Col. Shawkat Ali
Encyclopedia
Col.
(retd.) Shawkat Ali MP
(b. 27 January 1937, Shariatpur, British India, now Bangladesh
) is a Bangladeshi politician and the deputy speaker of the National Parliament
. He is a member of Awami League and a freedom fighter
.
as a commissioned officer the following year.
as a conspirator to secede East Pakistan
from Pakistan. Initially he was supposed to be tried before a court martial, but the Government of Pakistan
felt they would benefit more from a civil trial. The charges were dropped the next year amidst public protest; Shawkat still was forced to retire in 1969.
Although it was largely thought that the Case was only to frame Sheikh Mujib and others, in 2010, and on the anniversary of the withdrawal of the Case on 22 February 2011, Shawkat Ali confessed to the Parliament at a point of order that the charges read out to them were accurate, stating that they formed a Shangram Parishad under Sheikh Mujib for the sedition
and secession of East Pakistan
.
and the war
broke out, Shawkat was reinstated into the army after the formation of Bangladesh Forces in 1971 to fight the Bangladesh Liberation War
. He was forced to retire the second time when he was a colonel
in 1975 working as the Director of Ordnance Services following the assassination of Sheikh Mujib, since he was close to Mujib.
, 1991
, 1996
, 2001 and 2008. During his time in office, he has served in various parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Ministry of Shipping and Committee on Private Members Bills and Resolutions as their chairman between 1996 and 2001. He is also a lawyer registered under the Supreme Court
.
He was elected unanimously the deputy speaker of the ninth parliament on 25 January 2009, following a landslide Awami League victory.
During his time as deputy speaker he chaired many sessions of the Parliament when the Speaker Abdul Hamid
was absent.
.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(retd.) Shawkat Ali MP
Jatiyo Sangshad
Jatiya Sangsad or National Assembly is the national parliament of Bangladesh. The current parliament of Bangladesh contains 345 seats including 45 women reserved seats distributed on elected party position in the parliament, the occupants of which are called Members of Parliament or MPs...
(b. 27 January 1937, Shariatpur, British India, now Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) is a Bangladeshi politician and the deputy speaker of the National Parliament
Jatiyo Sangshad
Jatiya Sangsad or National Assembly is the national parliament of Bangladesh. The current parliament of Bangladesh contains 345 seats including 45 women reserved seats distributed on elected party position in the parliament, the occupants of which are called Members of Parliament or MPs...
. He is a member of Awami League and a freedom fighter
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Early life
Shawkat Ali completed his LL.B. from Comilla Law College under Dhaka University in 1958 before he joined the Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
as a commissioned officer the following year.
Agartala Conspiracy Case
Shawkat Ali was a captain in 1968 when he was Accused No. 26 of the 35 implicated in the Agartala Conspiracy CaseAgartala Conspiracy Case
Agartala Conspiracy Case was a sedition case in Pakistan, brought forward by the Government of Pakistan against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League and East Pakistan, and 34 other persons.-The Case:...
as a conspirator to secede East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
from Pakistan. Initially he was supposed to be tried before a court martial, but the Government of Pakistan
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
felt they would benefit more from a civil trial. The charges were dropped the next year amidst public protest; Shawkat still was forced to retire in 1969.
Although it was largely thought that the Case was only to frame Sheikh Mujib and others, in 2010, and on the anniversary of the withdrawal of the Case on 22 February 2011, Shawkat Ali confessed to the Parliament at a point of order that the charges read out to them were accurate, stating that they formed a Shangram Parishad under Sheikh Mujib for the sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
and secession of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
.
Time in Bangladesh Army
After Bangladesh declared independence from PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and the war
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
broke out, Shawkat was reinstated into the army after the formation of Bangladesh Forces in 1971 to fight the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
. He was forced to retire the second time when he was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 1975 working as the Director of Ordnance Services following the assassination of Sheikh Mujib, since he was close to Mujib.
Political career
Shawkat was elected parliamentarian in 1979Bangladeshi general election, 1979
The Second National Parliamentary Elections 1979 were held in Bangladesh on 18 February 1979. The result was a victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which won 207 of the 300 seats. Voter turnout was 51.3%.-Results:...
, 1991
Bangladeshi general election, 1991
The Fifth National Parliamentary Elections 1991 were held in Bangladesh on 27 February 1991. The result was a victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which won 140 of the 300 seats. Voter turnout was 55.4%.-Results:...
, 1996
Bangladeshi general election, June 1996
The Seventh National Parliamentary Elections 1996 were held in Bangladesh on 12 June 1996. The result was a victory for the Bangladesh Awami League, which won 146 of the 300 seats. Voter turnout was 75.6%, the highest to date.-Results:...
, 2001 and 2008. During his time in office, he has served in various parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Ministry of Shipping and Committee on Private Members Bills and Resolutions as their chairman between 1996 and 2001. He is also a lawyer registered under the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh is the highest court of law in Bangladesh. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate division, and was created by Part VI Chapter I of the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted in 1972. This is also the office of the Chief Justice, Appellate Division...
.
He was elected unanimously the deputy speaker of the ninth parliament on 25 January 2009, following a landslide Awami League victory.
During his time as deputy speaker he chaired many sessions of the Parliament when the Speaker Abdul Hamid
Abdul Hamid (politician)
Abdul Hamid is the Speaker of the National Parliament of Bangladesh since 2009.Hamid was born in Mithamoin in the Kishoreganj District....
was absent.
Personal life
He was born to Munshi Mobarak and Maleka Begum. He is married and has three children - two sons and a daughter. He has authored two books, one in English and the other in Bangla, both about the Agartala Conspiracy CaseAgartala Conspiracy Case
Agartala Conspiracy Case was a sedition case in Pakistan, brought forward by the Government of Pakistan against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League and East Pakistan, and 34 other persons.-The Case:...
.