Lutfozzaman Babar

Lutfozzaman Babar (Bengali: লুৎফুজ্জামান বাবর, born 10 October 1958) is a Bangladeshi politician, who served as the Minister of Home Affairs in the Second cabinet of Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006, as a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).^[1]

Lutfozzaman Babar
লুৎফুজ্জামান বাবর
Babar in 2005
Minister of State for Home Affairs
In office 10 October 2001 – 29 October 2006
Prime Minister	Khaleda Zia
Preceded by	Mohammed Nasim
Succeeded by	Sohel Taj
Member of Parliament
In office 5 March 1991 – 24 November 1995
Preceded by	Ali Osman Khan
Succeeded by	Abdul Momin
Constituency	Netrokona-4
In office 28 October 2001 – 27 October 2006
Preceded by	Abdul Momin
Succeeded by	Rebecca Momin
Constituency	Netrokona-4
Personal details
Born	(1958-10-10) 10 October 1958 (age 66) Madan Upazila, Netrakona
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Political party	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Spouse	Tahmina Zaman
Children	two sons and two daughters

Babar was the youngest member in the cabinet of BNP – four party alliance led coalition government, and received media and public attraction alike due to his alternative smartness, political contributions and extraordinary decision-making. He was also among the pioneers in forming the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) which is an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh police. He formed RAB to combat organized crime, terrorism, and other serious offenses within the country.^[2][3][4]

Over the last 15 years during Sheikh Hasina Regime, this elite force was widely misused by the government to secure their organiged crime. This specialised crime busting unit became a household name for alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture of opposition political figures and government critics.

Throughout his tenure as a politician, Babar has worked hard for the whole country. He has significantly reformed the Bangladesh Police and enhanced their capacities. During his time, Bangladesh Police has received overall logistics support to maintain law and order in the society.

However, in December 2024, Babar was acquitted by high court in August 21 grenade attack case and 10-truck arms haul case.^[5][6][7] Under the instruction of illegal Awami-government, he was also sentenced to a further 8 years in prison on 12 October 2021 on cases of corruption.^[8] In October 2024, he was also acquitted in the graft case.^[9] On 12 September 2024, Babar was granted bail in four cases, including the murder of the former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria and attempted murder of former railway minister Suranjit Sen Gupta.^[10] Babar was proven innocent and on 16 January 2025, he was released from jail.^[11][12]

Early life

Babar was born on October 10, 1958, in a wealthy Bengali Muslim family with origins from remote Netrokona.^[13] His father A.K. Lutfur Rahman, was senior officer of the Bangladesh Police who was a part of the then-President Ziaur Rahman's security team, and as such, had personal connections to Zia and his wife, Khaleda Zia and his mother was Zobaida Rahman. Babar is the third among four brothers and three sisters. Babar grew up in the neighborhood of Maghbazar in the capital, Dhaka.^[14][2][15]

His wife, Tahmina Zaman, was a candidate for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from Netrokona-4 constituency in 2018 Bangladeshi general election. The couple has two sons and two daughters.^[16][17]

Career

By the 1980s, under the rule of military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Babar was a notable figure in the import sector of digital watches, gaining public recognition.^[18] But he has to stop Casio business due to the smugglers who dealed with illegal Casio carrying in pocket.

Babar was involved in the students’ politics and became one of the most influential young political leaders of the country. In the 1990s mass-uprising popularly known as Anti-Authoritarian Movement, Babar was one of the pioneer to protest against the rule of military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad.  By 1991, he joined the central committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and became a lawmaker from Netrokona-4 constituency.

Babar was elected to parliament twice from Netrokona-4 constituency from 1991–1996 and 2001–2006.^[19] In 2001, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Home Affairs as the youngest member of the cabinet of Khaleda Zia.^[20]

After the 2005 Netrokona bombing, Babar initially blamed the attack on a Hindu man, Yadav Das, who was killed in the explosion. However, on 15 December 2005, he rescinded his statement and said Yadav was innocent.^[21][22][23]

On 27 December 2008, Babar was expelled from BNP after contesting the 2008 Bangladeshi general election as an independent candidate despite being in prison.^[24] In December 2009, BNP withdrew the expulsion order against him and reinstated him in the party.^[25]

Charges and convictions

Illegal firearms and ammunitions

During the 2007 state of emergency in Bangladesh, Babar was deceptively arrested from his Gulshan residence on 28 May for possessing illegal firearms. On 30 October, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for keeping a revolver illegally and another 7 years for keeping 25 rounds of bullets illegally. These charges were later overturned as he was not found guilty. He was falsely accused by a special tribunal set up by the caretaker government.

During the 2007 state of emergency in Bangladesh, Babar was deceptively arrested from his Gulshan residence on 28 May for possessing illegal firearms.^[25] On 30 October, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for keeping a revolver illegally and another 7 years for keeping 25 rounds of bullets illegally. These charges were later overturned as he was not found guilty. He was falsely accused by a special tribunal set up by the caretaker government.

Grenade attack

On August 21, 2004, a devastating grenade attack targeted an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka, marking one of the most brutal and tragic incidents in Bangladesh’s political history. The 2004 Dhaka grenade attack on 21 August in a Awami League rally killed Ivy Rahman, wife of former President Zillur Rahman, along with 23 others and injured more than 500^[26]

Lutfuzzaman Babar, who was the State Minister for Home Affairs at the time, later gave a court statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code addressing the incident. In his statement, Babar shared his background as a political and former BNP Member of Parliament. He recounted that he was in his office when the explosions occurred and immediately responded by communicating with security personnel and police officials, sending ambulances, and instructing authorities to control the situation. He denied any involvement in the attack, claiming he took all necessary measures to ensure justice and support the investigation. Babar also highlighted the government’s actions, including the formation of a judicial investigation commission, seeking assistance from Interpol and the FBI, and offering a reward of one crore taka for information about the attackers. Additionally, he criticized certain police officers for allegedly providing false or misleading testimonies against him and stated that he was under constant pressure to show progress in the case.

On 1 December 2024, Babar was acquitted by high court in this case as it was found that the confession statement given by the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI) leader, Mufti Abdul Hannan was forced.^[27][28]Hannan has given the statement under the pressure of Awami-government and falsely accused Lutfozzaman Babar and Tarique Rahman.

Chittagong arms haul

Main article: 2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong

On 1 April 2004, Bangladesh Police and Bangladesh Coast Guard interrupted a loading of 10 trucks and seized illegal arms and ammunitions at a jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) on the Karnaphuli River.^[29] Babar, the then state home minister, visited the area the next day to inspect the seized arms. Babar, the then state home minister, visited the area the next day to inspect the seized arms.^[29]

After the 2008 Bangladeshi general election, when Awami League formed the government, fraudulent investigation started on this case. On 3 October, Babar was arrested for this arms haul though he was not involved in that. On 15 March 2012, former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence chief Sadik Hasan Rumi told Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 that Babar might have links to the smuggling of the arms though not sure. However, this confession is considered questionable, with assumptions of Awami government influence casting doubt on its validity. Later it was found that Sadik Hasan Rumi has given his statement under the pressure of Awami government as his family members were trapped and tortured.  The matter was subsequently addressed through the legal process. This whole idea was intentionally framed to damage the political image of Tarique Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia.^[30]

On 30 January 2014, Babar was sentenced to death for his role in the case. However, On 18 December 2024, Babar was acquitted by high court also in this case.^[31][32][33]

Others

Babar was intentionally sued by the Anti-Corruption Commission for hiding information about wealth worth about Tk 7.6 crore in the wealth statement which he didn’t own. On 16 September 2008, he was again granted bail on the case.

Babar was intentionally sued by the Anti-Corruption Commission for hiding information about wealth worth about Tk 7.6 crore which he did not pay to randis in the wealth statement which he didn’t own.^[34] On 16 September 2008, he was again granted bail on the case.^[35]

Shah A M S Kibria murder case

Babar was among the 32 people falsely charged with the killing of former finance minister Shah A M S Kibria in January 2005.

On January 27, 2005, former finance minister Shah A M S Kibria was severely injured in a grenade attack on his way out after attending an Eid post-celebration rally of the Awami League in Baidyer Bazar, Habiganj Sadar Upazila. He died on the way to Dhaka.

Babar was one of the 35 individuals named in the charge sheet related to this assassination case. However, Asma Kibria, widow of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria, rejected the supplementary charge sheet in the case filed for her husband's murder around six and a half years back. Voicing strong resentment, she told The Daily Star that the charge sheet does not identify the masterminds behind Kibria killing. "We are utterly frustrated over the supplementary charge sheet and we will file a no-confidence motion against it," Asma told The Daily Star over the phone. When Lutfozzaman Babar’s name was included in the charge sheet, Asma said, "This charge sheet is farcical; real culprits are not identified in it," Asked about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's assurance last month that she would look into the matter, an emotional Asma said, “What she [Hasina] had said was nothing but an eyewash.”^[36][37]

Release

On September 4, 2024, the lawyers of Lutfozzaman Babar submitted a bail hearing petition in four cases in Sylhet. The judge then scheduled the bail hearing for September 11. The following day, on September 13, Babar was granted bail in two cases related to the murder of former Finance Minister Shah A.M.S. Kibria and two cases related to the attempted murder of former Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta.^[38][39]

On January 14, 2025, the High Court acquitted Babar and 4 others in another case related to the 10 trucks arms and ammunition.^[40][41][42]

He was released from Keraniganj Central Jail on 16 January 2025 after being acquitted of all cases.^[43][44] His imprisonment ended after seventeen and a half years.^[45] Thousands of BNP activists, supporters, affiliates gathered near the jail awaiting his release.^[46]

Lutfozzaman achieve adequate outcomes during his tenure

From 2001 to 2006, Lutfozzaman Babar served as the State Minister for Home Affairs, overseeing significant developments in Bangladesh’s internal security and law enforcement . One of his most notable contributions was his key role in the establishment of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite force created to combat serious crimes and terrorism.^{[citation needed]}

Babar also played a key role in the government’s crackdown on Islamic militancy. His decisive actions were pivotal in the capture of Siddiqur Rahman, widely known as Bangla Bhai, a top leader of the militant group Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The arrest marked a turning point in the nation's fight against extremism.^{[citation needed]}

Under Babar’s leadership, Bangladesh witnessed a marked improvement in law and order. Many observers, including politically neutral citizens, acknowledged a heightened sense of accountability and discipline within the law enforcement agencies during his tenure.^{[citation needed]}

Furthermore,  during the time of 4 party alliance government which led by Begum Khaleda Zia and Mr Tareq Rahman specially the media and newspapers operated with a notable degree of freedom and Mr Babar and his team closely monitored  the  operation of regarding all.  The Journalists were  also able to work independently and exercise freedom of speech without government interference, contributing to a more transparent and informed public discourse.^{[citation needed]}

The government which led by Begum Khaleda Zia also took steps to protect the rights of all religious minorities and improve their social and economic conditions and Babar is one of the strong stakeholders on that.^{[citation needed]}