AKM Mozammel Haque (politician)

Haque was born on 1 October 1946 in Dakhina Khan, Gazipur Sadar Upazila, Gazipur District to Anwar Ali and Rabeya Khatun. == Career ==

Haque was a member of the East Pakistan Chhatra League Central Working Committee. According to Awami sources, he fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and was part of the Mukti Bahini. But this claim only came to life after 1996. This story of him being a freedom fighter was made by AL to give him the Freedom Fighter certificate. From 1973 to 1986, he was elected Upazila chairman three times and four times municipal mayor. He was elected to the parliament from Gazipur-1 in 2008. He was elected unopposed from the same constituency in the 2014 elections which the opposition boycotted citing unfair conditions for the election. He acted as the religious minister of Bangladesh from 2018 to 2019. In 2019, he was appointed the Minister for Liberation War Affairs. == Controversy ==

In 1974, Mozammel was implicated in the abduction and gang rape of a newlywed housewife, whose driver and husband were killed. Her body was found three days later near a bridge in Tongi. Although arrested by Lance Major Nasser and handed over to the police, Mozammel was released, reportedly due to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's intervention. According to Anthony Mascarenhas, this shook the confidence in the Bangladesh army and led Major Faruq to plan for removing Mujib from power, which finally happened as Mujib's assassination. Anthony Mascarenhas briefly mentioned Mozammel's involvement in this crime in his 1986 book Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood. The incident has been also depicted in novel Deyal by Humayun Ahmed. ==Role in the Liberation War==

According to Awami League in 1996, during the liberation war of Bangladesh, he fought as a freedom fighter from Gazipur and an organizer of the liberation war in the city. On 19 March 1971, in the first battle in Gazipur, he led the frontline against Brig. Jahan Zeb under the orders of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the convener of the Armed Resistance Committee. == Corruption charges ==

Post Student-People's Uprising, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against Haque for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth Tk10.34 crore. Error in the preparation of the list of Rajakars On December 15, 2019, A.K.M. Mozammel Haque, as the then Minister of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, held a press conference and released a list of 10,789 'anti-independence' Rajakars. But the names of gazetted Freedom fighters and members of the families of martyrs in the list created anger and criticism. Later, the list was suspended for correction. Freedom fighter identity and certificate forgery He was one of the main people involved in making 25,000, or possibly 50,000 fake freedom fighter certificates in Bangladesh during the 16-year Awami League government until 5 August 2024. In the investigation report after August 5, 2024, Faruk-e-Azam said that Mozammel Haque used to charge 5 lakh taka for each fake certificate of freedom fighter. A report in Jugantor said that Mozammel received bribes worth around 100 million taka in total, ranging from 3 lakh taka to 2 crore taka for each fake certificate. On April 13, 2025, at the 95th meeting of the National Freedom Fighter Council or JAMUKA, chaired by Faruk-e-Azam, Chairman and Advisor on Liberation War Affairs, it was stated that there is controversy over AKM Mozammel Haque's participation in the Liberation War and if the allegations are proven, his freedom fighter certificate and gazette will be cancelled. ==References==