Al-Razi, Abdul Alim

Al-Razi, Abdul Alim (1925-1985) lawyer, politician. Born in 1925 at Karatia in Nagarpur upazila of Tangail district, Abdul Alim al-Razi obtained his MA degree in History and BL degree from Calcutta University, PhD in History and in Law from London University, and Bar-at-law from London. He acquired the scholarly title of Momtazul Mohaddesin from Calcutta Aliya Madrasah for his extraordinary performance as a research scholar and became a double gold-medalist. He was chairman of the Muslim Welfare Association in London from 1949 to 1953. He joined the Dhaka High Court Bar in 1953.

Alim al-Razi was elected a member of the Pakistan National Assembly in 1965 under the Basic Democracies system as an independent candidate. He was vocal in the National Assembly on the issues of universal adult franchise and parliamentary democracy. He spoke for establishing a congenial atmosphere in educational institutions, rule of law, economic freedom and stability, and freedom of speech. He was the founder of Dhaka City Law College (1957), Nagarpur Degree College (1966), and Lauhati Alim al-Razi Girls'; High School in his native village. He was honorary principal of City Law College from 1957 to 1972. Al-Razi joined the National Awami Party (Bhasani) in 1972 and was subsequently elected as its senior vice president. However, in 1974 he left the party. He was the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (1974-75). For sometime he was a teacher in the Department of Law in Dhaka University. Alim al-Razi floated a new political party called Bangladesh People';s League in 1976.

Alim al-Razi was the editor of The Oriental Times published from London and the weekly Durbin from Tangail. He is the author of a Bangla book entitled Musalmaner Jene Rakha Bhalo (Things that Muslims should know). He was renowned for his wit and oratory. A jurist of rare and versatile genius, al-Razi died in Dhaka on 16 March 1985. [Mir Shamsur Rahman] [Rahman, Mir Shamsur Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism, Rajshahi University]