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Mohammad A. Arafat

Mohammad A. Arafat
মোহাম্মদ এ. আরাফাত
Arafat in 2023
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting
In office
11 January 2024 – 5 August 2024
Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina
Preceded byMurad Hasan
Succeeded byNahid Islam
Member of the Bangladesh Parliament
for Dhaka-17
Preceded byAkbar Hossain Pathan Farooque
Personal details
Born (1973-05-02) 2 May 1973 (age 51)
Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Political partyAwami League
Spouses
  • Sharmin Mustary
    ​
    (m. 2016)​
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2008; div. 2015)​
Alma materOklahoma State University Prairie View A&M University
Criminal information
Criminal statusFugitive[1]
Criminal chargeCrimes against humanity during Student–People's uprising, Murder and Corruption

Mohammad A. Arafat (born 2 May 1973)[2] is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and academic. He is a former Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and a former Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Dhaka-17 constituency in 2023–2024.[3]

During his tenure, Arafat defended his government's response to the 2024 Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement, attributing the unrest to the involvement of third-party actors, including extremists group.[4] However, a report by the OHCHR found evidence of brutal and systematic repression of the protests by his government.[5] The Managing Director and CEO of the Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) alleged that Arafat directed temporary suspensions of broadcasts from four private television channels on multiple occasions during the protests through WhatsApp messages. [6][7] He acknowledged concerns over the shooting of Abu Sayed, describing it as possibly unlawful, and stated that an independent judicial committee had been formed to investigate the incident.[8] He also affirmed his government's commitment to a transparent investigation into the violence during the quota reform movement.[9][10][11] He has been the subject of significant public outrage because of many of his statements and "Alo Ashbei" WhatsApp group during the protests.[12][13][14] [15]Arrest warrants has been issued for him by the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.[16]

Career

Arafat was born on 2 May 1973 to Habibun Nisa and Mohammad Setab Uddin in Rajshahi.[17][18]

Arafat is a syndicate member and chief advisor to the board of trustees of the Canadian University of Bangladesh.[18][19][20] Studied from Texas A&M University at Prairie View and Oklahoma State University.M Arafat holds advanced business degrees from Texas A&M University at Prairie View and Oklahoma State University.[21] He is the founder of Suchinta Foundation.[22] He endorsed Annisul Huq for the North Dhaka mayoral election.[23]

Arafat has called for stronger ties with India and allowing transshipment of goods.[24]

Arafat called Reza Kibria, a son of former finance minister Shah A M S Kibria, a traitor for complaining about the human rights situation in Bangladesh to the United States.[25] He criticized the United States for placing sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and described Gano Adhikar Parishad as a none threat to the Awami League government.[25]

Arafat was made a member of the Central Working Committee of the Awami League in December 2022.[26] In September 2022, the government of Bangladesh dismantled the existing trustee board of Manarat International University alleging it had links with Islamist militants and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.[27] Mayor of North Dhaka and Awami League politician Atiqul Islam was appointed chairman and Arafat was appointed a member of the newly created trustee board.[28]

Arafat is the chairman of the Dhaka-based nonprofit social-advocacy organisation, the Suchinta Foundation.[29][30] The foundation has, among others, done extensive advocacy work in poverty eradication in Bangladesh through entrepreneurship development.

Arafat is a two-time member of the Jatiya Sangsad, elected from the Dhaka-17 constituency as an Awami League nominee in the 11th and 12th parliaments respectively in the space of 5 months and both times without any competition from major opposition parties.[31][32] He is also a member of the Awami League's central working committee.[33]

Controversy

During the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, Arafat said to journalists,

The terrorists of BNP-Jamaat are creating chaos on the streets and destroying state property. It has been proven that many of the students were on drugs, as if they were preparing to step forward in front of the police. You all know that previously, terrorist attacks have happened in various countries around the world. During 9/11, for example, in America, they too were on drugs.

His remark of calling the protesters "drugged" caused significant public outrage against him.[12] Another such statement by him that caused public outrage against him during the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement was,

Even if rubber bullets are fired every second, it would take 5 years to finish.[14]

He was part of a WhatsApp group with figures from the entertainment industry, who actively opposed the student movement. This group was called "Alo Ashbei," and was led by actor Ferdous Ahmed. Following the non-cooperation movement, screenshots from this WhatsApp group were leaked on social media on September 3, 2024, revealing discussions that included inflammatory remarks against the protesters.[13][34]

After the 2024 non-cooperation movement and the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government, the 12th Jatiya Sangsad was dissolved on 6 August 2024; Mohammad lost both his membership in the Jatiya Sangsad and his ministerial position.[35] On 12 August, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit ordered all banks to freeze the accounts of Arafat and his wife, Sharmin Mustary.[36]

It has also been reported that he ordered the shutdown of private TV channels on many occasions during the 2024 Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement.[37][38]

Regarding the nationwide internet shutdown during the 2024 Bangladesh Quota Reform Movement, Arafat said, "Miscreants torched Data Centre to detach country".[39] It was later found out in a probe report that the shutdown was government enforced and Arafat misled the nation by falsely linking the data centre fire to the internet shutdown.[40]

He has been sued in a case concerning the death of Jagannath University student Ikramul Haque Sajid, who was shot during a protest in Dhaka's Mirpur-10 area.[41] On 20 August 2024, a case was filed against Arafat in connection with the death of a vegetable seller during the protests, and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit subsequently requested banks to freeze Arafat's accounts amid ongoing investigations into his activities.[42] Despite media reports of his arrest on August 27, 2024, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police later clarified that they had no information confirming his apprehension.[43] The Dhaka Metropolitan Police couldn't find him after a raid in his Gulshan residence.[44] 54 criminal cases have been lodged against him.[45] The Anti-Corruption Commission found evidence of the former minister to have had a foreign citizenship during his time in office which is illegal for Member of Parliaments according to Article 66 of the Bangladesh Constitution.[46][47] Arafat has been named in a petition which seeks an investigation into genocide and crimes against humanity in the Bangladeshi International Crime Tribunal.[48] The International Crimes Tribunal has issued an arrest warrant for him[49] .

Personal life

Arafat married Shomi Kaiser, actress and daughter of Shahidullah Kaiser and Panna Kaiser, on 24 July 2008.[50][51] They divorced in 2015.[52][53] He later married Sharmin Mustary.[36]

References

  1. ^ "Confusion surrounds reported arrest of Arafat". 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ "M Arafat: From a teacher to state minister". Dhaka Tribune. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Winner". The Daily Star. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh minister defends gov't response to protests amid calls for probe". 25 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh: UN report finds brutal, systematic repression of protests, calls for justice for serious rights violations". OHCHR. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  6. ^ ডেস্ক, বরিশালটাইমস (1 February 2025). "৪ টিভির সম্প্রচার বন্ধে চাপ দিয়েছিলেন আরাফাত | বরিশালটাইমস". Barishal Times | বরিশালটাইমস. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  7. ^ "দেশ টিভিসহ ৪ টিভি চ্যানেলের সম্প্রচার বন্ধ করেছিলেন আরাফাত". Desh TV (in Bengali). 2 February 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Govt will launch new, international standard investigation into Abu Sayeed's killing: Arafat".
  9. ^ "Videos reveal brutality that left scores dead in Bangladesh protests".
  10. ^ "Govt determined to conduct thorough probe into violence: Arafat".
  11. ^ "Govt wants to resolve crisis peacefully through talks: Arafat".
  12. ^ a b "আন্দোলনকারীদের অনেকেই ড্রাগড, মন্তব্য আরাফাতের". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b "'Throw hot water on protesters': 'Alo Ashbei' artistes' WhatsApp group under fire". The Daily Star. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  14. ^ a b "'প্রতি সেকেন্ডে রাবার বুলেট ছুঁড়লেও ৫ বছর লাগবে শেষ হতে'". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  15. ^ "ছাত্র আন্দোলনকারীদের সন্ত্রাসী-জঙ্গি আখ্যা দিয়েছিলেন আরাফাত". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Crimes against humanity, genocide: Arrest warrants for Hasina, 45 others". The Daily Star. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Honorable State Minister". moi.gov.bd. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Chairperson". Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Introducing Canadian University of Bangladesh". Canadian University of Bangladesh. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  20. ^ Masum, Obaidur. "Canadian University gets Rajuk's Purbachal plot 'in breach of rules'". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  21. ^ "M Arafat: From a teacher to state minister". Dhaka Tribune. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  22. ^ "The international community must see the Bangladesh of 2022". Atlantic Council. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  23. ^ "The better candidate". Dhaka Tribune. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  24. ^ Sharma, Sumit (17 August 2020). "India bids to head off China in Bangladesh". Asia Times. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Complainant to foreigners, is a traitor Reza Kibria is inexperienced in politics". Barta24. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  26. ^ "AL announces full-fledged central committee". Risingbd.com. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  27. ^ Rahaman, Arafat (9 September 2022). "Manarat University: Govt reconstitutes trustee board over 'militancy links'". The Daily Star. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  28. ^ Rahaman, Arafat (8 September 2022). "Atiqul Islam made chairman of Manarat Int'l University Board of Trustees". The Daily Star. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  29. ^ "Bangladesh-India ties are not a zero-sum game". The Daily Star (Opinion).
  30. ^ "'We see no challenges as the stars are aligned in favour of the Awami League'". Dhaka Tribune.
  31. ^ "Arafat elected from Dhaka-17 within 5 months without any visible competition". Somoy News.
  32. ^ "Arafat wins Dhaka-17 by-election". The Daily Star.
  33. ^ "Arafat, Tarana new faces in Awami League central committee".
  34. ^ "Leaked conversation of artists speaking against student movement goes viral". The Business Standard. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  35. ^ "President dissolves parliament". The Daily Star. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  36. ^ a b "Banks asked to freeze accounts of Arafat, his wife". The Daily Star. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  37. ^ ডেস্ক, বরিশালটাইমস (1 February 2025). "৪ টিভির সম্প্রচার বন্ধে চাপ দিয়েছিলেন আরাফাত | বরিশালটাইমস". Barishal Times | বরিশালটাইমস. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  38. ^ "দেশ টিভিসহ ৪ টিভি চ্যানেলের সম্প্রচার বন্ধ করেছিলেন আরাফাত". Desh TV (in Bengali). 2 February 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  39. ^ "Arafat: Miscreants torched Data Centre to detach country". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  40. ^ "Data centre fire had no connection with internet shutdown: probe report". The Daily Star. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  41. ^ Report, Star Digital (8 September 2024). "Asaduzzaman, Dipu Moni, Arafat sued over death of JnU student". The Daily Star. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  42. ^ "Former info minister Arafat arrested". 27 August 2024.
  43. ^ Ali Arafat, Mohammad (27 July 2024). "Arafat not arrested, says DMP debunking media reports". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  44. ^ "Arafat not arrested, says DMP debunking media reports". The Business Standard. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  45. ^ "Fall of Hasina regime: Over 92,000 accused, 1,474 cases, 51 days". The Daily Star. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  46. ^ আমিন, নুরুল (5 November 2024). "বিদেশি 'নাগরিকত্ব' নিয়ে মন্ত্রী-এমপি হন ২৪ জন". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  47. ^ "Article 66 of Bangladesh Constitution". Archived from the original on 5 August 2024.
  48. ^ "Sheikh Hasina, ministers, top cops sued for genocide and crimes against humanity". 14 August 2024.
  49. ^ "Crimes against humanity, genocide: Arrest warrants for Hasina, 45 others". The Daily Star. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  50. ^ জন্মদিন : শমী কায়সার :: দৈনিক ইত্তেফাক [Birthday: Shami Kaiser]. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  51. ^ "Shomi and Panna Kaiser on "Eki Brintey" tonight". The Daily Star. 19 November 2009.
  52. ^ "A new chapter begins for Shomi Kaiser". The Daily Star. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  53. ^ "Shomi Kaiser ties the knot with Reza Ameen". New Age. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_A._Arafat