Sher-e-Bangla’s birth anniversary today

The 146th birth anniversary of AK Fazlul Haque known as Sher-e-Bangla (Tiger of Bengal), is being observed today (Saturday).

On the occasion, different socio cultural organizations have chalked out elaborate programmes. Barisal Division Association placed wreaths at the grave of the great leader in the city in the morning.

On this day in 1873, Fazlul Haque was born at his maternal uncle’s house in Saturia village in earlier Bakerganj district, now Jhalokati district, in Barisal Division. He was the only son of Kazi Muhammad Wazed Sayeedunnesa.

Haque was elected to the Bengal Legislative Council and appointed as the Education Minister in 1924. In 1935, with the backing of Congress, he was elected mayor of Calcutta, the first Muslim mayor of Calcutta.

In 1943, he was elected Prime Minister of Bengal during the British Empire in Bengal. He also moved the famous Lahore Resolution in 1940. In 1955, Haque was Home Minister of Pakistan and, from 1956 to 1958, Governor of East Pakistan.

He passed the entrance examination in 1890 from Barisal Zila School and the FA Examination in 1892. He then obtained a BA degree (with triple honours in chemistry, mathematics and physics) from Presidency College.

Later, Haque got admitted in MA in English at Calcutta University. Just six months before the final examination, a friend of his father teased him that Muslims were weak in Mathematics and that’s why he (Haque) was studying English.

He opposed it strongly and challenged his father’s friend that he will sit for Mathematics exam instead of English. With special permission to attend the exam he passed the Master of Arts in Mathematics from Calcutta University with distinction.

His formal education was completed with a BL degree in 1897 from the University Law College.
Haque died in 1962 and was buried on the ground near Shuhrawardi Uddyan.

Dhaka/Mukul