Joynal Hazari

Joynal Abedin Hazari was born on 24 August 1945 to Goni Hazari.{{cite news |title=Joynal Hazari, a name that still evokes fear |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/politics/2014/05/23/joynal-hazari-a-name-that-still-evokes-fear/ |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=8 October 2016}} He was a student at Feni College when he got involved in politics in the late 1960s.

Hazari studied in Feni college where he entered politics. He served as the general secretary of the Feni district Awami League during 1984–2004.{{Cite news |url=https://testpaloimages.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/90367/%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87 |script-title=bn:ফেনীতে দুই হাজারীর লড়াই |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn |access-date=2019-09-22 |archive-date=2019-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922230745/https://testpaloimages.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/90367/%25E0%25A6%25AB%25E0%25A7%2587%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A7%2580%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%2587-%25E0%25A6%25A6%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%2587-%25E0%25A6%25B9%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%259C%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A7%2580%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25B2%25E0%25A6%25A1%25E0%25A6%25BC%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%2587 |url-status=dead}} Dubbed the "Godfather of Feni", he was accused of torture, extortion and murder during the term he was in power.{{cite news |title=Same Old Feni |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/same-old-feni-104464 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=29 June 2015 |access-date=8 October 2016}}{{cite news |title=One Hazari falls, another rises |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/one-hazari-falls-another-rises-25834 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=8 October 2016}} His relative Nizam Hazari is the current member of parliament from his old constituency.

Hazari formed a steering committee with members drawn from his close accomplices in 1993.{{Cite news |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2019/04/01/joynal-hazari-s-steering-committee-captain-arju-arrested |title=Joynal Hazari's steering committee captain Arju arrested |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=1 April 2019 |access-date=2019-09-22}} He was first expelled from the party in April 2003 for creating chaos at a meeting in Feni in presence of the then party general secretary Abdul Jalil and also for working against the party-backed chairman candidate in the Sadar upazila election in the same year. He was expelled from Awami League on 2 May 2005 for his involvement in anti-organisational activities.{{Cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/05/03/d5050301033.htm |title=AL fires Hazari |work=The Daily Star |date=3 May 2005 |access-date=2019-09-22}}

Hazari left the country for Kolkata, India on 16 Aug 2001 when the caretaker government came into power.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/joynal-hazari-freed |title=Joynal Hazari freed |work=bdnews24.com |date=2 September 2009 |access-date=2019-09-22}} He was sentenced to a total of 60 years' imprisonment in five cases in absentia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-229339 |title=Hazari back in scene |work=The Daily Star |date=7 April 2012 |access-date=2019-09-22}} He returned to Bangladesh in February 2009, soon after the Awami League government took power in January. He surrendered to a Feni court on 15 April, and was imprisoned in Comilla jail. On 26 August the same year, among the total 23 cases, the High Court granted him bail in 11 cases and acquitted him of the remaining 12 cases. He was then freed from prison.{{cite news |title=Joynal Hazari acquitted of charges |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-103362 |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=27 August 2009}}

In 2012, Hazari met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban and handed over a letter seeking permission to be active in politics. Eventually, in 2019, he returned to politics as an adviser to the central committee appointed by Hasina.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-28 |title=Joynal Hazari passes away |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/joynal-hazari-passes-away-2926936 |access-date=2022-01-14 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In September 2019, Hasina donated Tk 4 million for his medical expenses.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bd-pratidin.com/city/2019/09/06/454601 |script-title=bn:প্রধানমন্ত্রী ৪০ লাখ টাকার অনুদান দিলেন জয়নাল হাজারীকে |work=Bangladesh Pratidin |date=6 September 2019 |language=bn |access-date=2019-09-22}}

As of 2014, according to Feni police, around 44 cases – mostly for murder – had been filed against Hazari since the 1970s. He was first imprisoned in 1973 on charge of killing Nasir, a Chhatra Union leader. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in the Engineer Gias murder case.

In April 2009, Hazari was acquitted by Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal (STT) of charges of killing four BNP activists at Sonagazi Upazila on 12 August 2001 and got bail from the court in the Sujan murder case.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-83417 |title=Hazari acquitted of murder charges |work=The Daily Star |date=9 April 2009 |access-date=2019-09-22}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-84262 |title=Hazari sent to jail in money laundering case |work=The Daily Star |date=16 April 2009 |access-date=2019-09-22}}

On 17 August 2001, a day after Hazari fled the country, Feni police raided his residence at Masterpara in Feni in his absence and recovered arms and ammunition including a rifle, two loaded revolvers, sub-machine gun magazine, 431 bullets, lethal weapons and contraband items including Viagra. The police filed a case against him and his private secretary Farooq Hossain Mridha in this connection. On 10 August 2003, the district and sessions judge in Feni convicted and sentenced both Hazari and Farooq to life imprisonment in the case. On 26 August 2009, the High Court acquitted him of the case.

During the caretaker administration in 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case accusing Hazari of illegally acquiring wealth worth Tk 11.33 million, which was disproportionate to his known income sources. Hazari's sister, Khodeza Begum, was arrested at her residence in October 2007 for this case.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-6446 |title=Hazari's sister Khodeza held in Feni |work=The Daily Star |date=3 October 2007 |access-date=2019-09-22}} On 27 November 2008, a Special Judge's Court of Dhaka sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment on that case.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/sc-cancels-hazaris-acquittal-136000 |title=SC cancels Hazari's acquittal |work=The Daily Star |date=1 September 2015 |access-date=2019-09-22}} His plea for bail on this case was rejected on 15 April 2009 and he was imprisoned in Comilla jail. On 18 July, he was granted bail on this case.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-97774 |title=HC grants bail to Hazari |work=The Daily Star |date=19 July 2009 |access-date=2019-09-22}} On 5 December 2011, the High Court acquitted him of the charge following an appeal challenging the lower court verdict. And on 31 August 2015, the Supreme Court in turn cancelled the High Court verdict.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/08/31/top-court-strikes-down-hc-verdict-acquitting-joynal-hazari-orders-fresh-hearing |title=Top court strikes down HC verdict acquitting Joynal Hazari, orders fresh hearing |work=bdnews24.com |date=31 August 2015 |access-date=2019-09-22}}

On 15 April 2009, Hazari got bail from the court in the journalist Tipu Sultan torture case.

{{further|Tipu Sultan (journalist)#2001 assault case|l1=Journalist Tipu Sultan assault case}}

On 15 April 2009, Hazari got bail from indoor stadium demolition case.

Hazari was never married.{{Cite news |title=Joynal Hazari laid to eternal rest |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/local-news/joynal-hazari-laid-to-eternal-rest |access-date=2022-01-14 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}} He died in Dhaka on 27 December 2021, at the age of 76.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-27 |title=Former MP Joynal Hazari passes away |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/obituary/2021/12/27/joynal-hazari-passes-away |access-date=2021-12-27 |work=Dhaka Tribune}} He had been suffering from heart, kidney, and lung diseases.

Hazari owned a local news publication, Hazarika.{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2014/05/22/nizam-points-finger-at-hazari |title=Nizam points finger at Hazari |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=2019-09-22}} He published an autobiography Joynal Hazari Bolchhi in February 2010 in an event in Dhaka inaugurated by the writer Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury.{{Cite news |url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/campus/2010/02/09/30542 |script-title=bn:স্বাধীনতা পদক নিতে পারলে হাজারীর বইয়ের মোড়ক উন্মোচন নয় কেন |work=Kaler Kantho |date=9 February 2010 |language=bn |access-date=2019-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922230745/https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/campus/2010/02/09/30542 |archive-date=22 September 2019}}

• Badhon Ache, Biju Kothay?
• Badhoner Bichar Chai
• Bijur Bichar Chai
• Joynal Hazari Bolchi

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Category:1945 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Politicians from Chittagong Division

Category:Awami League politicians

Category:3rd Jatiya Sangsad members

Category:5th Jatiya Sangsad members

Category:7th Jatiya Sangsad members

Category:Place of birth missing