Azizul Haque (educator)

Last updated

Khan Bahadur Sir
Muhammad Azizul Haque
Sir-M-Azizul-Huq.jpg
High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom
In office
December 1941 –May 1943
OccupationAdvocate, diplomat
A memorial dedicated to Haque at the Azizul Haque College in Bangladesh. Sir Azizul Haque Memorial Sculpture, Bogra.jpg
A memorial dedicated to Haque at the Azizul Haque College in Bangladesh.

Sir Muhammad Azizul Haque, KCSI, CIE (27 November 1892 – 23 March 1947), also known as Muhammad Azizul Huq or Mohammad Azizul Huque, was a Bengali lawyer, writer and public servant. He studied at Presidency College and University Law College in Calcutta. He worked to better the condition of Muslim people, primarily in the rural farmlands. This led him to work with Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Haque, Sir Abdulla Suhrawardy, Sir Salimullah and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He remained friends with many throughout his life.

Contents

He served, from 1926, on the Bengal Legislative Council, as Education minister for Bengal (1934–1937), as the speaker of the Bengal Legislative Assembly (1937–1942), as the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University (1938–1942), [2] as the High Commissioner for India in the United Kingdom (December 1941 – May 1943), and as the member in charge, on the Viceroy's Executive Council, of the Department of Commerce, Food, Industries and Civil supplies (May 1943 – 1945). [3] [4]

Early life and education

Azizul Haque was born on 27 November 1892, to a Bengali Muslim family in Shantipur, located in the Nadia district of the erstwhile Bengal Presidency. His father, Mohammad Mozammel Huq, is a renowned Bengali poet and author. His grandfather, Nasiruddin Ahmad, and paternal family were originally from the village of Baweegachi, not far from Shantipur town. Haque studied at the Shantipur Muslim School, and passed his matriculation in 1907. He graduated from the University of Calcutta initially with a Bachelor of Arts, and later a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Career

He started his career with a government job in 1914, and found employment as a Deputy Magistrate. The following year, he became a lawyer at the Judge Court in Krishnanagar, Nadia. Not long after, he was appointed as the Public Prosecutor of the District of Nadia. In 1926, he became the vice-chairman of the Nadia District Board. In 1928, he was made a fellow of the University of Calcutta and member of the Dacca University Court. He published an article titled A Plea for Separate Electorate in Bengal in protest to the Nehru Report of 1931. In the same year, he was nominated as a member of the Indian Franchise Commission. He became a member of the Bengal Banking Enquiry Commission, Bengal Retrenchment Committee and Bengal Board of Economic Enquiry in 1932. Haque has also been a part of the Railway Advisory Committee and worked with the Public Accounts Committee of the Bengal Legislative Council. He later became the vice-president of the Bengal Board of Industries. [4]

In 1933, Haque became the chairman of the Krishnanagar Municipality. He left the District Board in 1934, as he had then become a member of the Bengal Legislative Council and the Minister of Education in Bengal. It was Haque that was the first to introduce Free Universal Primary Education Bill. Among his other activities were the establishment of new schools, and better administration of schools in both urban and rural areas. He was also responsible for the registration and waqf as a minister, as well as distribution of food. He also played a role in changing the medium of education from only English to Bengali. Following the 1937 legislative elections, Haque became a member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly, and also served as its Speaker for the first five years. [4]

Haque became the second Muslim to be appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta in 1938. He was appointed again in 1940, thus serving as vice-chancellor for two terms, ending in 1942. His contributions included the introduction of a new Islamic studies curriculum and the establishment of the School of Islamic History and Culture. Haque worked with the Kamal Yar Jung Education Committee, and began researching about issues pertaining to Muslim education across the British Raj from 1939 to 1941. His report presented a comprehensive educational plan that would support the cultures of the Muslims. [4]

He was appointed as the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom in December 1941. He returned to Bengal in May 1943 and became a member of the Governor-General's Executive Council, first under Lord Linlithgow and then under Lord Wavell. He was responsible for the departments of commerce, industries, civil supplies and food. He was later given the responsibility of the textiles office of the supplies department. [4]

Awards and recognition

Sir Azizul Haque, Order of the Indian Empire Certificate. Order of the Indian Empire Certificate of Sir Azizul Haque.jpg
Sir Azizul Haque, Order of the Indian Empire Certificate.

On 4 April 1938, the Azizul Haque College in Bogra was established in his name by Khan Bahadur Muhammad Ali and Moulvi Abdus Sattar. The University of Calcutta has awarded him with a Doctor of Letters. [4]

Haque was conferred the title of Khan Bahadur by the British Raj, appointed a CIE in 1937 [5] knighted in the 1941 New Year Honours List, [6] and appointed a KCSI in the 1946 Birthday Honours List. [7] He subsequently renounced his British honours in protest against the government, on 16 August 1946. [4]

Death

He died due to brain haemorrhage at his residence in Calcutta on 23 March 1947.

Major works

Haque's literary works include:

  1. History and Problems of Moslem Education in Bengal (1917)
  2. Education and Retrenchment (1924)
  3. The Man behind the Plough (1939) [8]
  4. The Sword of the Crescent Moon
  5. Cultural Contributions of Islam to Indian History
  6. A Plea for Separate Electorate in Bengal (1931)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadia district</span> District in West Bengal, India

Nadia is a district in the state of West Bengal, India. It borders Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west, and Murshidabad to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. K. Fazlul Huq</span> Bengali statesman and jurist (1873–1962)

Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq, popularly known as Sher-e-Bangla, was a Bengali lawyer and politician who presented the Lahore Resolution which had the objective of creating an independent Pakistan. He also served as the first and longest Prime Minister of Bengal during the British Raj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Shahidullah</span> Bengali Linguist

Muhammad Shahidullah was a Bengali linguist, philologist, educationist, and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maulana Azad College</span> MAC(Maulana Azad college)

Maulana Azad College is a public institute of liberal arts, commerce and science in India, located in central Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The college is fully government-administered. It is located near the junction of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and SN Banerjee Road, popularly called "Lotus crossing".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Azizul Haque College</span>

Government Azizul Haque College in Bogura is a higher secondary school and college under the National University of Bangladesh. It is one of the largest educational institutions in Bangladesh's northern region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishak Sramik Party</span> British Indian anti-feudal political party (1929–1958)

The Krishak Sramik Party was a major anti-feudal political party in the British Indian province of Bengal and later in the Dominion of Pakistan's East Bengal and East Pakistan provinces. It was founded in 1929 as the Nikhil Banga Praja Samiti to represent the interests of tenant farmers in Bengal's landed gentry estates. Sir Abdur Rahim was its first leader. A. K. Fazlul Huq was elected leader in 1935 when the former was appointed as the president of the Central Legislative Assembly of India. In 1936, it took the name of Krishak Praja Party and contested the 1937 election. The party formed the first government in the Bengal Legislative Assembly. After the partition of British India, it was reorganized as the Krishak Sramik Party to contest the 1954 election, as part of the United Front. The coalition won the election and formed the provincial government in the East Bengal Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Mozammel Huq</span> Indian Bengali-language poet

Mohammad Mozammel Huq was a Bengali-language poet, novelist, magistrate and educationist. His writings were said to have been inspired by a "Muslim renaissance".

<i>The Man Behind the Plough</i> Book by Azizul Haque

The Man Behind the Plough is a wide-ranging, in-depth and moving study of the endemic problems and tragic suffering of the peasants of the undivided Bengal. In order to go into the roots of these problems, the author Sir M. Azizul Haque examines the land system introduced by the Permanent Settlement (1793), contrasts it with what prevailed during the Mughal era and throws light on how the zamindars’ lobby distorted the original intention of the regulations of 1793 with disastrous consequences. The author has made use of extensive facts, archival material and statistics to establish his interpretations and conclusions. It is a research work of very high quality, and may be regarded as what is now called an interdisciplinary work. The author put in ten years of labour of love, albeit very hard labour, to produce the book, which aims to look into the problems of agriculture “from the point of view of the peasant”.

Muhammad Enamul Haque was a Bangladeshi researcher, litterateur and educationist.

Azizul Haque, meaning "strong in the truth", is a male Muslim given name. Notable bearers of the name include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Shamsul Huq</span> Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and educationist

Muhammad Shamsul Huq was a Bangladeshi minister and educationist. He served as an education minister in erstwhile East Pakistan, and became the Minister of Foreign Affairs six years after the independence of Bangladesh. Shamsul Huq also served as vice-chancellor in both the University of Dhaka and University of Rajshahi. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2003 by the Government of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khan Bahadur Hasem Ali Khan</span> Bengali politician, lawyer, peasant movement leader and social worker (1888-1962)

Khan Bahadur Hasem Ali Khan was a Bengali politician, lawyer, peasant movement leader and social worker. He was a close associate of A. K. Fazlul Huq. He became a Minister in the Bengal Legislature in 1941 in the second cabinet led by Huq. During his political life, he tried to establish rights of farmers and common people. He was conferred the title of Khan Bahadur by the British Raj as recognition of his contribution for maintaining peaceful relations between people of different faiths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengal Legislative Assembly</span> Lower chamber of the legislature of Bengal in British India (1937–1947)

The Bengal Legislative Assembly was the largest legislature in British India, serving as the lower chamber of the legislature of Bengal. It was established under the Government of India Act 1935. The assembly played an important role in the final decade of undivided Bengal. The Leader of the House was the Prime Minister of Bengal. The assembly's lifespan covered the anti-feudal movement of the Krishak Praja Party, the period of World War II, the Lahore Resolution, the Quit India movement, suggestions for a United Bengal and the partition of Bengal and partition of British India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengal Provincial Muslim League</span> Branch of the All India Muslim League in British Indian Bengal (1912-1947)

The Bengal Provincial Muslim League (BPML) was the branch of the All India Muslim League in the British Indian province of Bengal. It was established in Dhaka on 2 March 1912. Its official language was Bengali. The party played an important role in the Bengal Legislative Council and in the Bengal Legislative Assembly, where two of the Prime Ministers of Bengal were from the party. It was vital to the creation of the Dominion of Pakistan, particularly after its election victory in 1946.

Syed Azizul Huq, also known by his daak naam Nanna Mia, was a Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament for Barisal-2 in the1986 and 1988 Bangladeshi general elections. He was a member of the Provincial Council of East Pakistan, Minister of Commerce and Minister of Industry.

Haqq is a surname of Arabic origin commonly found in the Indian subcontinent but also in other parts of the Muslim world.

Abul Faraḥ Muḥammad ʿAbdul Ḥaque Farīdī was a Bangladeshi educator and author. In recognition of his contributions in the field of linguistics, he was awarded a Bangla Academy Fellowship. Faridi was the founder of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh's Islami Bishwakosh project and also worked closely with Bangladesh Scouts.

<i>The Moslem Bharat</i> Literary journal in India (1920)

The Muslim Bharat was a historic literary journal that published from Kolkata in the early 20th century. It published works by notable Bengali authors and poets; such as Abanindranath Tagore, Kalidas Roy, Kaikobad, Qazi Imdadul Haq, Kazi Abdul Wadud, Kumud Ranjan Mullick, Mohitlal Majumdar, Mohammad Barkatullah, Satyendranath Dutta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim, and Syed Emdad Ali.

Muhammad Enam-Ul Haque was a Bangladeshi academician, historian and writer who served as the fourth vice-chancellor of Islamic University, Bangladesh from May 9, 1995, to September 2, 1997. He was also a professor in the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Chittagong University.

Muhammad Hasanuzzaman was a Bengali educationist and politician. He served as a member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly.

References

  1. ↑ Reed, Sir Stanley, ed. (1947). The Indian Year Book.
  2. ↑ "Vice-Chancellors". www.caluniv.ac.in. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  3. ↑ GUHA, ARUN CHANDRA (20 June 2017). India's Struggle Quarter of Century 1921-1946 Part II. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN   978-81-230-2490-5.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Huq, Husniara (2012). "Huque, Mohammad Azizul". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN   984-32-0576-6. OCLC   52727562. OL   30677644M . Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  5. ↑ London Gazette, 1 February 1937
  6. ↑ London Gazette, 1 January 1941
  7. ↑ London Gazette, 4 June 1946
  8. ↑ "DSpace@University of Delhi: Man behind the plough". Library.du.ac.in. 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by High Commissioner for India
1941 - 1943		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.