Tajuddin Ahmad

Tajuddin Ahmad(1925 - November 3, 1975) Was a Bangladeshi lawyer, politician, and the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Tajuddin Ahmed was born in 1925 at village Dardaria in Kapasia thana of Gazipur District. He obtained Matriculation in 1942, I.A in 1948, and B.A (Hons) in Economics from Dhaka University in 1953. He obtained a law degree in 1964. He was the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh from April 11, 1971 until January 13, 1972. While Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the charismatic leader of the Bengali movement, Ahmed was the thinker, the organizer, and the planner. He was Mujib's friend and comrade of arms for more than thirty years, his companion in politics and comrade in struggle until their relationship deteriorated after the liberation of Bangladesh.

On the night of March 25, 1971 the Pakistani Army attacked the civilian Bengalis in what was then East Pakistan. The leader of Awami League, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was arrested and taken to West Pakistan. The independence of Bangladesh was declared and the liberation war started. On April 17, in a mango orchard of Meherpur, the government of Bangladesh was sworn in with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the president, Nazrul Islam as the acting president in the absence of Sheikh Mujib and Tajuddin as its prime minister. The government kept functioning from Kolkata, India until Bangladesh became independent on December 16, 1971. In liberated Bangladesh, Tajuddin became the victim of Awami League's infighting and lost Mujib's trust, despite the fact that he led the country and the war in exile in Mujib's name. Shortly after Mujib was released from prison in January 1972, he forced Ahmad to resign as prime minister and appointed himself to that position. Sheikh Mujib was assassinated in a military coup in August 1975. Many of his main aides including Tajuddin and Nazrul Islam were arrested. On 3 November 1975, Tajuddin Ahmed and Nazrul Islam were assassinated in the prison with two other colleagues.