Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal | |
|---|---|
আসাদুজ্জামান খাঁন কামাল | |
 Khan in 2023 | |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
| In office 15 July 2015 – 5 August 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Sheikh Hasina |
| Preceded by | Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir |
| Succeeded by | M Sakhawat Hossain |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 12 January 2014 – 6 August 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh |
| Constituency | Dhaka-12 |
| In office 29 January 2009 – 28 January 2014 | |
| Preceded by | S. A. Khaleque |
| Succeeded by | AKM Rahmatullah |
| Constituency | Dhaka-11 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-12-31)31 December 1950 (age 75) Dacca, East Bengal, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Party | Bangladesh Awami League |
| Spouses | Lutful Tahmina Khan |
| Children | Safi Muddaser Khan Joty |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
| Criminal information | |
| Criminal status | Self-imposedexile inIndia; Subject of arrest warrant by theInternational Crimes Tribunal |
| Criminal charge | Crimes against humanity duringJuly Revolution |
| Penalty | Death |
Wanted by | Bangladesh |
| Wanted since | 2024 |
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal (Bengali:আসাদুজ্জামান খাঁন কামাল; born 31 December 1950) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as theMinister of Home Affairs from 2015 to 2024 as a member of the deposedAwami League. He has been convicted byInternational Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh as one of the key perpetrators of theJuly massacre,[1][2][3][4] for which he is currently wanted by thegovernment of Bangladesh.[a]
He also held the constituent seats ofDhaka-11 from 2009 to 2014, andDhaka-12 from 2014 to 2024.[13]
Khan was born on 31 December 1950 in Monipuripara,Dhaka, in the thenEast Bengal,Dominion of Pakistan. His home district isDohar Upazila. In 1965, he completed his SSC from Tejgaon Polytechnic High school (now Tejgaon Government High School) and in 1967, he completed his HSC fromJagannath University, which is a reputed college today.[14]
Khan was a member of the Mukti Bahini and fought in theBangladesh Liberation War in 1971. He served in sector 2 under CaptainAbdul Halim Chowdhury. He was elected to Parliament in December 2008, and from 2009 to 2013, he served in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Public Works. He was a member of theBangladesh Press Council. He founded the Dohar Padma College, and served as the President of the Ispahani School and College andTejgaon College, two reputed colleges (both founded after Bangladesh's liberation war). He is a senate member of theSher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. He was re-elected in January 2014 and on 12 January 2014, he was made the State Minister of Home Affairs. On 14 July 2015 he was made the Minister of Home Affairs.[14]
On 22 January 2024, he was awarded the honorary Great Wall Commemorative Medal by the Chinese government. The Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, presented the award and certificate during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka. Established by China's Ministry of Public Security in 2020, the medal recognizes foreign law enforcement officers who have significantly contributed to the safety of Chinese citizens.[15]
According to the official reportBGB provided toOHCHR, Kamal, on behalf of the former Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, acting as the Director-General of her Special Security Force and her Military and Security Advisor, provided verbal directives to "use maximum force" during theStudent-People's uprising.[16][17][18]
On 13 August 2024, a murder complaint was filed at a court in Dhaka against Khan and five other government officials, including ex-Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, regarding the killing of a grocer during the2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement on 19 July.[19][20]
On 9 October 2024,The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed separate cases against Asaduzzaman Khan, his wife Lutful Tahmina Khan, their two children Safi Muddasir Khan and Safia Tasnim Khan, and his Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Monir Hossain, accusing them of amassing illegal wealth, misuse of power, bribery in recruitment, and money laundering. ACC director general Akhtar Hossain stated that the investigation revealed that the former minister and his family accumulated around Tk 60.55 crore in illegal wealth and concealed Tk 416.74 crore across 36 bank accounts. Additionally, Monir Hossain was found to have amassed Tk 18.82 crore illegally, with suspicious transactions amounting to Tk 31.31 crore in 12 bank accounts.The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has already suspended the transactions in their accounts.[21][22][23]
While in exile, he gave an interview toThe Indian Express, alleging that thestudent-people's uprising was the result of a "joint coup by Islamic terrorists and the army".[24][25] He also called for the Indian government to diplomatically intervene to pressure the interim government to remove the court cases against him and other Awami League leaders.[25] He has been called the "Butcher Of Bangladesh" byChief AdviserDr. Yunus's Press SecretaryShafiqul Alam.[26]
Kamal is married to Lutful Tahmina Khan.[27] They have a son, Safi Muddaser Khan Joty,[28] who was arrested on 14 September 2024 in connection to the alleged attempted murder of a protestor.[27]