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Islam, Syed Nazrul (1925-1975) lawyer,
politician and the acting President of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh
at Mujibnagar. Syed Nazrul Islam was born in 1925 at Jamodal Dampara in
Kishoreganj district. He obtained his MA degree in History in 1947 and
LLB in 1953 from the Dhaka University. He took active part in politics
in his student life, and was the vice president of Salimullah Muslim Hall
Student Union (1946-47) and secretary of Muslim Student League. Syed Nazral
Islam was the captain of the Dhaka University cricket and hockey team
and secretary of games and sports of Dhaka University Central Students
Union (DUCSU).
Syed Nazrul Islam successfully competed in the Pakistan Central
Superior Service in 1949 and joined as an officer in the Department
of Taxation. He resigned from government service in 1951 to join
Anandamohan College (Mymensingh) as Professor of History. Subsequently
he joined the Mymensingh district bar. He took active part in
the language
movement as a member of the all party Action Committee.
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Syed Nazrul Islam |
Syed Nazrul started his political career as an activist
of awami
league. He was elected president of Mymensingh district unit
of the party in 1957. Syed Nazrul Islam was the senior vice president
of central committee of Awami League from 1964 to 1972. He continued to
hold the responsibility of the acting president of Awami League (1966-1969)
following the confinement of the party chief sheikh
mujibur rahman during the movement with six-point
programme. As one of the leaders of the Democratic Action Committee
he played an important role in the anti-Ayub movement in 1969. He was
a member of the Awami League delegation to the Round Table Conference
convened by President mohammad
ayub khan at Rawalpindi (1969).
Syed Nazrul Islam was elected member of the Pakistan National Assembly from Mymensingh in 1970, and was elected deputy leader of the Awami League parliamentary party. He had a vital role in the non-cooperation movement in March 1971, and was an associate of Bangabandhu in his dialogue with President yahya khan (19 March 1971). He officiated as acting president of Awami League after the arrest of Bangabandhu on 25 March 1971. Syed Nazrul Islam was the Vice-President of the mujibnagar government formed on 10 April 1971, and in absence of the President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman he pioneered the war of liberation as Acting President. He was a member of the first cabinet of Bangabandhu in charge of the Ministry of Industry. He was a member of the committee for drafting the constitution of Bangladesh. He was elected deputy leader of the Awami League parliamentary party in 1972. Syed Nazrul Islam was elected member of the jatiya sangsad from Mymensingh in 1973. He was again elected deputy leader of the Awami League parliamentary party in the Sangsad. He was a member of the cabinet of Bangabandhu in charge of Ministry of Industry. With the introduction of one-party presidential form of government in the country in 1975 Nazrul Islam was made the Vice President and also the vice chairman of bangladesh krishak sramik awami league (BAKSAL).
After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman by a group of army personnel on 15 August 1975 martial law was
promulgated and khondakar
mostaq ahmad was made President of the country. Khondakar Mostaq
managed to get some of his old collegues into his cabinet. But the top
four leaders of Awami League Syed Nazrul Islam, tajuddin
ahmed, m
mansur ali and ahm
qamaruzzaman having expressed their reluctance in joining the
cabinet were arrested on 23 August and kept confined in the Dhaka central
jail. Syed Nazrul Islam along with three others were ruthlessly killed
inside the jail on 3 November 1975. He lies buried at Banani graveyard.
[Rozina Kader] |
