Attorney General Mahbubey Alam loses battle to Covid-19 at 71

Mahbubey Alam, the longest serving attorney general of Bangladesh, has passed away at a hospital in Dhaka, nearly four weeks after he was diagnosed with the deadly Covid-19.

The 71 year old died undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) at 7:25pm Sunday, said his son Sumon Mahbub, in a post on Facebook.

President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Law Minister Anisul Huq, and other cabinet members, mourned his death in separate statements, among many others, saying his passing is an irreparable loss to the country’s law sector.

Mahbubey Alam has been the state’s chief legal officer for 11 years, since January 13, 2009. He was also chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council, in a position reserved for the attorney general.

He was admitted to the CMH in Dhaka on September 4 after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

He was first moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the morning of September 18, after his pulse rate increased. Two days later, his family said he was improving.

But on September 22, he was moved to the ICU again after his health condition worsened drastically.

The former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, who has been practicing law at the High Court since 1975, has left behind his wife, journalist son Sumon Mahbub, and lawyer daughter Shishir Kona, apart from many relatives and well wishers.

Mahbubey Alam represented the state on a good number of major cases before the Supreme Court, including the Bangabandhu assassination case, and cases concerning the constitution’s fifth, seventh and 13th amendments.

He also led the state in multiple 1971 war crimes cases, specially those against Abdul Quader Molla, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, and Motiur Rahman Nizami.

As the chief state lawyer, with many other important cases under his belt, Mahbubey Alam also led the prosecution in the BDR mutiny case and the case over the 16th constitutional amendment.

President Hamid and Prime Minister Hasina, in their statements on Sunday, remembered his contributions in these cases and in establishing the rule of law.

The president said: “Mahbubey Alam has shown extraordinary skill in conducting the Bangabandhu murder cases and the cases of crimes against humanity. He was a frontline fighter in establishing the rule of law. ”

The prime minister said the nation will always recall his contribution to the country’s legal arena.

Hasina also said that Mahbubey played an efficient role in dealing with many important national legal matters as an eminent lawyer. “He always devoted himself to the legal profession and justice which will be remembered forever with due respect.”

SCBA President AM Aminuddin also expressed deep shock, saying: “He was my senior. I am completely speechless.”

A glorious life

Mahbubey Alam was born on February 17, 1949, in the village of Mouchhamandra, in Munshiganj’s Lauhajang upazila. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and Masters of Arts in public administration from Dhaka University in 1968 and 1969, respectively. He earned his LLB degree from the same university in 1972. 

He was enrolled as an advocate with the Bangladesh Bar Council in 1973 and was subsequently awarded permission to practice in the High Court Division in January, 1975.

In due course, he became member of the Dhaka Bar Association and SCBA. He got himself enrolled as an advocate of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in 1980.

In 1998, as a mark of recognition for his outstanding professional performance, he was enrolled as a senior advocate of the Supreme Court. 

Mahbubey Alam held the office of the additional attorney general from November 15, 1998, to October 4, 2001.

He served as elected secretary for the 1993-1994 term and president for the 2005-2006 term of the SCBA.

He also served as an elected member of the Bangladesh Bar Council for the 2004-2007 term, before becoming chairman as the attorney general in January 2009.