Lesson 1/35 min
Leaders of politics and the freedom struggle
| Person | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Atish Dipankar | Born at Bajrayogini village, Munshiganj (Bikrampur); spread and reformed Buddhism in Tibet at the invitation of King Chang-chub Gyanaprabha; his ashes were brought from China to Dhaka on 28 June 1978 |
| Nawab Salimullah | Son of Nawab Ahsanullah; born 1871; played the leading part in founding the All-India Muslim League in 1906; Salimullah Muslim Hall at Dhaka University is named after him |
| Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani | Born 12 December 1880, Dhanpara, Sirajganj; title Mazlum Jananeta; founding president of the Awami Muslim League (1949); founded the National Awami Party (1957); Long March on 16 May 1976; buried at Santosh, Tangail |
| Sher-e-Bangla A. K. Fazlul Huq | Born 26 October 1873, Saturia (Chakhar), Barisal; Mayor of Calcutta (1935); first chief minister of undivided Bengal (1937); moved the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940; chief minister of East Bengal (1954); Governor of East Pakistan (1956–58) |
| Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy | Born 8 September 1892, Midnapore; last chief minister of undivided Bengal (1946–47); Prime Minister of Pakistan (1956–57); called the “mind-child of democracy”; died 5 December 1963 in Beirut |
| Surya Sen | Born 1894, Chattogram; led the Chattogram armoury raid in 1930; hanged in 1934 |
| Sergeant Zahurul Haq | One of the accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case; shot dead in Dhaka Cantonment on 15 February 1969 |
Watch out: Some books call Suhrawardy Prime Minister in 1949 or second chief minister in 1937. The right facts: chief minister 1946–47 (the last), Prime Minister of Pakistan 1956–57.
Memory trick: Bengal's chief ministers: Fazlul Huq (first, 1937) → … → Suhrawardy (last, 1946–47).
Check yourself
Who moved the Lahore Resolution, and when?
At a glance
- 1
Atish Dipankar: Bajrayogini, Munshiganj; spread Buddhism in Tibet; ashes brought to Dhaka on 28 June 1978.
- 2
Bhasani: first president of the Awami Muslim League (1949); Long March on 16 May 1976.
- 3
Fazlul Huq: first chief minister of undivided Bengal (1937); moved the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940.
- 4
Suhrawardy: last chief minister of Bengal (1946–47); Prime Minister of Pakistan 1956–57; died in Beirut.
- 5
Sergeant Zahurul Haq: shot on 15 February 1969; Surya Sen: armoury raid 1930, hanged 1934.