Former Jamaat Assistant Secretary Barrister Abdur Razzak passes away

Former Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Eminent jurist of the Supreme Court, Barrister Abdur Razzak, is no more (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun). He breathed his last at 4:10 pm on Sunday while undergoing treatment at Ibn Sina Hospital in Dhanmondi.He was 75.

He was admitted to the hospital on April 19 as he was suffering from cancer.

Barrister Razzaq, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, has left behind his wife, two sons and a daughter, and a host of admirers to mourn his death, Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, a junior lawyer to Barrister Razzaq, told.

He said the janaza prayer will be held at the SC premises around 11:00am tomorrow.

The senior advocate, who was a former assistant secretary general Jamaat-e-Islami, was the chief defence counsel at the International Crimes Tribunal until the end of 2013, when he left Dhaka for London. He resigned from his position as Jamaat's assistant secretary general from London on February 15, 2019. He returned home on December 26 last year after 11 years, Advocate Shishir Manir told The Daily Star.

Barrister Razzaq was an expert on constitutional, civil, criminal, commercial and international law. He had defended former Jamaat leaders Ghulam Azam, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, and Abdul Quader Mollah before the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh during the trial proceedings of the cases filed in connection with the crimes against humanity and war crimes in 1971.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has expressed profound grief at the death of the senior lawyer. In a condolence message, the chief justice extended heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family members and stated that the demise of Barrister Razzaq is an irreparable loss to the legal community of Bangladesh. The nation has lost a distinguished jurist, he remarked.

On behalf of the judiciary of Bangladesh, Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed paid his respects to the departed soul and mourned his untimely death, an SC press release said.

Barrister Abdur Razzaq was born in 1949 in Shekhlal village of Beanibazar upazila in Sylhet. After obtaining his Barrister-at-Law degree from Lincoln's Inn, London, he returned to Bangladesh in 1986 and joined the legal profession. Due to his exceptional expertise in constitutional and criminal law, he earned wide recognition both at home and abroad, according to the press release.

Jamaat Ameer's Condolences

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and Secretary General and former MP Professor Mia Golam Parwar have expressed deep grief over the demise of Barrister Abdur Razzak, former Central Executive Council member of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, former Assistant Secretary General and senior lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court.

Educated with a BA (Hons) and MA, Razzaq was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 1980. He honed his skills under luminaries like Sir Michael Havers, Q.C., and Lord Peter Rawlinson, QC, in London, practicing in England’s superior courts from 1982 to 1985.

Returning to Bangladesh in 1986, he enrolled as an Advocate, rising to Senior Advocate in 2002. His practice, based at The Law Counsel in Dhaka and later Legis Chambers in London, covered constitutional, commercial, labour, telecommunications, and Sharia banking law. Chambers Asia (2016) lauded him as a “highly regarded and established practitioner” with “deep understanding of public law.”

Razzaq’s constitutional law practice was transformative. He successfully challenged repressive laws, including the Public Safety Act (Afzalul Abedin vs Government of Bangladesh, 8 BLC 601) and the Contempt of Courts Ordinance (M. Shamsul Huq vs Bangladesh, 15 BLC 236), both struck down by the Supreme Court. His landmark cases, such as the Ekushey Television Case (54 DLR (AD) 130), exposed corruption in telecommunications licensing, while his defence of citizenship rights (Ghulam Azam vs Bangladesh, 46 DLR (AD) 192) and freedom of movement (Delwar Hossain Sayedee vs Bangladesh, 16 BLC (AD) 1) set enduring precedents. Razzaq also played a pivotal role in defending the 13th Amendment, introducing Bangladesh’s Caretaker Government system (M Saleem Ullah vs Bangladesh, 57 DLR 171).

In commercial law, Razzaq’s expertise in Sharia-compliant banking was ground-breaking. He represented Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. in a case recognizing Sharia financing (Alco Hygienic Products vs Islami Bank, 47 DLR 264) and advised major banks on tax exemptions and conversions to Islamic banking. His work with the National Board of Revenue and international clients, including Korean Exchange Bank (Korean Exchange Bank vs Gemini Garments, 56 DLR 392), showcased his mastery of complex trade disputes.

As Chief Defence Counsel at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (2011–2013), Razzaq shaped international criminal law jurisprudence, representing figures like Abdul Quader Mollah (Abdul Quader Mollah vs Chief Prosecutor, 66 DLR (AD) 289). Geoffrey Robertson QC praised his “capable and courageous” defence.

Razzaq also advised telecom giants like Dhabi Group and VimpelCom, and led anti-corruption efforts as Senior Partner of The Law Counsel, a TRACE Partner Firm.

Beyond the courtroom, Razzaq was a prolific scholar, authoring works like The Tribunals in Bangladesh (Cambridge University Press, 2015) and presenting globally on democracy, human rights, and Islamic law. As Chairman of the Institute of Research and Development and Secretary General of the Centre for Human Rights in Dhaka, he championed social justice.