Hasanul Haq Inu
{{short description|Bangladeshi politician (born 1946)}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Hasanul Haq Inu
| native_name = হাসানুল হক ইনু
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Mr. Hasanul Haq Inu, at the 15th Asia Media Summit.jpg
| caption = Inu in 2018
| term_start = 29 December 2008
| predecessor = Shahidul Islam
| successor = Kamarul Arefin
| office1 = Minister of Information and Broadcasting
| primeminister1 = Sheikh Hasina
| term_start1 = 13 September 2012
| term_end1 = 7 January 2019
| predecessor1 = Abul Kalam Azad
| successor1 = Muhammad Hasan Mahmud
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|11|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kushtia, Nadia district, Bengal, British India {{small|(now Bheramara, Kushtia District, Bangladesh)}}
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| party = Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal
| alma_mater = Notre Dame College, Dhaka
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
| office = Member of the Bangladesh Parliament
| constituency = Kushtia-2
| parliamentarygroup = Grand Alliance
| spouse = Afroza Haque Rina
| term_end = 9 January 2024
}}
Hasanul Haq Inu (born 12 November 1946) is a Bangladeshi politician and the former Minister of Information of Bangladesh.{{cite web |url=http://www.moi.gov.bd/site/office_head/cd18667a-1425-4440-a392-3a99311bc046/বিস্তারিত |title=Hon. Minister |publisher=Ministry of Information, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh |access-date=11 July 2016}}{{cite news |last=Sattar |first=Maher |title=Bangladesh Editor Faces 79 Court Cases After an Unusual Confession |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/28/world/asia/bangladesh-editor-faces-79-court-cases-after-saying-he-regrets-articles.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=27 March 2016 |access-date=11 April 2016}} He leads a faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and was involved in a Marxist insurgency in the 1970s.{{cite news |title=Hasanul Haq Inu's JaSoD splits as he names Shirin general secretary |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/03/12/hasanul-haq-inus-jasod-splits-as-he-names-shirin-general-secretary |newspaper=bdnews24.com |access-date=11 April 2016}}
Early life and education
Inu was born in Bheramara, Kushtia District to A H M Qamrul Haq, an employee of Karnaphuli Paper Mills, and Begum Hasna Hena Haq.{{cite web |title=Guest Profile |url=http://www.tritiyomatra.com/profile/83 |website=Tritiyomatra |publisher=Channel I |access-date=12 July 2016}} Inu graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from the East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology in 1970.
Political career
Inu joined Bangladesh Chhatra League in 1968, and was appointed the general secretary of its Engineering University unit in 1969.
=1972–1975=
After the independence of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing affiliated with the Bangladesh Awami League split following ideological differences between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani, forming Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, led by Serajul Alam Khan. Hasanul Haq Inu joined this faction.
The party called for establishing socialism through an armed revolution. It had an armed wing, Gonobahini, which led a violent insurgency against the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In 1974, Hasanul Haq Inu led a group of armed men to attack the residence of the then Home Minister Mansur Ali, which resulted in the 1974 Ramna massacre.{{cite news |title=Rizvi now blasts Inu at press briefing |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/politics/rizvi-now-blasts-inu-press-briefing-1240042 |newspaper=The Daily Star |agency=UNB |date=15 June 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}} He also distributed anti-government leaflets.
=After the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman=
After the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family in 1975, Inu along with Gonobahini's military leader Colonel Abu Taher rescued army chief Ziaur Rahman from house arrest, to facilitate a Marxist takeover of power.{{cite news |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Afsan |title=What really happened in 1975? |url=http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2010/11/08/what-really-happened-in-1975/ |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=8 November 2010 |access-date=11 July 2016}} On 7 November 1975, Inu led assault on the Indian high commission to kidnap the high Commissioner Samar Sen.{{cite news |last=Ahsan |first=Syed Badrul |title=Bourgeois dreams of socialist revolution |url=http://www.observerbd.com/2015/07/07/98425.php |newspaper=The Daily Observer (Bangladesh) |date=7 July 2015 |access-date=13 July 2016 |archive-date=18 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818131553/http://www.observerbd.com/2015/07/07/98425.php |url-status=dead }} Ziaur Rahman realised that the disorder set off by the soldiers' mutiny had to be suppressed firmly if discipline was to be restored in the army. Ziaur Rahman declared martial law and cracked down on the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal. Abu Taher was sentenced to death by a military tribunal on charges of treason, and Inu was sentenced to life in prison.{{cite news |last=Hossain |first=Kazi Mobarak |title=Hasanul Haq Inu's JaSoD splits as he names Shirin general secretary |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/03/12/hasanul-haq-inus-jasod-splits-as-he-names-shirin-general-secretary |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=13 March 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}}
=Since 2008=
Inu was elected from Kushtia-2 in the Bangladesh Parliament. He is the president of a faction of the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, which is a member of the Awami League led coalition government in Bangladesh.{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/inu-fails-convince-dissidents-790906 |title=Inu fails to convince dissidents |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=11 April 2016}} He was appointed minister of Information in 2012, replacing Abul Kalam Azad. This appointment occurred despite protests from senior Awami League leaders.{{cite news |title=Awami League will have to atone for making a JaSoD leader minister, says Syed Ashra f |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/06/13/awami-league-will-have-to-atone-for-making-a-jasod-leader-minister-says-syed-ashraf |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=13 June 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}}
As an only Bangladesh Government high ranking minister Hasanul Haq publicly protested Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah's remarks, describing Bangladeshis as ‘termites’. In a strong word, Inu said in a public rally: “Amit Shah has made an unwanted remark by describing Bangladeshis as termites. We in Dhaka do not give any importance to his statement as it does not carry the gravity of an official statement of India". His comments were widely reported in Indian media and welcomed by Bangladesh social media users.{{cite news |title=Will Strike Bangladeshi 'Termites' Off Voters' List, Says Amit Shah |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/government-will-strike-bangladeshi-termites-off-voters-list-bjp-president-amit-shah-on-nrc-1920576 |work=NDTV |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923121512/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/government-will-strike-bangladeshi-termites-off-voters-list-bjp-president-amit-shah-on-nrc-1920576 |archivedate=23 September 2018}}{{cite news |title=Amit Shah's termite remark unwanted: Bangladesh Minister |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/amit-shahs-termite-remark-unwanted-bangladesh-minister/article25022118.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=4 October 2018}} Other opposition leaders also hold him responsible for Sheikh Mujib's killing.{{cite news |title=Clarify your role in Bangabandhu killing, BNP to Inu |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/76721/No-lecture-on-democracy-please-BNP-to-Inu |newspaper=Prothom Alo |date=24 August 2015 |access-date=11 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012181457/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/76721/No-lecture-on-democracy-please-BNP-to-Inu |archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=No law of 'illegitimate govt' will last, says Khaleda |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2014/08/25/no-law-of-illegitimate-govt-will-last-says-khaleda |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=25 August 2015 |access-date=11 July 2016}}
When commenting on Inu's activities in 1972– 1975, Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said: "Inu's attitude at that time was like that of militant kingpins Laden, Zawahiri and Shaykh Abdur Rahman."{{cite news |title=Inu, Khairul to be tried in people's court: BNP |url=http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=2434364&date=2016-02-03 |agency=UNB |work=News Today |date=15 June 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016 |archive-date=18 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818104302/http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=2434364&date=2016-02-03 |url-status=dead }} He also demanded his trial for his crimes before a people's court.{{cite news |title=Inu, Khairul to face trial in people's court: Rizvi |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/93935/Inu-Khairul-to-face-trial-in-people%E2%80%99s-court |newspaper=Prothom Alo |date=2 February 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202033347/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/93935/Inu-Khairul-to-face-trial-in-people%E2%80%99s-court |url-status=dead }}
Inu contested the national election on 7 January 2024 as an Awami League candidate.{{Cite web |date=8 January 2024 |title=JASAD chief Inu defeated by a former UP chairman |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/y8xje5bcsl |access-date=14 January 2024 |website=Prothom Alo |language=en}} He received 92,455 votes but lost to Kamarul Arefin who received 115,799 votes. Inu alleged the vote was rigged.{{Cite web |date=
13 January 2024 |title=Defeated candidates of ruling Awami League also allege 'vote rigging' |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/politics/vey0tm3t5e |access-date=14 January 2024 |website=Prothom Alo |language=en}}
After the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, Inu along with Rashed Khan Menon was charged with a case of murder during the quota-reform movement and was subsequently arrested.{{Cite web |date=26 August 2024 |title=Hasanul Haq Inu arrested in murder case |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/hasanul-haq-inu-arrested-926126 |access-date=6 October 2024 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}} Before and after attending at the hearings, they were assaulted by lawyers aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party at the court premises.{{Cite news |date=28 August 2024 |title=Court security under scrutiny as Inu, Menon assaulted despite heavy police presence |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/court/356366/court-security-under-scrutiny-as-inu-menon |access-date=6 October 2024 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{commons-inline}}
{{|url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/06/13/awami-league-will-have-to-atone-for-making-a-jasod-leader-minister-says-syed-ashraf |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=13 June 2016 |access-date=11 July 2016}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haq Inu, Hasanul}}
Category:People from Kushtia District
Category:Politicians from Khulna Division
Category:Notre Dame College, Dhaka alumni
Category:Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology alumni
Category:Bangladeshi communists
Category:10th Jatiya Sangsad members
Category:Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal politicians
Category:Ministers of information of Bangladesh
Category:11th Jatiya Sangsad members