In 2004, Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy came 20th in the list of the best Bengalis in the BBC Bangla survey. BBC Bangla has highlighted his life today.Here is a brief biography of Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy for the readers:
Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy was born in West Bengal, India, but he wrote an important chapter in the history of the birth of Bangladesh by forming a party called Awami League.Hossain Shaheed Sohrawardy was born on 8th September 1892 in Medinipur district of West Bengal. His father Sir Zahid Suhrawardy was a judge of Calcutta High Court.
Following the family tradition, he went to study law in England. Graduated from Oxford University with a law degree and worked as a lawyer for some time in Britain.Suhrawardy returned to India in 1920 and was elected a member of the Bengal Provincial Assembly the following year.
Journalist ABM Musa told BBC Bengal that Suhrawardy's political career was further successful in 1946, when the first Muslim League cabinet of undivided Bengal was formed under his leadership. He was actually elected as the leader of the Muslim League party in the provincial council by contesting with Khwaja Nazimuddin.
In the provinces of the later Pakistan, namely Bengal, Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and the North-West Frontier Province, no Muslim League government was formed except in Bengal.
In 1946, when Suhrawardy was in power of undivided Bengal, the terrible riots of Calcutta took place. Lord Mountbatten came to India as Viceroy and presented a plan to divide the subcontinent.
Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy met Saratchandra Bose (member of Congress Working Committee, barrister by profession). Both agreed on undivided Bengal. But Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and other Congress members dropped out.
India was divided, not on the basis of language, but on the basis of religion.
ABM Musa said the riot took place on August 16, 1946. There it is said about Suhrawardy Sahib that as the Prime Minister of Bengal he had a duty to stop the riots. He could not fully fulfill that responsibility. Another riot took place in Calcutta after the partition of the country. Suhrawardy Sahib met Mahatma Gandhi to stop the riots. But then the country was divided.
Suhrawardy stayed in Calcutta after the partition of India in 1947.
ABM Musa said, those who were his followers or admirers, then tried to create a stage for him from where he could do politics in the region. Khwaja Nazimuddin was then the Prime Minister of East Pakistan. He did not want Mr. Suhrawardy to come here.
Then he came in 1948. But he was not allowed to get off the steamer at Narayanganj. Invoking the Special Powers Act, he was sent back to Calcutta on the return steamer from there.
The East Pakistan Awami Muslim League was formed in 1949, which was transformed into the Awami League in 1953.
The people of East Pakistan have already become active in the movement on the question of the status of Bengali language.
Some people are also talking about discrimination between the two parts of Pakistan.
Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy then left for East Pakistan.
He initiated the formation of the United Front in 1954 to oust the Muslim League from power.
Musa said, especially Maulana Bhasani and AK Fazlul Haque (Shere Bangla), although these two were dissidents, Mr. Suhrawardy.
"Though Suhrawardy Sahib himself disagreed with them, the three came together to form the United Front. And it was because of his initiative that the United Front survived many disintegrations," said ABM Musa.
Suhrawardy then joined the Union Cabinet of Mohammad Ali Bogra as Law Minister. Constitution of Pakistan was written. He was elected as the fifth Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1956.
"Even though East Bengal had the largest population, but his initiative was to bring equality, so that equality was established between East and West Pakistan in all areas, he seemed to have taken an initiative, but actually he said, I became the Prime Minister, that's 80 percent of it. The sovereignty of East Pakistan has arrived."
ABM Musa said, that is why he has to face a lot of criticism.Suhrawardy was the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a little over a year. Then in 1958, military rule was imposed. Go into voluntary exile.
ABM Musa says that Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy was a great political leader. All those who became great leaders in Bangladesh, their greatest quality was their great spirit - 'Big Heart'. Suhrawardy Sahib had a great soul, his door was open to the peopleHossain Shaheed Suhrawardy died in Beirut on 5th December 1963. But before that he became known as the pioneer of democracy in Pakistan.
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| Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy |
