In a swift disciplinary action, Jamaat-e-Islami has removed Md Ismail from his position as the president of the Chandgaon Thana unit in Chattogram after an internal investigation verified allegations of an extramarital affair involving an expatriate’s divorced wife.
Professor Jashim Uddin has been appointed to succeed Ismail as the new president of the Chandgaon Thana unit.
Video footage obtained by local media outlets shows Nazrul Islam, the Amir of Chattogram Metropolitan Jamaat-e-Islami, formally announcing Ismail’s discharge during a party gathering. Confirming the organizational reshuffle, Lutfar Rahman, Organizational Secretary of the Chattogram city unit, stated that Ismail had been relieved of his duties and Professor Jashim Uddin was assigned the role. However, he declined to elaborate further on the internal proceedings.
The controversy originates from an incident in 2023, when a woman hailing from the Kalaujan area of Lohagara Upazila secured a job as a doctor’s assistant at the International Islamic University Chittagong Healthcare (IIUCH). According to reports, the job was obtained through Ismail’s direct recommendation, after which the woman received unusually rapid promotions within the medical institution.
Family members of the woman’s ex-husband revealed that evidence of an unauthorized personal relationship between Ismail and the woman came to light last year. Consequently, her expatriate husband issued a formal divorce on 18 December 2024.
Following widespread discussions and complaints regarding the affair, Jamaat-e-Islami initiated an internal probe led by Principal Khairul Bashar, a member of the Chattogram Metropolitan Working Council. The enquiry committee conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations and submitted its final report to the party leadership on Monday. Based on the findings confirming the misconduct, party executives decided on Wednesday to remove Ismail from office and appoint Professor Jashim Uddin in his place.
Acknowledging his new appointment, Professor Jashim Uddin confirmed that he was asked on Wednesday to assume leadership of the Chandgaon Thana unit, though he noted that he was not informed of the specific circumstances surrounding Ismail’s removal. Attempts to contact Md Ismail via telephone for his comments were unsuccessful as he did not answer the calls.
