Mohammed Nasim

Nasim was born on 2 April 1948, to a Bengali Muslim family of Sarkars hailing from Kuripara in Qazipur, Sirajganj (then under Pabna District), Bengal Presidency.[5] His parents were Muhammad Mansur Ali and Amena Monsur.[2] Ali served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1975 and was one of the four leaders killed in the Dhaka Central Jail as a part of the coup d'état on 7 November 1975.[6] He studied at Edward College in Pabna. He was a leader of Chhatra Union, the student wing of Communist Party. In 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went to Pabna for Six-point movement rally after which he visited the home of Mansur Ali where he learned Nasim was a leader of Chhatra Union. At Rahman's request, Nasim attended a program of Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League, and subsequently joined the organization. In 1967, Nasim was elected to the Edward College Students’ Union.[7]

Nasim moved to Dhaka in 1969 and got admitted to Jagannath College. During the Bangladesh Liberation war, Nasim worked for the Mijubnagar government, the Bangladesh government in exile, in which his father was a minister.[7] He graduated in political science from the college.[8]

Nasim became the joint secretary of Pabna District unit of Awami League after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. He sought the nomination of Awami League for the 1973 parliamentary election but lost out to a more senior politician. He was made a presidium member of Bangladesh Jubo League, the youth wing of Awami League. Following the formation of BAKSAL in 1975, he was appointed its general secretary. He fled to India after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état. His father was arrested and subsequently killed extra judicially in prison. Nasim was imprisoned on his return to Bangladesh.[7]

In 1982, Nasim was made a presidium member of Awami League. He was elected to the parliament for the first time in 1986 representing the Sirajganj-1 constituency. He was re-elected in 1996 from the same constituency.[7]

Nasim was appointed Public Works, Post and Telecommunications Minister in June 1996.[9] Nasim took over the home ministry as well when the incumbent Rafiqul Islam was sacked in March 1999.[10] On 12 November 2006, he was injured after police baton charged a rally of Awami League.[11]

In February 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) published a list of 50 persons of top corrupt suspects which included Nasim's name.[12][13] The 50 were asked to submit their wealth statements at the ACC office within 72 hours of receiving the notification.[12] Nasim was arrested by the joint forces on 5 February 2007.[14][15][16] On 8 October, he was sentenced to 13 years in jail by a special anti-graft court. His wife, Laila Arzumand Banu, was also sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment for aiding him in amassing the wealth illegally.[17]

Following the charges and convictions, Nasim did not get the Awami League nomination at the 2008 Bangladeshi general election. Instead, Nasim's son, Tanvir Shakil Joy, got the nomination and won the election subsequently[18]

Nasim was elected to the parliament from Sirajganj-1 in 2014.[19] He was appointed the minister of Health and Family Affairs.[20]

Nasim and Laila Arjumand Banu had three sons including Tanvir Shakil Joy.[2]

On 1 June 2020, Nasim was hospitalized in Dhaka after testing positive for COVID-19.[21] Four days later, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during his treatment.[22] On 13 June, he died while being treated at the hospital.[1][23]