Kazi Zafar Ahmed

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Kazi Zafar Ahmed (1 July 1939 – 27 August 2015) was a Bangladeshi politician who led the country as Prime Minister from 12 August 1989 to 6 December 1990 under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

Early life and education
He was born in Chauddagram, Comilla. He studied history at the University of Dhaka and was active in student politics from a young age. He joined the East Pakistan Students’ Union and became involved with leftist and Maoist groups in the 1960s. He supported the Mujibnagar government during the 1971 war of independence.

Political career
After independence, Zafar Ahmed joined the National Awami Party and later formed the United Peoples’ Party (UPP) in 1974. He held several government positions under Ershad, including Minister of Commerce, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of Education. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister (1988–1989) and Leader of the House (1989–1990). In August 1989 he became Prime Minister, a post he held until December 1990.

Later life and controversies
After Ershad resigned, he fled to India. He became known as “Sugar Zafar” for his alleged involvement in a sugar shipment theft. He criticized Ershad’s 1997 alliance with the Awami League and formed his own faction of the Jatiya Party. He was imprisoned in 1999 on corruption charges related to funds misused for an orphanage and later lived in Australia for a time, where he sought asylum.

Return to politics and death
Back in Bangladesh, he remained active in politics and at times allied with the BNP-led coalitions. He contested the 2008 general election from Comilla. Zafar Ahmed died on 27 August 2015 in Dhaka. He was married to Momtaz Begum and had three daughters: Kazi Joya Ahmed, Kazi Sonia Ahmed, and Kazi Rona Ahmed.