Wikipedia

Asif Nazrul

Mohammad Nazrul Islam, better known as Asif Nazrul (Bengali: আসিফ নজরুল; born 12 January 1966), is a Bangladeshi writer, novelist, columnist, political commentator and a professor of law at the University of Dhaka.[1][2] He was appointed an adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh in August 2024.[3] He is responsible for the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment.[4][5]

Asif Nazrul
আসিফ নজরুল
Nazrul in 2024
Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 August 2024
PresidentMohammed Shahabuddin
Chief AdviserMuhammad Yunus
Preceded byAnisul Huq
Adviser for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 August 2024
PresidentMohammed Shahabuddin
Chief AdviserMuhammad Yunus
Preceded byShafiqur Rahaman Chowdhury
Adviser for Cultural Affairs
In office
16 August 2024 – 10 November 2024
PresidentMohammed Shahabuddin
Chief AdviserMuhammad Yunus
Preceded byNaheed Ezaher Khan
Succeeded byMostofa Sarwar Farooki
Personal details
Born
Mohammad Nazrul Islam

(1966-01-12) 12 January 1966 (age 59)
Comilla, East Pakistan, Pakistan
NationalityBangladeshi
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2013)​

​
(m. 2013)​
EducationUniversity of Dhaka (LL.B, LL.M)
University of London (PhD)
OccupationProfessor of law
Websiteasifnazrul.com

Education

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Asif Nazrul completed his LLB and LL.M. at the University of Dhaka in 1986 and 1987 respectively, and garnered his PhD degree from the SOAS University of London in 1999. Afterwards he did post-doctoral work at the Environmental Law Center in Germany.[2]

Career

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Nazrul worked as a journalist and an administrative officer of the Bangladesh government before becoming a professor of law at the University of Dhaka.[6]

From 2011 to 2017, Asif Nazrul served as a bureau member of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a regional network dedicated to promoting human rights in South Asia.[7][8][9]

In 1992, Asif Nazrul was associated with the Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, a group founded to demand the trial of war criminals from the Bangladesh Liberation War.[10] During his time with the committee, he contributed writings supporting the Liberation War and opposing figures like Delwar Hossain Sayeedi.[11] However, he later distanced himself from the organization.[12][13][14][15]

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina following an uprising, he was appointed as an adviser to the interim government on 8 August 2024.[16][17]

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In 2012, Nazrul was directed to appear before the High Court after a petition was filed, alleging that his remarks made during a televised talk show had incited undemocratic forces.[18]

In 2013, his office at the University of Dhaka was reportedly set on fire with kerosene. In May of the same year, he received a death threat via telephone, which was linked to his criticism of the Sheikh Hasina administration.[19]

In 2017, Faruk Khan filed a defamation case against him in the Madaripur District Court, citing statements perceived as defamatory toward his cousin Shajahan Khan, who was the minister of shipping at the time.[20][21][22]

On 7 November 2024, legal adviser to the interim government, Asif Nazrul, was harassed at Geneva Airport, Switzerland by individuals chanting political slogans.[23][24]

The incident received widespread criticism from political and civil society figures. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman denounced it as an attack on state dignity.[25] Mohammed Kamrul Islam, Labour Counsellor in Geneva, was recalled for failing to act during the episode.[26][27]

Criticism

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In 2024, journalist Ilyas Hossain claimed that he was an Indian spy and a secret agent of India's intelligence agency R&AW.[28] Asif Nazrul countered by calling this claim false.[29] Asif Mahmud also opposed this claim.[30] Elias also claimed that after becoming an advisor, he became the owner of Tk 1,000 crore, which he claimed Asif Nazrul himself would not admit.[31] In February 2025, Elias shared a screenshot of a Facebook post by Asif Nazrul from 2014, commenting that Asif Nazrul is a person who has evil connection with everyone.[32] On 8 May 2025, in response to the government's decision to knowingly let former president Mohammad Abdul Hamid leave the country before putting him on trial for the July massacre, Sarjis Alam said that, former President Abdul Hamid fled the country, which is a major failure of the government, and the government's chief advisor Mohammad Yunus and Asif Nazrul should be held accountable.[33] In response to this incident, Asif Nazrul told a media outlet on the night of May 8, 2025, that there is a possibility of banning the Awami League or its affiliates.[34][35] In December 2024, Simin Rahman of Transcom Group was accused by his younger sister of embezzling her deceased father's shares through non-judicial stamp fraud.[36][37][38] On 18 May 2025, Elias Hossain's YouTube investigative report program called Fifteen Minutes was shown, stating that Simin Rahman was unethically assisted by Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman and Daily Star's Mahfuz Anam in this matter, and Asif Nazrul dismissed the case without investigation due to his good relations with them.[39][40]

Personal life

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Nazrul married television and film actress Rokeya Prachy in May 2004.[41] They have a daughter together. They divorced in 2013.[42] Nazrul remarried, to Shila Ahmed (daughter of writer Humayun Ahmed), and they have a daughter together.[43]

Selected bibliography

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Nonfictions

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  • ১/১১ সুশাসন বিতর্ক (lit. '1/11 Good Governance Debate') ISBN 9847010501858
  • আওয়ামী লীগের শাসনকাল (lit. 'Ruling years of Awami League') ISBN 9789849078630

Fictions

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  • Nishiddha Kayekjan (Forbidden Few)
  • Campuser Jubak (Youth at the Campus)
  • Akrosh (Wrath)
  • Pap (Sin)
  • Udhao (Lost)
  • Anya Alor Din (Days of other light)
  • Dakhal (Control)
  • Anyapaksha (The Other Side)
  • Tader Ekti Rat (One Night of Theirs)
  • Chonya (Touch)
  • Asamptir Galpa (Tale of Incompletion)
  • Bekar Diner Prem (Love at the Time of Unemployment)
  • Aboydho Aster Utsho (Source of illegal arms)
  • Ami Abu Bokor[44]

References

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  1. ^ "'নোভা শীলা বলতো বাবা আসিফ নজরুলকে হারিয়ে ভর্তা বানিয়ে দাও'". poriborton.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b Islam, Nazrul; Martinez, Isabel (2001). Environmental Law in Developing Countries: Selected Issues. IUCN. p. xi. ISBN 978-2-8317-0625-2.
  3. ^ "Asif Nazrul starts office at secretariat". The Daily Observer. 10 August 2024. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Remitters will get VIP service at the airport: Expat adviser". The Business Standard. 24 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Poll journey starts as search committee for Election Commission formed: Adviser Asif Nazrul". The Business Standard. 29 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Asif Nazrul". Prothom Alo. 9 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Dr Asif Nazrul to head Law Ministry". Daily Sun. 9 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Who are the 16 advisors to Bangladesh's new interim government?". Bdnews24.com. 9 August 2024.
  9. ^ "List of Advisory Council Members". The Daily Star. 10 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Asif Nazrul's 34-year-old writing about war criminal Sayedee goes viral". Somoy News. 15 August 2023.
  11. ^ "War trial not to be 'motivated'". The Daily Star. 17 April 2010.
  12. ^ "Asif Nazrul's 34-year old writing about war criminal Sayedee goes viral". Somoy News. 15 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Who are the 16 advisors to Bangladesh's new interim government?". bdnews24.com. 9 August 2024.
  14. ^ "War trial not to be 'motivated'". The Daily Star. 17 April 2010.
  15. ^ "Asif Nazrul: Attacks on court premises unacceptable". Dhaka Tribune. 28 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Asif Nazrul seeks apology for price hike of essentials". The Asian Age. Bangladesh. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Read the profiles of the advisors to the interim government". The Business Standard. 8 August 2024.
  18. ^ আসিফ নজরুলকে হাইকোর্টে তলব. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Asif Nazrul warned to shun talk-show or be killed". New Age. 25 May 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  20. ^ ড. আসিফ নজরুলের বিরদ্ধে মাদারীপুরে মানহানির মামলা. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 23 November 2017. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  21. ^ আসিফ নজরুলের বিরুদ্ধে নৌমন্ত্রীর ভাইয়ের মামলা. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  22. ^ লস্কর নিয়োগ নিয়ে ফেইসবুক পোস্ট: হাই কোর্ট থেকে জামিনে আসিফ নজরুল. bdnews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  23. ^ "Switzerland airport video sparks outrage". Daily Inqilab. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  24. ^ "সুইজারল্যান্ডে উপদেষ্টা আসিফ নজরুলের ভিডিও নিয়ে যা জানা গেল". Channel 24. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Switzerland airport protest against adviser condemned by BNP". Kaler Kantho. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  26. ^ "Labour Counsellor recalled after Asif Nazrul's harassment". Jugantor. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Geneva airport incident condemned widely". Ittefaq. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  28. ^ "আসিফ নজরুলকে নিয়ে সাংবাদিক ইলিয়াসের যত অভিযোগ | ETV NEWS | Ekushey TV". Ekushey Television official YouTube page. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  29. ^ "ইলিয়াস হোসেনের বক্তব্য নিয়ে আসিফ নজরুলের প্রতিক্রিয়া". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 30 November 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  30. ^ "আসিফ নজরুলকে 'র' এজেন্ট বলার প্রতিক্রিয়ায় যা বললেন আসিফ মাহমুদ". Jugantor (in Bengali). 30 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  31. ^ "আসিফ নজরুল বর্তমানে এক হাজার কোটি টাকার মালিক: ইলিয়াস হোসাইন". 20 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  32. ^ জনকণ্ঠ, দৈনিক. "সবার সাথে খাতির রাখা আসিফ নজরুল: ইলিয়াস হোসাইন". দৈনিক জনকণ্ঠ || Daily Janakantha. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  33. ^ "৯ মাস পরে আব্দুল হামিদ দেশ ছেড়েছেন, এটা সরকারের বড় ব্যর্থতা : সারজিস". www.kalerkantho.com. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  34. ^ "আওয়ামী লীগ বা তার কোনো সহযোগী সংগঠন নিষিদ্ধ হতে পারে: আসিফ নজরুল". Independent Television (in Bengali). 8 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  35. ^ "নিষিদ্ধ হতে পারে আওয়ামী লীগ, সম্ভাবনার কথা বললেন আসিফ নজরুল". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 8 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  36. ^ https://www.banglanews24.com/national/news/bd/1435990.details
  37. ^ https://www.daily-sun.com/post/780815
  38. ^ https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/rjsc-papers-doctored-with-fake-stamps
  39. ^ https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/national/news/799054
  40. ^ https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=qwYa7_ExnrBkF0Mo&v=N4LuENYYAzc&feature=youtu.be
  41. ^ Shilpi Mahalanabish (20 May 2004). "Prachy: Elegance personified". The Daily Star. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  42. ^ আসিফ নজরুল-শীলার বিয়ে নিয়ে ফেইসবুকে ঝড়. bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 25 December 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  43. ^ সন্তান এলো আসিফ নজরুল -শীলার ঘরে. NTV (in Bengali). 9 May 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  44. ^ Mohammad, Alamgir (23 March 2024). "পর্যালোচনা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ভয়াবহ চিত্র : আসিফ নজরুলের `আমি আবু বকর'". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
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