Mosharraf Hossain (Jessore politician)

Mosharraf was assassinated by a gang of unknown armed operatives on 3 February 1974. He was gunned down to death at his residence while talking with two political associates who were seriously injured. JSD organized nationwide protests in response.

Mosharraf Hossain went on to participate in the 1973 Bangladeshi general election as a JSD candidate in the (now defunct) Jessore 9 constituency but lost to Raushan Ali of Awami League. His personal safety became precarious amid an increasingly violent political struggle between Awami League and JSD, plus other left-wing insurgents. Soon he was arrested by the Rakkhi Bahini, a paramilitary force formed by the Bangladesh government to curb the insurgency. He was released on bail after two months.

Though Mosharraf was a central committee member of Awami League, his political differences with the party leadership grew over time. This led to his eventual departure from the party and his resignation from the Constituent Assembly in 1972. He then became the founding vice-president of the newly formed opposition party Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (abbr. JSD or JASAD or 'জাসদ') and also the president of Jessore district JSD.

During the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, Pakistan’s military government brought several charges against Mosharraf for his activities against the state. Though he evaded capture during Operation Searchlight, his house in Jessore city was raided and later seized by the Pakistan army to be used as a camp. At the very early stage of the war, when the Indian government was hesitant to get involved, he met Indian leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, requesting equipment and initiating support for the refugees. The Pakistan army announced a reward for the capture of Mosharraf, dead or alive.

He was elected as a Member of the Provincial Assembly of East Pakistan in the 1970 election, and was a Member of the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh from April 1971 to September 1972. In 1972, he resigned from the Constituent Assembly, left the ruling party Awami League, and joined the left-wing party Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (abbr. JSD or JASAD or 'জাসদ') as one of its founding vice presidents.

Afterwards, he returned back to Jessore city and continued developing his political career in East Pakistan with Awami League. An avid political supporter of Sheikh Mujib's Six point movement and 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising, Advocate Mosharraf won in the 1970 Pakistani provincial election from Jessore. He became a member of the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh in 1971.

After finishing his law degree from Ripon College (under the University of Calcutta) Mosharraf made a brief foray into politics in West Bengal. In the Legislative Assembly Election of West Bengal in 1951/52, he contested in the Bangaon constituency as an independent candidate against Jibon Ratan Dhar of the Indian National Congress and Ajit Kumar Ganguly of the Communist Party of India.

Mosharraf Hossain (Bengali: মোশাররফ হোসেন, 7 March 1925 – 3 February 1974) was a politician and lawyer from Jessore (also spelt Jashore, Bengali: যশোর), Bangladesh. He was actively involved in the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan and the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.