Mirza Ghulam Hafiz
Encyclopedia
Mirza Ghulam Hafiz was a prominent statesman, politician, and philanthropist
in Bangladesh
.
Born in Ponchagarh, North Bengal
in 1920, Mirza Ghulam Hafiz was educated at the University of Dhaka
and University of Calcutta
. By 1948, when he first became interested in government resistance and politics, he had graduated with a B.LL and M.S. in Economics,as well as a law degree.
Hafiz was an active organizer of the Language Movement
on two separate occasions—in 1952 and again in 1954—and was jailed both times. In 1954, he was elected to the Provincial Assembly
in Bengal
as a representative of the Ponchagarh district. He would serve in government positions until Bangladesh's independence in 1971, a revolution
in which he was personally involved (as an honorary colonel in the Bengal Rifles State Guard).
In 1972, Hafiz was elected to the new parliament of Bangladesh and was appointed the Minister of Land Management. From 1978 to 1982, he served as the Speaker of the Parliament until the coup that assassinated the President, Ziaur Rahman
. After the demolition of the autocratic government of Hossain Mohammad Ershad
, he was reelected to the parliament in 1991. Under the BNP
, he was appointed the Minister of Law and Justice. He retired from politics in 1995.
Hafiz's wife, Dr. Abeda Hafiz, is notable in her own right. In 1962, she became one of the first Bengali women to be granted a Ph.D.
Together, Mirza Ghulam and Abeda Hafiz founded three schools, two colleges (one of them is in Mirzanagar, at Nayerhat, Savar thana), two madrassahs (religious academies), a library, and several mosques throughout the nation. They were also known for their active participation in NGOs (non-government organizations) and donations to charity. The Mirza family also founded Eastern Momtaz Plaza, the first modern air-conditioned shopping mall in Bangladesh.
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
Born in Ponchagarh, North 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...
in 1920, Mirza Ghulam Hafiz was educated at the University of 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...
and University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. By 1948, when he first became interested in government resistance and politics, he had graduated with a B.LL and M.S. in Economics,as well as a law degree.
Hafiz was an active organizer of the Language Movement
Language Movement
The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement , was a political effort in Bangladesh , advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan...
on two separate occasions—in 1952 and again in 1954—and was jailed both times. In 1954, he was elected to the Provincial Assembly
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in 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...
as a representative of the Ponchagarh district. He would serve in government positions until Bangladesh's independence in 1971, a revolution
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in which he was personally involved (as an honorary colonel in the Bengal Rifles State Guard).
In 1972, Hafiz was elected to the new parliament of Bangladesh and was appointed the Minister of Land Management. From 1978 to 1982, he served as the Speaker of the Parliament until the coup that assassinated the President, Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
. After the demolition of the autocratic government of Hossain Mohammad Ershad
Hossain Mohammad Ershad
Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad is a Bangladeshi politician who was President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990. Previously, he was Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army and then Chief Martial Law Administrator in 1982....
, he was reelected to the parliament in 1991. Under the BNP
Bangladesh Nationalist Party
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party , commonly referred to as the BNP, is the mainstream center-right political party in Bangladesh. BNP ruled Bangladesh total 18 years since her independence, the longest than any other party in Bangladesh...
, he was appointed the Minister of Law and Justice. He retired from politics in 1995.
Hafiz's wife, Dr. Abeda Hafiz, is notable in her own right. In 1962, she became one of the first Bengali women to be granted a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
Together, Mirza Ghulam and Abeda Hafiz founded three schools, two colleges (one of them is in Mirzanagar, at Nayerhat, Savar thana), two madrassahs (religious academies), a library, and several mosques throughout the nation. They were also known for their active participation in NGOs (non-government organizations) and donations to charity. The Mirza family also founded Eastern Momtaz Plaza, the first modern air-conditioned shopping mall in Bangladesh.