. Mohammad Abdul Jalil contested from seven constituencies in the Jatiya Sangsad elections in 1973 with no return. Major 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. Major 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 the state power. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a trial by the special military tribunal. He was, however, released on 24 March 1980.

Major Jalil contested in the presidential election in 1981 as a nominee of the three-party alliance of JSD, Workers Party and Krishak-Sramik Samajbadi Dal. He was left chairmanship of the JSD in 1984. 16 days later, on 20 October 1984, he started a party called Jatiya Mukti Andolon. 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.

Grave of Major Mohammad Abdul Jalil

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. His body was brought to Dhaka on 22 November 1989, and buried at the Mirpur Graveyard for Intellectuals with full honor. A bridge in Barisal is named after him.