Tofail Ahmed was one of the prominent figures deeply intertwined with Bangladesh’s transformative political history. A luminous presence during the country’s Liberation War and post-independence politics, he passed away on Monday, concluding a long and distinguished political life.
Born on 4 December 1943 in Koralya village, Bhola, Tofail began his political journey in the 1960s through student politics. After completing his higher secondary studies at Barishal Brojomohon College, he enrolled at Dhaka University.
His political acumen and eloquence quickly propelled him to the top leadership of the Student League.
From 1967 to 1969, he served as vice president of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) and coordinated the All-Party Student Action Committee, leading the 1969 mass uprising—a landmark event in Bangladesh’s history.
In the historic 1970 general election, Tofail was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of Awami League—which now faces a ban on political activities—marking the start of his parliamentary career.
During the 1971 Liberation War, he played a crucial role, coordinating with the provisional government to mobilise freedom fighters against the Pakistani armed forces. Under the supervision of Indian Army Major General Sujan Singh Uban, he helped form the Bangladesh Liberation Force (BLF) in Dehradun, which quickly became known as the “Mujib Bahini”. He served as one of the four regional commanders of this elite guerrilla unit.
After independence, Tofail devoted himself to nation-building as a close aide of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, serving as political secretary to the prime minister in 1972. Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975, he was arrested by the military government and imprisoned for an extended period. Upon release, he led efforts to restore democracy and reorganise Awami League.
He played a key role in mobilising protests against the Ershad government during the 1980s and remained a senior policymaker in the party. As a member of the Awami League Presidium, he consistently provided strong leadership during critical periods.
During the 2007 military-backed caretaker government, Tofail Ahmed and other senior leaders proposed party reforms, which created distance between him and Sheikh Hasina—who has been staying in India since her ouster as prime minister by a mass uprising in August 2024. Consequently, Tofail was not included in the 2009 Awami League cabinet but later served as commerce minister in 2014.
Elected from multiple constituencies in Bhola over various terms, he also served as minister of commerce and industries in two Awami League governments.
