Manzurul Islam Effendi

Manzurul Islam Effendi (born 15 November 1968) is a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, educator, and politician. He is currently serving as the secretary general of the Islamist political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh. He previously held the position of assistant secretary general in the Islamic advocacy group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and served in the same capacity for Qawmi Madrasa Education Board (Befaq).

Beyond politics, Effendi is a prominent academic figure. He serves as the director general and chief hadith lecturer (Shaykh al-Hadith) of Jamia Islamia Islambag Madrasa, the imam and khatib of Islambag Boro Masjid, the senior vice president of Jatiya Imam Samaj, and the chief patron of Jamia Islamia Riyazia Madrasa.

Early life and education Effendi was born on 15 November 1968 into a prominent Bengali Muslim family in Dhanipara, located in the Sonaroy Union of Domar Upazila, Nilphamari District. His father, Rashidul Hasan, served as the chairman of the Sonaroy Union Parishad. His grandfather, Ehsanul Haque Effendi, was a prominent scholar and a direct disciple of the eminent Indian Islamic thinker Husain Ahmad Madani. His mother is Shahida Begum.

Effendi began his primary Islamic education at the age of six, learning the Quran under Safiullah, the Imam of his family mosque. By the age of eight, he had successfully memorized the entire Quran (Hifz). In 1980, he enrolled at Darul Uloom Al-Hossainia Olama Bazar Madrasa under the supervision of Abdul Halim, where he studied up to the intermediate level (Kafiya). To pursue higher secondary Islamic studies, he moved to Dhaka in 1988 and enrolled at Jamia Hussainia Islamia Arzabad Madrasa in Mirpur, studying under the guidance of Shamsuddin Kasemi until he completed the Mishkat (graduation) level.

For higher theological studies, Effendi traveled to India in 1993 and gained admission to the prestigious Darul Uloom Deoband. There, he completed his Dawra-e-Hadith (master's in Islamic theology and Hadith studies). Spiritually, he pledged allegiance to the former amir of Hefazat-e-Islam, Shah Ahmad Shafi, and eventually received Khilafat (spiritual deputyship) from him.

Career Effendi with Muhammad Sajidur Rahman at the State Guest House Jamuna.

Political involvement Effendi has been deeply involved in politics since his student years, initially starting his political journey with Chhatra Jamiat, the student wing of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh.

Following the death of the party's secretary general, Nur Hossain Kasemi, on 13 December 2020, Effendi was appointed as the acting secretary general. A year later, on 23 December 2021, he was officially elected as the permanent secretary general at the party's national council. In addition to his political roles, he was elected assistant secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh on 15 November 2020 during the organization's central conference.

On 15 April 2021, Effendi was arrested by law enforcement in connection with multiple cases related to the 2013 Shapla Square protests. Following several months of legal proceedings, he was granted bail and released from prison on 17 August 2021.

Ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced an electoral consensus, allocating four parliamentary seats to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh. As part of this alliance, Effendi is scheduled to contest the election from the Nilphamari-1 (Domar-Dimla) constituency.