Mowla, Golam

Mowla, Golam (1920-1967) physician, language movement activist, politician. He was born on 20 October 1920 at village Poragachha in Naria thana of Shariatpur district. His father was Alhaj Abdul Gafur Dhali and mother Chhutu Bibi. Golam Mowla had his early education in a primary school at Pachukhar Kandi in Jajira upazila. He passed Matriculation examination in 1939 from Naria Biharilal High School, ISc in 1941, and obtained BSc degree in 1943 from Jagannath College in Dhaka. He completed MSc Part I in Geology in Calcutta University and obtained MSc degree in 1945 from Dhaka University. Golam Mowla got his MBBS degree in 1954 from Dhaka Medical College.

While a student in Kolkata Golam Mowla was the commander of the Mukul Fauj. He was an active member of the All India Student Federation. In 1952, he was the vice president of Dhaka Medical College Student Union. He was also the vice president of East Pakistan Student League.

Golam Mowla had active role in the language movement of 1952. He was a member of the Sarbadaliya Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad constituted in a meeting in Dhaka Bar Library held on 31 January 1952 presided over by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani. He was then the convenor of Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad of Dhaka Medical College. Golam Mowla had substantial role to chalk out the programme for observance of 21 February as Rashtrabhasha Dibash through hartal, 21 and 23 February as Flag Day in a meeting of the Sarbadaliya Rahstrabhasha Sangram Parishad held on 6 February 1952 at the office of East Bengal Karma-Shibir at 150 Mughaltuli. The government imposed Section 144 in Dhaka for one month with effect from 20 February 1952 and declared all sorts of assemblage illegal. After the declaration, the students of Medical College under Golam Mowla took decision to violate Section 144 and to continue movement. After the police firing on the procession of the students on 21 February, most of the student leaders assembled at Engineering College at night to chalk out technique of movement. In this meeting the Student Movement Committee was reconstituted with Golam Mowla as the convenor.

The first Shaheed Minar was built on the night of 23 February 1952 under overall supervision of Golam Mowla in the premises of Medical College Hostel on the spot where the police fired on the students.

On completion of his MBBS degree Golam Mowla began medical practice in Madaripur. At this time he joined the Awami Muslim League. He was the president of Madaripur sub-divisional unit of Awami League. Golam Mowla was elected a member of the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in the bi-election in 1956. He was elected a member of the Pakistan National Assembly in 1962. He was the chief whip of the opposition party in the Pakistan National Assembly.

As a physician Golam Mowla was dedicated and had a humanitarian bent of mind. He used to give medical treatment to the poor patients on gratis. He spent most of his earnings to the organisational and philanthropic cause. He died on 29 May 1967.

In sacred memory of Golam Mowla, the bridge on the river Kirtinasha in Naria has been named as Dr. Golam Mowla Bridge. Recently the Road 1 of Dhanmondi in Dhaka has been renamed as Dr. Golam Mowla Sarak. [ABM Shamsuddin Ahmed]