Siddiqui, Mohammad Abdur Rashid

Siddiqui, Mohammad Abdur Rashid (1894-1950) editor and writer, was born at Kakara village under Chakoria upazila in cox's bazar. After completing his Higher Primary Examination in this village, he studied for some time in Cox's Bazar Middle Bangala School. He then set out for Chittagong with hopes of bringing out a magazine and edited a literary magazine there called Sadhana in Baishakh 326 (1919) of the Bangla calendar. For some time, abdul karim sahityavisharad was deputy editor of the magazine. It lasted for four years and published works of rabindranath tagore, kazi nazrul islam and other famous writers.

Rashid edited the Moslem Jagat (Muslim World), published from Kolkata from 16 Shraban 1329 (1922) of the Bangla calendar and was arrested for an editorial headlined Samay thakite sabdhan, bujhe chala British (Beware, British, while there is time, watch your steps). He published another literary magazine called Raktasetu (Bridge of Blood) in 1926, but it did not last for long. He published several books such as Chattagrami Bhasatattva (1946), Chattagramer Bhasatattva etc on linguistic, religious and cultural features of the dialect of Chittagong. The novels he wrote include Upendranandini (Daughter of Upendra, 1919), Jarina (1926), Pranay-Pradip (Light of love) and Nurunnehar O Meherunnesa; his poetical works are Rostam Sohrab (1916), Yabanbadh Kabya (Killing of the Greek, 1944) and Pakistan Bijay Kabya(1948); and he brought out an almanac called Moslem Jagat Pavjika (1938).

An active politician, Rashid was secretary to the Chakoria Thana Muslim League in 1938 and a vice-president of Cox's Bazar Sub-division Muslim League. In addition, he chaired the Kakara Union Board for a long time. He made a fortune by patenting a medicine called Begum Khosh. He also established a madrasah at Kakara, a village guard society, a social welfare society etc. He died on 26 March 1950 in his native village. [Shafiul Alam]