Tadjuddin Ahmed
Bangladesh- First Prime Minister of Bangladesh
- Early Political Career
- Imprisonment and Resistance
- Role in Awami League
- 1970 Election and Independence Struggle
- Post-Independence and Assassination
First Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Tajuddin Ahmed, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was a close associate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Born in 1925 in the village of Dardaria in British India, he graduated with honors in economics from the University of Dhaka in 1953. He later pursued legal studies, receiving a law degree in 1964.
Early Political Career
Ahmed's passion for politics began at a young age, with his involvement in the Muslim League in 1943. After the partition of British India, he left the League in protest against its policies towards East Pakistan. In 1949, he co-founded the Awami League.
Imprisonment and Resistance
Following the imposition of martial law in 1958, the Awami League was banned and Ahmed was imprisoned for about a year. Upon his release, he actively participated in the democratic movement against the military rule of Mohammad Ayub Khan, resulting in his repeated imprisonment.
Role in Awami League
Ahmed played a pivotal role in the revival of the Awami League in 1964, serving as its Secretary. He was arrested again in April 1964 and released the following year. In 1966, he was elected General Secretary of the Awami League. However, he was arrested again for anti-government activities and released in 1969 following public protests.
1970 Election and Independence Struggle
Ahmed became a member of the National Assembly in 1970. The Awami League won a landslide victory in the 1970 general elections, but the Pakistani government annulled the results. This sparked massive protests in East Pakistan, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Tajuddin Ahmed was instrumental in organizing the resistance.
On March 25, 1971, he fled to India after the Pakistani army began mass killings of Bengalis. Ahmed became the Prime Minister of the Bangladesh government-in-exile, serving in that capacity during the War of Independence.
Post-Independence and Assassination
After Bangladesh gained independence, Ahmed returned to the country on December 22, 1971, and served as the first Prime Minister of the new nation. He later held the post of Finance Minister of Bangladesh. Ahmed played a role in drafting the Constitution of Bangladesh.
Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, the political situation in the country deteriorated. Tajuddin Ahmed was arrested on August 23, 1975, and was brutally murdered in Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975, along with three of his party comrades.
