Abu Hussain Sarkar (Bengali: আবু হোসেন সরকার; Urdu: ابو حسین سرکار; 1894 – 17 April 1969) was a Pakistani Bengali politician and lawyer. He served as the fourth chief minister of East Pakistan. Under his ministry, the Bangla Academy was inaugurated and 21 February was recognised as Shohid Dibosh (Language Movement Day) in memory of the Bengali Language Movement.
Abu Hussain Sarkar | |
|---|---|
আবু হোসেন সরকার ابو حسین سرکار | |
 | |
| Chief Minister of East Pakistan | |
| In office 20 June 1955 – 30 August 1956 | |
| Governor | Iskander Mirza Muhammad Shahabuddin |
| Preceded by | Fazlul Huq |
| Succeeded by | Ataur Rahman Khan |
| Member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 1937–1945 | |
| Succeeded by | Serajuddin Ahmed[1] |
| Constituency | Gaibandha North |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1894 Sadullapur, Bengal, British India |
| Died | 17 April 1969 (aged 74–75) Dacca, East Pakistan, Pakistan |
| Political party | Shramik Krishak Samajbadi Dal |
Early life and education
editSarkar was born in 1894, to a Bengali Muslim family in Sadullapur, Gaibandha, which was then part of the Rangpur District of the Bengal Presidency. He was involved in the Swadeshi movement, which disrupted his education and led to his arrest in 1911. He was later released and passed his matriculation in 1915. He then studied further, gaining a Bachelor of Law degree.[2]
Career
editSarkar started his law practice in the Rangpur bar. He joined the Indian National Congress but left it over differences. In 1935, he joined A K Fazlul Huq's Krishak Praja Party. He contested in the 1937 Bengal legislative elections, winning in the Gaibandha North constituency.[3]
After Pakistan gained its independence, Sarkar played an important role in the formation of Krishak Sramik Party in 1953. In 1953, he was elected to the East Bengal Legislative Assembly as a member of the United Front. In 1955 he held the post of Minister of Health in the government of Chaudhry Muhammad Ali.[2] In June 1955, Sarkar was elected the chief minister of East Bengal. His government nominated 21 February as Shohid Dibosh and a public holiday. He started the construction of Central Shaheed Minar. As chief minister he also inaugurated the Bangla Academy. He resigned on 30 August 1956 over inflation of food grains and subsequent food shortages.[2][4][5]
From 1956 to 1958, Sarkar was the president of the Krishak Sramik Party and the leader of the opposition party. He played an important role in the formation of the United Front led by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. He campaigned for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.[2]
Death
editSarkar died on 17 April 1969 in Dhaka in the then East Pakistan.[2]
References
edit- ^ Reed, Sir Stanley, ed. (1947). The Indian Year Book.
- ^ a b c d e Khan, Mofakkhar Hossain (2012). "Sarkar, Abu Hossain". 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 21 December 2024.
- ^ Government of Bengal. "Alphabetical list of members". Bengal Legislative Assembly Proceedings (1939). Vol. 54. Alipore.
- ^ Murshed, Manzur (30 August 2005). Broken Milestones. FLF Press. p. 275. ISBN 9781891855696.
- ^ Sengupta, Nitish K. (1 January 2011). Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. Penguin Books India. p. 516. ISBN 9780143416784.