Rahman, Fazlur

Rahman, Fazlur (1905-1966) politician and social worker. He was born in 1905 at village Shinepukur in Dohar upazila of Dhaka district. He completed his secondary education from Bharga High School. He obtained MA degree in History in 1929 and BL degree in 1933. He took to legal profession alongside politics and social work.

Fazlur Rahman was a member of the working committee of Bengal Provincial Muslim League and a member of the central committee of All Pakistan Muslim League. In 1937, he was elected a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from Dhaka city. Fazlur Rahman was appointed the chief whip of the Legislative Council in 1943 and the revenue minister of the Bengal government in 1946. He was again elected a member of the Legislative Council in 1946.

After the partition of India in 1947 Fazlur Rahman became a member of the central cabinet of Liaqat Ali Khan in charge of the Ministry of Education, Commerce and Refugees. He was also the minister for education and commerce in the cabinet of Khwaja Nazimuddin (1951-53). He was elected a member of the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly from the Dhaka University constituency in 1954 as a candidate of Muslim League. The 1935 Act provided for two legislative members from the universities of Calcutta and Dhaka. Rahman contested from the Dhaka University constituency. In 1955, he was elected a member of the second Constituent Assembly by the members of East Bengal Provincial Assembly as an independent candidate. He was a minister in the central cabinet headed by I. I Chundrigarh in charge of the Ministry of Commerce, Finance and Law.

Fazlur Rahman was a patron of education. He was a member of the executive council of Calcutta University, member of Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, and the president of Pakistan Historical Society, and a long time member of the Dhaka University Senate, then called Court.

Fazlur Rahman made notable contributions to the Pakistan Movement. His image among his East Pakistan fans declined when he wanted Urdu to be the state language of Pakistan. Along with many other East Pakistani politicians Fazlur Rahman was also made disqualified for election to representative bodies under Ayub Khan's Martial Law Regulation called EBDO (Election Bodies Disqualification Order) in 1960. Fazlur Rahman died in 1966. [Mohammad Kabirul Hasan]