A. K. Fazlul Huq
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the cricket ground in Dhaka Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium
Sher-e-Bangla (Urdu phrase meaning 'The Tiger of Bengal') Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq (Bangla
:আবুল কাসেম ফজলুল হক) (26 October, 1873—27 April, 1962) was a well-known Bengal
i statesman in the first half of the 20th century. He held different political posts including those of the Mayor of Calcutta (1935), Chief Minister of undivided Bengal
(1937–1943) and East Bengal
(1954), Home Minister of Pakistan
(1955) and Governor of East Pakistan
(1956–58).
in 1890 and the FA Examination in 1892. He then obtained a BA
degree (with triple Honours in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics) from Presidency College
and an MA
on Mathematics from Calcutta University. His formal education was completed with a BL degree in 1897 from the University Law College. He was the second Muslim in the Indian subcontinent
to obtain a law degree.
. It was in 1935 that, with the Congress' support, he was chosen and elected first muslim mayor of Calcutta. Afterward he became Chief Minister (also called Premier) of undivided Bengal
(1937-1943) and of East Bengal
(1954) with his political party, the Krishak Praja Party. In 1955, Home Minister of Pakistan
and, from 1956 to 1958, Governor of East Pakistan
. He drafted and moved the Lahore Resolution
of 1940 that established Muslim League
's demand for a homeland for Muslims, that ultimately resulted in the nation of Pakistan
. He was buried in Dhaka
.
, Eliot hostel, Tyler Hostel, Medical College hostel, Engineering College hostel, Muslim Institute Building, Dhaka Eden Girls' College
Building, Fazlul Huq College at Chakhar, Fazlul Huq Hall (Dhaka University),Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU)Dhaka-1207 , Bulbul Music Academy and Central Women’s’ College. Sher-e-Bangla also had significant contribution for founding the leading university of Bangladesh- Dhaka University. During his premiership Bangla Academy
was founded and Bnagla New Year’s Day (Pohela Baishakh
) was declared public holiday. Throughout Bangladesh, various educational institutions (e.g. Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College), roads, neighborhoods (Sher-e-Bangla Nagor), and stadiums (Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium
) have been named after him. This depicts the respect of the people for Sher-e-Bangla. Fazlul Huq's only son, A. K. Faezul Huq
, was a Bangladeshi politician.
Sher-e-Bangla (Urdu phrase meaning 'The Tiger of Bengal') Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq (Bangla
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
:আবুল কাসেম ফজলুল হক) (26 October, 1873—27 April, 1962) was a well-known Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
i statesman in the first half of the 20th century. He held different political posts including those of the Mayor of Calcutta (1935), Chief Minister of undivided Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
(1937–1943) and East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
(1954), Home Minister of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
(1955) and Governor of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
(1956–58).
Early life
Huq was born to Kazi Muhammad Wajed, from Chakhar, and his wife Saidunnissa Khatun, in his mother's town of Saturia in Jhalakathi district (present day Bangladesh). He passed the Entrance examinationEntrance examination
An entrance examination is an examination that many educational institutions use to select students for admission. These exams may be administered at any level of education, from primary to higher education, although they are more common at higher levels....
in 1890 and the FA Examination in 1892. He then obtained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree (with triple Honours in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics) from Presidency College
Presidency College, Kolkata
Presidency University, Kolkata, formerly Hindu College and Presidency College, is a unitary, state aided university, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. and one of the premier institutes of learning of liberal arts and sciences in India. In 2002 it was ranked number one by the weekly news magazine...
and an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
on Mathematics from Calcutta University. His formal education was completed with a BL degree in 1897 from the University Law College. He was the second Muslim in the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
to obtain a law degree.
Political career
After alienation from the Congress party where he served as its General Secretary in 1916-1918, it was up to the Muslims to nominate a mayor in CalcuttaKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. It was in 1935 that, with the Congress' support, he was chosen and elected first muslim mayor of Calcutta. Afterward he became Chief Minister (also called Premier) of undivided Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
(1937-1943) and of East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
(1954) with his political party, the Krishak Praja Party. In 1955, Home Minister of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and, from 1956 to 1958, Governor of East Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. He drafted and moved the Lahore Resolution
Lahore Resolution
The Lahore Resolution , commonly known as the Pakistan Resolution , was a formal political statement adopted by the Muslim League at the occasion of its three-day general session on 22–24 March 1940 that called for greater Muslim autonomy in British India...
of 1940 that established Muslim League
Muslim League
The All-India Muslim League,, was founded by the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference at Dhaka , in 1906, in the context of the circumstances that were generated over the partition of Bengal in 1905...
's demand for a homeland for Muslims, that ultimately resulted in the nation of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. He was buried in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
.
Legacy
Sher-e-Bangla founded several educational and technical institutions for the Bengali Muslims, including: Kolkata Islamia College, Baker hostel, Carmichael hostel, Lady Braw Bourne College, Adina Fazlul Huq College in RajshahiRajshahi
The city of Rajshahi is the divisional headquarters of Rajshahi division as well as the administrative district that bears its name and is one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often referred to as Silk City and Education City, Rajshahi is located in the north-west of the country and...
, Eliot hostel, Tyler Hostel, Medical College hostel, Engineering College hostel, Muslim Institute Building, Dhaka Eden Girls' College
Eden Girls' College
Eden Girls' College , generally called Eden College , is a women's college in Azimpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1873 in the Farashganj area of Dhaka. The college moved to its present premises in 1963.-External links:...
Building, Fazlul Huq College at Chakhar, Fazlul Huq Hall (Dhaka University),Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU)Dhaka-1207 , Bulbul Music Academy and Central Women’s’ College. Sher-e-Bangla also had significant contribution for founding the leading university of Bangladesh- Dhaka University. During his premiership Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
was founded and Bnagla New Year’s Day (Pohela Baishakh
Pohela Baishakh
Bengali New Year or Poyela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, and in Bengali communities in Assam and Tripura...
) was declared public holiday. Throughout Bangladesh, various educational institutions (e.g. Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College), roads, neighborhoods (Sher-e-Bangla Nagor), and stadiums (Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium
Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium
-External links:* - List of Fixtures to be played at Sher e Bangla National Stadium.* - an article on the recent reconstruction of the ground....
) have been named after him. This depicts the respect of the people for Sher-e-Bangla. Fazlul Huq's only son, A. K. Faezul Huq
A. K. Faezul Huq
A. K. Faezul Huq was a Bangladeshi politician, lawyer, and columnist. Huq served as a member of parliament on three occasions, and held various ministerial portfolios including Public Works, Urban Development, Jute, and Textiles since the independence of Bangladesh...
, was a Bangladeshi politician.