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Abul Kashem

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Mohammad Abul Kashem
মোহাম্মদ আবুল কাশেম
File:Principal abul kashem.jpg
BornJune 28, 1920
Chittagong District, Bengal,British India
DiedMarch 11, 1991
Dhaka, Bangladesh
SpouseRahela Kashem & Momtaz Kashem

Mohammad Abul Kashem (Bengali: মোহাম্মদ আবুল কাশেম, widely known as Principal Abul Kashem, 28 June 1920 - 11 March 1991) is generally considered as a pioneer and the architect of the historic Language Movement of Bangladesh. He was also a politician, author and an eminent educationist.[1][2]

Early life

Principal Abul Kashem was born on June 28, 1920 at a village Cheebandy-Barama under Chandanaish Upazila of district of Chittagong.[3] In 1939, Principal Abul Kashem obtained his Matriculation Examination from Boroma Trahi Menka High School with first class and Government district scholarship. He passed Isc from Chittagong government Collage in 1941 with first class. From Dhaka University, he obtained Bachelors of Science (honors) in Physics in 1944 and Masters of Science degree in Physics in 1945. He acquired his Master’s thesis under the supervisor of the famous mathematician and physicist Satyendra Nath Bose[4] [5]

Involvement in Language Movement

File:Principal abul kashem 3.jpg
Principal Abul Kashem, 1952,Taken during Bengali Language Movement.

Principal Abul Kashem was associated with the literary and cultural activities of Bangladesh for five decades. He contributed in the movement for recognition of Bengali as one of the state languages of Pakistan soon after the independence of Pakistan in 1947. On September 1, 1947 he founded the Pakistan Tamaddun Majlish as a non-political cultural organization to mobilize students, intellectuals and the people in general for the Bengali language. On September 15, 1947 he published a booklet entitled, Pakistaner Rashtra Bhasha: Bangla Na Urdu? (Pakistan’s state language: Bengali or Urdu?) demanding introduction of Bengali as one of the state language of whole Pakistan.[6] This booklet also strongly advocated for Bengali as the medium of education, court language and for its use in the offices in East Pakistan. Also his untiring efforts let to the formation of the first Rashtrabhasa Sangram Parishad (State Language Committee of Action) on October 1, 1947 with Nurul Huq Bhuiyan as the convener and he himself as the treasurer. On December 6, 1947, a meeting was held under the president-ship of Principal Abul Kashem in Dhaka University campus which protested the resolution of the education week held in Karachi suggesting Urdu as the state language and the lingua franca of Pakistan. A protest procession was brought out from the meeting, which met Khawaja Nazimuddin, the provincial Chief Minister, and other ministers. Khawaja Nazimuddin gave a written assurance to the Action Committee that he would do the needful to introduce Bengali as one of the state language of Pakistan. Principal Abul Kashem actively participated in organizing a countrywide strike on March 11, 1948, to press for the language demand. As the outcome of the strike, on the eve of the impending visit of Mohammad Ali Jinnah (the founder of Pakistan) to Dhaka, the then Provincial Government had no other alternative but to sign an agreement with the action committee on March 15, 1948 for introducing Bengali as one of the state language of Pakistan.[7] [8]

Career

Principal Abul Kashem began his career as a lecturer in the Physics department at the Dhaka University in 1946. As a lecturer, he was the first person who delivered lectures in the Bengali at the Dhaka University. He held his lecturer position until 1953.[9]

Principal Abul Kashem was actively associated with politics. He was co-founders of the Khilafat-e-Rabbani Party in 1952. He was a member of the provincial assembly as a United Front nominee in 1954 from the Patia-Boalkhali constituency in Chittagong.[10] While a member of the Legislative Assembly, he moved a resolution for introduction of Bengali as the medium of education at all levels. On September 30, 1956, he proposed Bangla as the state-language and it was approved unanimously and thus, Bengali received constitutional recognition as one of the State language of Pakistan.[11] He founded the weekly Sainik in 1948, which acted as a mouth piece of historic Language Movement.

He felt the need of introducing Bangla as medium of higher education in colleges and universities. With his dream, he established the Bangla College at Mirpur, Dhaka in 1962 and served the college as Principal till 1981. He was the forerunner in introducing textbooks in Bangla for higher education and contributed much in initiating the Bangla version of the question papers for higher education.[9]

Principal Abul Kashem, 1987, After receiving Ekushey Padak.

A prolific writer, Principal Abul Kashem authored nearly 100 books including textbooks on science for postgraduate student and on education, Islam, culture and politics. These include 40 textbooks on physics and other science subjects for collage and University levels. Some of his well-know books are- Ekush daffer Rupaon, Pakistan er Rastrobhasha Bangla Na Urdu?, Ghoshona, Bibartanbad, Duti Prosno, Songothon, Islami rastroneeti, Shristi Tatta O Allahr Astitta, Biggan Samaj O Darmo, Quranic Orthoniti, Biggan Bastubad O Allahr Astitta, Islam Science & Modern Theory, Universal Ideology in the Light of Modern Thought, and Sreni Sangram.[12]

Principal Abul Kashem receive a number of national and social awards which includes Independence Day Award in 1993, Ekushey Padak in 1987, Bangla Academy Award (for his book Biggan Somaj O Dhormo) in 1982, Islamic foundation Award in 1988, Pakistan Writers guild award in 1964 etc. He was accorded a national reception in Dhaka in 1989 which was attended by eminent scholars and litterateurs of Bangladesh and India. In 2007, Dhaka City Corporation named the former Darussalam Road of Mirpur 1 as Bhasha Sainik Principal Abul Kashem Road for his contribution to historic Language Movement.[13]

Principal Abul Kashem died at the Suhrawardy Hospital in Dhaka, Monday, March 11, 1991.

References

  1. ^ "Principal Abul Kashem's Death Anniversary Today". The Bangladesh Observer. March 11, 2005.
  2. ^ Ahmad, Quazi Azizuddin (1991). Principal Abul Kashem Sharok Grantho: A commemorative book on Principal Abul Kashem. Chittagong: Principal Abul Kashem Shreti Parishod.
  3. ^ the daily Ittefaq report, “Principal Abul Kashemer intekal”. The Daily Ittefaq, March 12, 1991.
  4. ^ Ahmad, Quazi Azizuddin (1991). Principal Abul Kashem Sharok Grantho: A commemorative book on Principal Abul Kashem. Chittagong: Principal Abul Kashem Shreti Parishod.
  5. ^ Mahmud, Akif bin, Principal Abul Kashem: Matrivashake gire je full bekoseto. The Weekly Bangla Patrika, Friday March 24, 2006
  6. ^ Mukul, M.R. Aktar, Vhasa Andoloner jinni suchona kore chilan. Daily Bangla , March 10, 1993
  7. ^ Ahmad, Quazi Azizuddin (1991). Principal Abul Kashem Sharok Grantho: A commemorative book on Principal Abul Kashem. Chittagong: Principal Abul Kashem Shreti Parishod.
  8. ^ Mahmud, Akif bin, Principal Abul Kashem: Matrivashake gire je full bekoseto. The Weekly Bangla Patrika, Friday March 24, 2006
  9. ^ a b "Death anniversary of Principal Abul Kashem today". The New Nation. March 11, 2005.
  10. ^ Ahmad, Quazi Azizuddin (1991). Principal Abul Kashem Sharok Grantho: A commemorative book on Principal abul Kashem. Chittagong: Principal Abul Kashem Shreti Parishod.
  11. ^ Ahmad, Quazi Azizuddin (1991). Principal Abul Kashem Sharok Grantho: A commemorative book on Principal Abul Kashem. Chittagong: Principal Abul Kashem Shreti Parishod.
  12. ^ Mahmud, Akif Bin, Vasha Andolon O Principal Abul Kashem. the Daily Dinkal, February 21, 2006.
  13. ^ Mahmud, Akif, Dui Banglar Shudijoner drestite Principal Abul Kashem. Weekly Thikana, June 30, 2006


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