Tuesday | 14 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Tuesday | 14 January 2025 | Epaper

Prof Mafizul Islam was an enlightened man

Published : Saturday, 14 December, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1594
Nazrul Islam Dulal
An enlightened man named Professor Mafizul Islam (1926-1991). He was Member of Parliament (MP) from Cumilla's Burichang-Brahmanpara constituency in 1979. Apart from being a politician, he is also a lawyer, educationist, author-researcher and philanthropist. He is a bright star in the political arena of Bangladesh. Born in 1926 in Bakshimul village of Cumilla's Burichang Upazila in a noble Muslim family, the proud father's name is Md. Bande Ali and mother Atrunnesa. The independent and courageous politician's father was a government employee and mother a religious housewife. Prof. Mafizul Islam obtained SSC from Yusuf Bahumukhi Technical High School in 1943 and HSC from Brahmanbaria College in 1945 and secured 85th rank in merit list in undivided India. After passing BA (Pass) from Dhaka University in 1947, he obtained first rank in Political Science in 1955 and Law in 1962 in first class from the same university.

During his time as a Member of Parliament, he wrote a book titled 'Soviet Russia, Afganistan Facts and Fiction' and it was widely discussed. Among his other books are 'Degree Functional English." Advanced Essay', 'Principles of Commercial English'. 'Fundamentals of Political English' 'Basic Economics', 'Commercial Correspondence', International law made Easy.' Standard Functional English'. Soviet Union: Health System etc. Every book written by him is rich in information and appreciated by the readers. This famous talented politician and educationist of the subcontinent, Prof. Mafizul Islam has been widely discussed by writing and compiling numerous books on business, economics, law and research, including the preparation of English and Bengali grammar for the intellectual development of school and college level students.

While studying at Chittagong College in 1946, he was a direct student of NAP head Professor Mazaffar Ahmed. His association played an effective role in Prof. Mafizul Islam's leaning towards. leftist politics. In 1946, he was elected the president of Chittagong district Muslim Chatra League organizing committee. In 1950, he was elected a member of the Central Executive Council of the then East Pakistan Jubo League. While serving as the head teacher of Abu Torab High School, Chittagong, he secured the first rank in Political Science from Dhaka University as a private examinee. After that, he left the post of head teacher in the face of government pressure for actively participating in the historical language movement and worked as the Chittagong correspondent of 'The Pakistan Times' in Lahore. In 1952, under his initiative and management, the first anti-government Bengali daily of then East Pakistan, 'Amar Desh', was published from Dhaka. After 6 months the paper was closed under government pressure and he engaged in full-time politics in early 1953. Before this, his contribution to Bayannar language movement is undeniable. He first joined the Awami League led by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani. In 1954, as a nominated candidate of the United Front, he contested the elections to the East Pakistan Legislative Council and lost. His nearest rival in this election was Major Abdul Gani, a famous Bangoshardul from Nagais village of Brahmanpara upazila. He was sent as a delegate to an international conference in West Germany, Bonn, where he died of cardiac arrest.

Chittagong City College was established in 1954 by Professor Mafizul Islam and he joined the college as its first vice-principal and in the same year he worked as Chittagong correspondent of `Pakistan Observer' newspaper. But after a few days when section '92-A' was promulgated across the province, he was arrested and released in June 1955. He was again arrested during the police strike in November 1955 and was released after 9 months. He joined Awami League in 1956.

When Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani led the Communist Party and the Left left Awami League in the Kagmari Conference of Awami League demanding autonomy for East Bengal, Professor Mafizul Islam also came out with them. When the National Awami Party-NAP was formed in 1957 under the leadership of Maulana Bhasani, he joined the NAP and became the president of Cumilla District NAP. In the same year, a by-election was held for the East Pakistan Provincial Council (Burichang-Brahmanpara) vacant seat due to the sudden death of Bangshardul Major Abdul Gani. Professor Mojiful Islam participated in that election as a nominated candidate of NAP. Awami League nominated the new lawyer Advocate Amir Hossain. All Bagha Bagha leaders of Awami League including Pakistan Prime Minister Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attended various public meetings in Burichang-Brahmanpara. Bangabandhu conducted a massive campaign for 15-20 days for the candidate of the party in this election. On the other hand, central leaders along with Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani campaigned for NAP nominated candidate Prof. Mafizul Islam. In this election held on January 5, 1958, Professor Mofizul Islam was defeated by Advocate Amir Hossain by a narrow margin (1,795 votes).

Prof. Mafizul Islam was elected as a member of the Central Executive Committee of NDF. Professor Mafizul Islam played a unique role in the anti-Ayub movement and popular uprising in 1968-69. Later, when the Jatiya League was formed under the leadership of Ataur Rahman Khan, Prof. Mafizul Islam joined it and at one point was elected vice-president. Professor Mafizul Islam participated in the National Assembly elections in 1954, 1958, 1970 and 1979 from the Burichang-Brahmanpara constituency and won the 1979 election as an opposition candidate with the plow symbol of the National League. After that he did not have any relationship with any political party. Mafizul Islam, a bright star in Cumilla's sky, a political personality, educationist and eminent lawyer, devoted himself to the legal profession. In the meantime, his fame in the legal profession spread across the country. He used to arrange the pleadings of many difficult cases in such a way that the case would go in his favor. He bought a piece of land opposite Ranir Bazar Rasthali Ashram in Cumilla city and built a house called 'Bani-Bithi'. Four daughters were born in his house. They are all well established now. The former appearance of that house is no more. A huge building with 9 floors has been built here. Not only that big hearted man. In this way, many prominent political leaders of Cumilla's political arena have been lost in oblivion. On December 25, 1991, at 3 o'clock in the morning, he passed into the land of no return. At the time of his death, he left behind his wife, 4 daughters, relatives and numerous well- wishers. This report has been prepared in honor of Professor Mafizul Islam's 33rd death anniversary on December 26.

The writer is Editor, weekly Shimanto Sangbad and Cumilla District Correspondent, The Daily Observer



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