Top 10 Interesting Facts about Delwar Hossain Sayeedi

Flag of Bangladesh by Himasaram – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Delwar Hossain Sayeedi

Delwar Hossain Sayeed was born in 1940in East Pakistan to a Muslim family. His father owned a Madrassa that Delwar attended as a child. Also known as Allhama Delwar, during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, he was a collaborator and leader of the Razakars, an Islamist militia force that was backed by Pakistan in a war opposing Bangladeshi independence.

Known as “Delia Razakar”, he was responsible for committing numerous war crimes against the people who fought for independence. Delwar Hossein was many things in his lifetime, but what is left of his legacy is the war crimes he was accused of committing. Here is a list of things to know about the man.        

1.Was a Politician

Sangsad Assembly Hall by Rossi101 – Wikimedia Commons

Before his conviction and many years later after the fact, Delwar Hossein Sayeed was an influential political figurehead in Bangladesh. He served as a “Jatiya Sangsad” (member of the legislative body) representing the Pirojpur constituency in the years between 1996 to 2006 as part of the Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami political party.

Besides just being a politician he was also an Islamic scholar. It is however hard to miss this moment of political satire in that Delwar Hossein was in the later years allowed to be a part of a government he had fought so hard from seeing its fruition.

2.Sentenced to Death for War Crimes

Human Remains and Weapons from the Bangladesh Liberation War by Adam Jones – Wikimedia Commons

In February 2013 the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh found Delwar Hossein Sayeed guilty of eight out of twenty alleged charges against humanity and sentenced him to death. These alleged crimes were said to have occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971.

He was accused of twenty counts that included passing secret information to the Pakistani Army, the genocide of Hindus, arson of their properties, murder, and rape. Out of these twenty counts of crime, the tribunal found him guilty of eight of those and hence sentenced him to the death penalty which is still applicable in Bangladesh.

3.He was on the Terrorist No Fly List

Before his conviction, Delwar Hossein was added to the No Fly List by the United States of America Terrorist Screening Center (TSC). This list was established to prevent suspected radicals and terrorists from entering from flying into the US. Delwar Sayeed made it to the list in 2004. This action was a repercussion of the war on terror the US had started around that time following the 2001 terrorist attacks on 9/11.

4.Foreign Travel Controversy

He however was able to fly into the United Kingdom in 2006, after he was allowed entry by their foreign office because he was not on their terrorist no-fly list. He had traveled to address rallies in London and Luton. At the time, his entry into the country stirred up some political controversy among the British members of parliament who cited that Delwar’s previous visits had caused violence amongst his supporters. Sayeed had a large following within the Bangladesh community in the United Kingdom then. 

5.Leader of the Razakar

Razakar Training by unknown author – Wikimedia Commons

During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Delwar Hossein was the apparent leader of the paramilitary militia Razakar in Bangladesh that meted countless atrocities against the citizens of Bangladesh with the backing of Pakistan which was opposed to its independence. Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan was in a struggle to defect from Pakistan.

This was the cause of the major war. To ensure this did not happen, paramilitary groups such as the Razakar were used. The group committed crimes such as rape, murder, arson, and forced conversions at the behest of its leaders one of whom was Delwar Hossein who was later on held accountable for their actions.

6.Controversy Around His Death Sentence

Delwar’s conviction for capital punishment caused quite a stir within the international justice community. Authorities were accused of preventing key witnesses from testifying and presenting false witnesses. It was also argued that Delwar Hossein Sayeed was intentionally mistaken for Delwar Hossein Shikdar, a war criminal that was executed during the war.

The Bangladesh Political Party denied the judgments calling them a political vendetta against Delwar Sayeed. This was a sentiment backed by the then prime minister, Khaleda Zia. The Human Rights Watch also criticized the verdict citing that the tribunal fell short of international standards.

7.His Sentence Caused Protest

Following the court’s decision to sentence Delwar Sayyed to death, he said the verdict was not neutral and politically charged. A sentiment that was echoed by many of his supporters. By that afternoon of the day of protest, clashes erupted across Bangladesh between Islamic activists and the police forces. An estimated number of 25 protesters were injured in the skirmishes. It marked one of the worst days of political violence in Bangladesh in decades.

8.His Sentence was Commuted to Life Imprisonment

Handcuffed inmate by Rainerzufall1234 – Wikimedia Commons

On September 17, 2014, the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court reduced the death sentence of Delwar Hossein Sayeed to imprisonment till death for war crimes against Bengali people in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. This decision was made after protests that led to violence erupted in Bangladesh following the verdict and international justice community criticism.

9.Recent Calls for His Release

As recently as May 2020, there have been calls demanding the release of Delwar Sayeed from prison where he is currently serving a life sentence. The campaign gaining traction primarily on social media amongst his supporters has increased the demand for his release. Many still believe he was wrongfully accused and charged with crimes he did not commit.

His perceived innocence is further fueled by the rumor that on the date of his verdict, Sayeed’s reflection appeared on the moon. Despite persistent calls for his release, the Bangladesh government has upheld its verdict and Delwar Sayeed is still currently serving his term in prison for the rest of his life.

10.His Personal Life 

Not much is known about Delwar Sayeed’s personal life. Most reports about the man have always been about his sentencing and the crimes he was accused of committing.  What we know however about Delwar Hossein Sayeed is that he is tri-lingual. Sayeed is fluent in Bengali, Urdu, and Arabic.