We know the great public leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani more in the political context. But we don't know much about his educational mindset. The main reason is the systematic ignorance of Maulana Bhashani in our text books , where the biography of this great person is unattached. As a result, the desire to know Maulana Bhashani is not born among the student's mind corner.
It's true, the political ups and downs will happen, but the ideology of Bhashani will climb as a hot topic in a national discussion. An example of my statement , we have seen after the uprising of the student's movement. Bhashani's ideology has resurfaced among the younger generation. Because he was not limited to being a political leader but also an educationist, social reformer, newspaper editor, writer, and Islamic scholar.
In a word, the political history of our subcontinent is incomplete without Maulana Bhashani, and in the absence of his educational formula , the current education system of the country has turned into a factory of unemployment. In today's article, I will present some thoughts about Maulana Bhashani's construction of various educational institutions and his educational ideology for the far spread of qualified education.
Maulana Bhashani built many educational institutions during his lifetime. Writer MA Azad Sobhani Al Bhashani in one of his articles divided the educational institutions built by Bhashani into three categories. a) Assam phase; b) Mahipur phase; c) Santosh phase. Maulana Bhashani established about 32 educational institutions in Hamidabad, Assam. Which includes Hamidabad Higher Secondary School established in 1941, Hamidabad Junior College, Hamidabad College, Madrasa, Maktab, and Orphanage, including various educational institutions.
In personal life , Maulana Bhashani married Alema Khatun, who is the daughter of Mahipur's landlord. So she inherited a lot of land and property from the landlord's father. With the help of his wife, Maulana Bhashani established various educational institutions in the area. In 1964, he established the "HaqqulEbad Mission." He established hostels, Fazlul Haque Hospital, and Chittaranjan Academy for the students of this mission.
He also established Haji Mohsin College and Allahma Iqbal College. After independence, Haji Mohsin College came to be known as "Mohipur Haji Mohsin Govt College." Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani established the most educational institutions in Santosh, Tangail. He wanted the students to learn and practice all the qualities needed to be established as ideal human beings with physical and mental capabilities.
And this education will start at the primary level and end by completing higher education. For this purpose, he presented an idea about the structure of the Islamic University. He divided the entire educational structure into four stages. a) Children's Educational Institutions (Nursery to Class VIII). b) secondary educational institutions (up to 9th to 10th standard). c) Preparatory Center for Higher Education. d) Higher Education Center.
In 1974, he established Islami University Children's School, Pir Shahzaman Children's Hostel, Rabeya Basri Hostel, Islami University Talimat Quran and Sunnah, and Shah Nasiruddin Bogdadi Hostel to implement his plan. In 1975, he established Islami University Boys High School, Shah Enayetullah Hostel, Islami University Girls High School, Islami University Technical College, Hasan Basri Hostel, Islami University Index Art School, and other institutions.
Later on, he established the Islamic University Shanti Press, the Islamic World University Agricultural Fisheries Park Project, the Islamic University Consumables Supply Cooperative Society, the Islamic University Central Cooperative Society, Durbar Hall, Mosque, Musafirkhana, etc.
My honorable teacher , Syed Irfanul Bari, was the private secretary of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. I sometimes take direction from him for my Bhashani research relevant practice . He always tells me one thing: read more about Bhashani . Then the multidimensional thinking and qualities of this great person obviously will amaze you.
Maulana Bhashani was not limited only as a political leader. He thought for the spread of quality education along with the practice of religious values. He also urged people to have ideal religious qualities. My teacher, Syed Irfanul Bari, compiled the direct discourses of Maulana Bhashani under the title "Islamic Universities: Philosophy and Structure.".
In this compilation, Maulana Bhashani mentions five characteristics of a university. a) The technical education of the studying students will be compulsory. b) A certain level of physical training will be compulsory for the students. c) The students will be taught the basic teachings of religion in a scientific manner and must practice them. d) Everything except kerosene oil and salt will be produced by the students on the university premises for themselves. e) Every student should do 4-5 weeks of manual labor in a village or industrial area during academic years.
Maulana Bhashani dreamed that the Islamic University could truly become a university, where all people regardless of sect would get full opportunity to acquire knowledge. Along with that, subject-wise, experts will be appreciated. For example, the pioneer sociologist Ibn Khaldun's name is associated with the Academy of Sociology; the name of the great Manishi Tolstoy with the Academy of Art and Literature; the name of Dr. PrathitayasaJnanataps with the Academy of Bengali Language and Culture; and the name of the famous scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose with the Academy of Biology will always be associated.
Maulana Bhashani wrote letters to various people to implement the university during his lifetime but did not get the expected response. Basically, they did not have the will to understand Maulana Bhashani's thinking power. But it is true that during every government, the person blessed with the companionship of Maulana Bhashani was in power. They never took the initiative to realize this dream of Bhashani.
Although everyone hopes that the "Islamic University" that Maulana Bhashani has demolished will be fully formed as a university, when the Islamic University is officially established in Kushtia, Bhashani lovers are saddened. However, Bhashani lovers continued to make continuous efforts without giving up. Finally, the university saw the light in a different guise under a different name.
Though Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University is not totally reflected by the ideology of Bhashani, the constitution of the university brings the context of Islamic University. It's a bit of a pain reliever for Bhashani's followers.
Bulbul Khan Mahbub, one of the poets and valiant freedom fighters of the 1960s, highlighted some facts in one of his articles. The Islamic University founded by Santosh Maulana Bhashani is established from which point of view and in response to which necessity, different ideas are formed. Some people think that it is desirable to establish the university based on the thought of its founder, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani; otherwise, all such strange and contradictory opinions will be expressed.
Again, orthodox sectarian groups think; here perhaps communal thought and bigotry will be nurtured and turned into Mahamiruh. On the other hand, a group of progressive skeptics think that this is a big version of the madrasahs of the present age. Basically ignorance about Maulana Bhashani's entire philosophy of life and his thought is the cause of this misconception.
We want Bhashani's academic ideology to be taken into account by the present government. I personally consider Bhashani's education structure as a contemporary ideal for improving the quality of the current education system of the country as a result of doing research on Bhashani's educational ideology. Because as a result of this education structure, the country's unemployment rate will come down to zero. It is our hope that the concerned authorities should prioritize Maulana Bhashani's educational mindset in the current education system to open new doors of education.
The writer is a student researcher of "Bhashani'sStudies" in Mawlana Bhashani Research Centre and also a campus journalist of "Daily Ittefaq" in Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University
