About Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq
Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq (Bengali: আবুল কাসেম ফজলুল হক; 26 October 1873—27 April 1962), popular with the title Sher-e-Bangla(Tiger of Bengal), was the first elected Prime Minister of Bengal under British rule. A distinguished lawyer and advocate, he served as General Secretary of the Indian National Congress, and was a working committee member of the All India Muslim League. In 1929, he founded the Krishak Praja Party (K.P. P.).
In 1943, Huq moved the Lahore Resolution, which called for the creation of sovereign Muslim-majority states in eastern and northwestern British India. After the Partition of India, he moved to Pakistan and led the United Front government in East Bengal, serving as Chief Minister and Governor. He later served as central minister of home affairs, food and agriculture. He established the Bangla Academy in Dhaka. A lifelong Bengali nationalist, he is regarded as one of the forerunning leaders in the independence of Bangladesh. Huq is buried on the grounds of the Suhrawardy Udyan in central Dhaka.
Early life
Huq was born in Saturia,Rajapur located in present-day Jhalokati District in Barisal Division, Bangladesh. He passed the Entrance examination in 1890 from Barisal Zilla School and the FA Examination in 1892. He then obtained a BA degree (with triple Honours in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics) from Presidency College. Then he got admitted in MA in English at Calcutta University. Just six months before the final exam, a friend of him teased that, Muslims are weak in Mathematics and that's why he is also studying English. Huq opposed it strongly and challenged his friend that he will sit for Mathematics exam instead of English. With special permission to attend the exam he passed the MA on Mathematics from Calcutta University with record marks. His formal education was completed with a BL degree in 1897 from the University Law College. He was the second Muslim in the Indian subcontinent to obtain a law degree.
Political career
After being alienated from the Congress party where he served as its general secretary in 1916–1918, it was up to the Muslims to nominate a mayor in Calcutta. In 1929, he launched the Nikhil Proja Samiti. In 1935, with the Congress' support, he was chosen and elected first Muslim mayor of Calcutta.
In 1937 elections took place in British India. A year before that he had converted the Nikhil Proja Samiti to Krishak Praja Party (K.P.P.). Meanwhile, Muhammad Ali Jinnah nominated him to the Muslim League Central Parliamentary Board (C.P.B.). But Huq refused to dissolve his own party citing its bi-communal composition, thus terminating his alliance with the League. When elections were held he successfully challenged Khwaja Nazimuddin for his seat. The K.P.P. won 35 seats. Despite his bitter fight with the League which had won 40 seats, the K.P.P. entered into an alliance with it. The Europeans (25), the Independent Scheduled Castes (23) and the Independent Caste Hindus (14) lent support to the alliance. As a result, Huq was appointed the Premier of Bengal.
His reign was unstable as it was marred by controversies. In 1938, the Independent Scheduled Castes seceded and the K.P.P. slowly started disintegrating. He also moved the Lahore resolution in 1940 which increased communal tensions. In 1941, The Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithglow nominated him to the Defence Council. But the Quaid-i - Azam who headed the All-India Muslim League asked him to resign. He obeyed but, to demonstrate his unhappiness, resigned from the League Working Committee. As a result of Huqs' reluctance to obey the League ministers resigned.
In 1945, he contested elections successfully on two seats. But his party was trounced badly by the All India Muslim League. In 1947,he joined the League campaign to include Calcutta in Pakistan. The other prominent supporters included Huseyn Shaheed S uhrawardy and Sarat Chandra Bose. The opposition of the Congress, however, ensured a partition of the province. Later on he accused Jinnah of not working hard enough for the cause.
He became Chief Minister of Bengal in 1952. In 1955, he was Home Minister of Pakistan and, from 1956 to 1958, Governor of East Pakistan. He moved the Lahore Resolution, drafted by Sir Zafrulla Khan, of 1940 that established Muslim League's demand for a homeland for Muslims; that ultimately resulted in the nation of Pakistan. He was buried inDhaka.
