U Razak
Encyclopedia
U Razak was a Burmese politician and an educationalist. He was a cabinet minister
in Aung San
's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along with six other cabinet ministers. July 19th is commemorated each year as Martyrs' Day in Myanmar. Razak was Minister of Education and National Planning, and was chairman of the Burma Muslim Congress
.
Abdul Razak was born in Meiktila
, Upper Burma
, on 20 January 1898 to Sheik Abdul Rahman, an Indian
police inspector and a Burmese Buddhist woman Nyein Hla. While his brothers and sisters chose to be Buddhists, he maintained the Muslim name Razak, in honor of his father. Although nominally Muslim, Razak was a secularist who deeply loved Burma and encouraged unity in diversity. He studied at the Wesleyan School
in Mandalay, and continued his studies at the Rangoon College, earning a B.A. degree in English
. Throughout his school years, Razak was involved in athletics.
In 1920, Razak was a leader in organizing the first Burmese student boycott
to the British colonial education system. In 1921, he became headmaster of Mandalay National High School
. Razak's natural charisma was effective in persuading the Mandalayans. Mandalay, where he taught, was a center of Burmese Buddhist faith and culture. Yet Razak, of ethnic Indian-Burmese origin, was fully accepted by the community. When Japan
invaded Burma in World War II
, he was imprisoned.
In 1945, Abdul Razak was named chairman of the Mandalay branch of Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
(AFPFL) and was elected a Member of Parliament
to represent Mandalay. He was Minister
of Education and National Planning in Aung San
's cabinet. He died on 19 July 1947 together with six other cabinet members.
Razak initiated calls for unity between Burmese Muslim
s and Buddhists. He was a Muslim, but maintained ties to Buddhism, educating himself on Pali
, the sacred script of Theravada Buddhism, and helped found the Mandalay College (modern Mandalay University). Razak fathered three children.
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
in Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....
's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along with six other cabinet ministers. July 19th is commemorated each year as Martyrs' Day in Myanmar. Razak was Minister of Education and National Planning, and was chairman of the Burma Muslim Congress
Burma Muslim Congress
The Burma Muslim Congress , was founded almost at the same time as the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League of General Aung San and U Nu before World War II. On 25 December 1945 in Pyin Mana, U Razak was elected the President of BMC and decided to join AFPFL. U Razak was elected AFPFL President in...
.
Abdul Razak was born in Meiktila
Meiktila
Meiktila is a city in central Myanmar, located on the banks of Lake Meiktila in Mandalay Division, at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air...
, Upper Burma
Upper Burma
Upper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
, on 20 January 1898 to Sheik Abdul Rahman, an Indian
Burmese Indians
Burmese Indians are a group of people of Indian subcontinental ethnicity who live in Myanmar . While Indians have lived in Burma for many centuries, most of the ancestors of the current Burmese Indian community emigrated to Burma from the start of British rule in the mid 19th century to the...
police inspector and a Burmese Buddhist woman Nyein Hla. While his brothers and sisters chose to be Buddhists, he maintained the Muslim name Razak, in honor of his father. Although nominally Muslim, Razak was a secularist who deeply loved Burma and encouraged unity in diversity. He studied at the Wesleyan School
Wesleyan School
Wesleyan School is an independent K-12 school located 20 miles north of Atlanta in the suburb of Peachtree Corners. It was founded in 1963 and has existed on its current grounds since 1996. The school includes grades K-12 with a total student body of 1122 for the 2010-2011 school year...
in Mandalay, and continued his studies at the Rangoon College, earning a B.A. degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Throughout his school years, Razak was involved in athletics.
In 1920, Razak was a leader in organizing the first Burmese student boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
to the British colonial education system. In 1921, he became headmaster of Mandalay National High School
Mandalay National High School
Britain made Burma a province of India in 1886 with the capital at Rangoon. While the Burmese economy grew, all the power and wealth remained in the hands of several British firms and migrants from India...
. Razak's natural charisma was effective in persuading the Mandalayans. Mandalay, where he taught, was a center of Burmese Buddhist faith and culture. Yet Razak, of ethnic Indian-Burmese origin, was fully accepted by the community. When Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
invaded Burma in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was imprisoned.
In 1945, Abdul Razak was named chairman of the Mandalay branch of Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
The Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League , or hpa hsa pa la by its Burmese acronym, was the main political party in Burma from 1945 until 1962...
(AFPFL) and was elected a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to represent Mandalay. He was Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Education and National Planning in Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....
's cabinet. He died on 19 July 1947 together with six other cabinet members.
Razak initiated calls for unity between Burmese Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Buddhists. He was a Muslim, but maintained ties to Buddhism, educating himself on Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
, the sacred script of Theravada Buddhism, and helped found the Mandalay College (modern Mandalay University). Razak fathered three children.