Abu Jafar Mohammad Nasir Uddin

Abu Jahed Mohammad Nasir Uddin (born 1 January 1957) is a Bangladeshi politician who is a former mayor of Chittagong. He is a member of the Awami League. He has been accused of playing a key role in the July massacre in Chittagong, carried out under Sheikh Hasina's administration. He was a pupil at Kadam Mubarak Primary. He completed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in 1973 from Government Muslim High School and his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) at Chittagong College.

Career Nasir became active in politics in the early 1980s, serving as the president of the Chittagong College Chhatra League in 1977. During this time, he also held the position of cultural secretary for the city Chhatra League. He went on to become the general secretary of the city Chhatra League in 1980 and 1982, and was appointed as the vice-president of the central committee of the Bangladesh Chhatra League in 1983 and 1985.

On 24 January 1993, an Awami League rally led by Sheikh Hasina at Laldighi Maidan, Chittagong, took place. A case was filed by Sufian Siddique, Bangladesh Chattra League leader, against 28, including Uddin, alleging they had attacked him there. Bangladesh Police submitted the charge sheet in the case on 7 March 1993. Uddin was acquitted in the case on 23 July 2015.

Uddin submitted his nomination form to contest the mayoral election in Chittagong on 31 March 2015. He won election on 30 April 2015, defeating the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate, Mohammad Manjur Alam. The BNP called the vote rigged and boycotted it. A voter was threatened with three years imprisonment by a polling agent of Uddin saying that his vote had already been cast. In 2017, Uddin traded barbs with former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

After Nasir's term as mayor of Chittagong ended in 2020 he did not receive a nomination from Awami League for the future election. He blamed it on a "conspiracy". The Awami League nominated Rezaul Karim Chowdhury for mayor.

Controversies Nasir has been accused of being a patron of criminals in Chittagong. His influence extended beyond Chittagong to adjoining districts, and no committee of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, or other associate organizations could be formed without his consent.

For more than a decade, these BCL factions controlled various aspects of student life on campus, with two factions tied to former Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, while the remaining groups reportedly aligned with Nasir. After the Student–People's uprising on 5 August, many faction leaders were said to have left the campus, which had long been marred by incidents including the intimidation of students who voiced dissent, influencing hiring decisions, vandalizing the vice chancellor's office, and instances of student-led kidnappings of shuttle train drivers, reportedly at least 40 times. Besides, it is alleged that Nasir Uddin's endorsements enabled some of his followers, even those without student status, to secure BCL committee positions.

Vote rigging In 2015, Uddin was elected mayor of Chittagong, defeating then-incumbent Mayor Manjur Alam in a controversial election. It is alleged that Nasir's associate, former MP Nizam Uddin Hazari from Feni, deployed groups of armed enforcers to influence the election and engage in vote rigging. By noon on election day, Manjur Alam had publicly announced his decision to boycott the election due to these irregularities.

Arbitrary authority Following A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury's death in 2017, A.J.M. Nasir Uddin reportedly gained sole control of the Chittagong Awami League, establishing his own faction and intensifying internal conflicts within the organization. On 28 October 2019, he forced Hasina Mohiuddin, the wife of the former mayor of Chittagong, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, off the stage at a program of the Awami League. On 20 June 2024, Nasir engaged in a heated confrontation with Rezaul Karim, the immediate past mayor and joint secretary of the Awami League, during the party council. Rezaul Karim accused Nasir of unilaterally forming ward, thana, and unit committees, claiming that he did not select leaders based on their dedication to the party.

Nasir has also served as general secretary of the Chattogram District Sports Association (CDSA) for over a decade, first winning the role in 2011 by defeating then-general secretary Hafizur Rahman and later being re-elected uncontested for three additional terms, as no one challenged him to avoid conflict. Furthermore, he faces allegations of forgery in his pursuit of a position within the Chattogram Cooperative Housing Society, where he held the presidency for three consecutive terms before his elder brother, Saifuddin, succeeded him. During his tenure at this association, which comprises approximately 4,500 members, he has been accused of facilitating various advantages, including land transactions and admission trade at the Ankur Society School.

Involvement in the Student–People's uprising During the Student–People's uprising, Uddin's armed associates allegedly played a prominent role. On 16 July in Muradpur and on 4 August in the Chandgaon area, associates Mohammad Firoz and Esrarul Haque were reported to have fired on protesters, and images of Firoz with a firearm were circulated in the media. These incidents led to both being named in at least five related cases. Firoz, previously identified as a Chhatra Shibir operative and arrested twice with firearms, began aligning himself with the Jubo League by 2014–15, displaying billboards with Uddin and former Chhatra League leader Didarul Alam. His ties to Uddin's faction remain strong. Councillor Esrarul Haque, similarly close to Uddin, is also alleged to have led a youth gang in the Chandgaon area and remains listed by police as a suspected gang leader.