Delwar Hossain Sayeedi (2 February 1940 – 14 August 2023) was a Bangladeshi Islamic leader, politician and scholar who served as a Member of Parliament representing the Pirojpur-1 constituency from 1996 to 2006. Before entering politics, Sayeedi was known for delivering Islamic lectures at various Waz Mahfils across the country to large audiences.
Due to his role as a mufassir, Sayeedi received praise from the Saudi Arabian Chief Imam Sheikh Sudais, the President of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.
In 2013, the newly established International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh found him guilty of eight out of twenty charges, including murder and religious persecution. Various human rights groups stated that the tribunal fell short of international standards, and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami stated that the hearings were biased against Sayeedi's party. The verdict, which sentenced him to death, generated significant domestic and international attention, leading to both support and criticism. The verdict subsequently led to public protests, riots, and clashes between his supporters, opponents, and law enforcement agencies.
In September 2014, the Supreme Court commuted his sentence to life imprisonment.
Sayeedi died on 14 August 2023 at the age of 83 following cardiac arrest.
Sayeedi received his first primary religious education at his local village madrasah built by his father. Sayeedi attended the Sarsina Alia Madrasah in 1962, followed by the Khulna Alia Madrasah. Sayeedi and his family fled to Jessore seeking safety and stayed at the house of a pir for about two weeks from around 1 April 1971. After that, the Sayeedi family took refuge in Mohiron village, Bagharpara, Jessore, at the house of Roushan Ali.
Before entering politics, Sayeedi earned widespread recognition for his Islamic lectures, which he delivered at numerous waz mahfils (religious gatherings) across the country. These events consistently drew large audiences.
Sayeedi joined Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in 1979. He became a Rukon of Jamaat in 1982 and a Shura member of Majlis in 1989. In 1996, he became a member of the executive council of Jamaat. He served as Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami from 2009 until his death.
Having gained recognition, Sayeedi was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Pirojpur-1 constituency in the June 1996 and 2001 general elections. Following the 2001 election, his opponent filed a lawsuit against him for electoral fraud. In 2003, the court ruled in favour of the opponent, and the High Court effectively unseated him by nullifying his election. The court found that he had failed to submit the source of his election expenses and had violated campaign rules. Sayeedi appealed to the Supreme Court and obtained a stay order, allowing him to remain a Member of Parliament until the end of the government's tenure.
On 22 March 2012, the Bangladesh government established the International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) to hear cases resulting from investigations into war crimes committed during the struggle for independence. It was an effort to "provide justice for victims of atrocities in the 1971 war of independence." In the lead-up to the hearing, Sayeedi's eldest son and mother died, and he suffered a heart attack. This delayed his trial by a month in 2012.
Sayeedi was accused of involvement in numerous crimes, including the killing of more than 50 individuals, arson, rape, looting, and the coercion of Hindus to convert to Islam.
On 24 July 2009, immigration officials at Zia International Airport prevented Sayeedi from travelling abroad. He challenged the government's actions by filing a petition with the High Court on 27 July. The Appellate Division upheld the travel ban on 12 August, hours after the High Court declared the government's refusal to allow him to board an overseas flight illegal. The Attorney General stated before the Chamber Judge that Sayeedi had opposed the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. He argued that if Sayeedi was not barred from foreign travel, he might work against the government's efforts to bring justice for war crimes during that conflict.
On 21 March 2010, Syed Rejaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of the Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, filed a case accusing Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and five other Jamaat leaders of hurting religious sentiment. He was subsequently arrested.
On 12 August 2009, Manik Poshari filed a case in Pirojpur against Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and four others. His accusations related to events during the 1971 Bangladeshi War of Independence.
Mahbubul Alam Howladar, a former pro-independence fighter and currently a member and deputy commander of the pro-independence fighters association called Zianagor Upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad, filed charges against Sayeedi with the Pirojpur senior judicial magistrate's court in Zianagar.
Sayeedi's war crimes trial began on 20 November 2011 at the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh. The tribunal charged him with twenty counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and arson, during the War of Independence. Some of the charges were:
Passing secret information on the gathering of people behind the Madhya Masimpur bus stand to the Pakistan Army, and leading the Army there, where 20 unnamed people were shot and killed.
The abduction and killing of government officials (deputy magistrate – Saif Mizanur Rahman, sub-divisional police officer – Foyezur Rahman Ahmed, and sub-divisional officer – Abdur Razzak) of Pirojpur.