Today marks the 10th martyrdom anniversary of Mir Quasem Ali, an economist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and former chairman of Diganta Media Corporation. He was executed in prison on this day in 2016.
Mir Quasem Ali was one of the country’s leading industrial entrepreneurs, a noted philanthropist and a pioneer of Islamist economic enterprise. He played a key role in founding and running numerous institutions, including Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Ibn Sina Trust and Diganta Media Corporation. His contributions to strengthening the national economy, expanding investment in education and healthcare, and social welfare initiatives were particularly notable. He was the founding president of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir.
He was sentenced to death on charges of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal, formed in 2014 under the previous Awami League government, since ousted amid accusations of authoritarian rule. Various domestic and international human rights organizations had described the verdict as politically motivated and controversial. Nonetheless, the sentence was carried out on the night of Sept. 3, 2016, at Kashimpur Central Jail in the capital.
To mark his martyrdom anniversary, various Islamist political parties, social organizations and supporters have organized prayer gatherings, Quran recitations and discussion sessions.