Abdul Muntakim, the Jamaat-e-Islami member of parliament for Nilphamari-4 (Saidpur-Kishoreganj), has landed in trouble for describing his living father as a martyr of the Liberation War in a speech during parliament’s budget session.
After widespread criticism on social media, he acknowledged the error in the remarks. He said he had already written to the speaker to correct his parliamentary statement.
During his speech in the budget session on June 14, Muntakim claimed his family had a glorious role in the Liberation War. He said: “My father and my grandfather were martyred in the Liberation War. My father and uncles were seven brothers, four of them freedom fighters. My grandfather’s generation numbered 19, of whom 11 were freedom fighters. There were 47 freedom fighters in my family. My mother was a leading organiser of the Liberation War. I am a July fighter.”
When Muntakim’s remarks spread on social media, many began to criticise him. On Facebook, a user named Nur Ibne Alam commented: “If his father and grandfather were martyred in the Liberation War, how was he born in 1981?” According to the MP’s affidavit, his date of birth is January 10, 1981. Another user, Anamika Amin, wrote: “He has realised it is a matter of pride to be the child of a freedom fighter. So a little untruth slipped out of his mouth.”
Muntakim is the Jamaat amir for Saidpur upazila. Before being elected an MP, he taught at an institution called Al-Faruk Academy in Saidpur. The institution’s head teacher and Saidpur upazila Jamaat naib-e-amir, Shafiqul Islam, said: “This was a slip of the tongue by the honourable MP. It is better to view the matter with forgiveness.”
On Thursday, the MP’s father, Md. Abdul Kader Sayedi, was spoken to at the family home in Dhalagachh village of Kamarpukur union in Saidpur. The MP’s mother is also alive. Abdul Kader told Prothom Alo: “My son is a good man. He was elected MP by a large margin. Pray for him.”
Reached by mobile phone, Muntakim told Prothom Alo: “The statement I gave in parliament was not entirely correct. But my grandfather’s brother was martyred in the Liberation War. Acknowledging my mistake, I have written to the speaker on June 17, Wednesday, in line with parliamentary procedure, requesting that the errors in my statement be corrected.” He added: “I am preparing to explain my remarks to the nation through journalists. A press conference will be arranged soon. For now I do not want to say anything more about this.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report