Husain, Abul Bashar Mosharraf
Husain, Abul Bashar Mosharraf (1934-2020) commonly known as ABM Husain was a Professor Emeritus at the University of Rajshahi, a historian, and a distinguished scholar of Islamic art. The history of Islamic art was the subject of his intensive research, but he was also a curious researcher of the history of the Middle East. He gained fame as a historian both in the country and abroad for his fundamental research and writings.
ABM Husain was born on 1 September 1934 in a respectable family of Dhampti village in Debidwar (now upazila) of Comilla district. His father’s name is Abdur Rahman Sarkar, and his mother is Begum Azizunnessa Sarkar. ABM Husain matriculated from Debidwar High School in First Division in 1949 and passed Intermediate Examination from Comilla Victoria College in First Division in 1951 (10th position in combined merit list). He obtained BA (Hons.) degree in 1954 and MA in 1955 from the Department of Islamic History and Culture, University of Dhaka. He secured the first position in the first class in both examinations. After receiving his MA degree from the University of Dhaka, ABM Husain went to England for higher education on the merit scholarship of the then central Government of Pakistan. In 1958, he obtained his second BA (Hons.) degree in history from the University of London. It should be noted that he completed his BA honors 4-year degree in two years with outstanding achievements. ABM Husain received his PhD in 1960 ‘The History and Archeology of Fathpur-Sikri’ at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. His PhD thesis was later published as a book in a revised form titled Fatehpu-Sikri and its Architecture.
ABM Husain was a distinguished educationist and teacher. His teaching career began in 1960 by joining as a senior lecturer in the Department of Islamic History and Culture, University of Rajshahi. In 1972, he became Professor and retired from teaching in 1999. In addition to teaching, he served in various important administrative positions at the University of Rajshahi, including the Head of the Department of Islamic History and Culture, Dean of the Faculty of Arts (1978-80), and Senate Member (1974-1983). He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Bangladesh Studies, University of Rajshahi (1975-1994). Professor Husain served as one of the members of the committee formed to formulate the Rajshahi University Order 1973. In 1977, he served as the Director of Barendra Research Museum, University of Rajshahi. Apart from University Rajshahi, Professor Husain held important positions in various universities and research institutes both at home and abroad. He was involved in teaching in the Extra-Mural Department of the University of London as a Visiting Lecturer (1965-1966). During 1983-1988 he was a Syndicate Member of the Islamic University, Kushtia. In recognition of his scholarship and outstanding services as a teacher, the University of Rajshahi appointed ABM Husain as Professor Emeritus in 2001, which he held till his death. It is to be noted that he was the first Professor Emeritus appointed at the University of Rajshahi.
For his fundamental and distinctive contributions to the fields of education and research, ABM Husain has received numerous accolades and awards and held many distinguished positions at home and abroad. He received the honorary fellowship of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 1958. He served as a member of the Central Advisory Board of the Directorate of Archeology and Museums of Pakistan from 1961 to 1964 and as a member of the Pakistan Historical Records and Archives Commission from 1962 to 1965. As a Nuffield Foundation Fellow at the University of London in 1964-1966, Dr. Husain conducted research on Indo-Muslim architecture. This research work was later published as a book entitled The Manara in Indo-Muslim Architecture. In 1978, he served as a UNESCO International Fellow and researched Islamic art in India, Iran, and Turkey. Between 1986 to 1988, ABM Husain was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Aga Khan Foundation for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University, USA. The Norwegian Parliament nominated him as a member of the Board for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977. From 1975 to 1990, he was a member of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission’s Humanities and Social Sciences Committee. For his exceptional contribution to research and teaching, he received the American Biographical Association Award in 1985, the Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Award in 1989, and the Rajshahi Writers Association Award in 1995. He was elected a Fellow of the International Biographical Association in 1983 and a member of the Research Advisory Board of the American Biographical Institute in 1988. Professor Emeritus ABM Husain was honored with offering Fellowship from the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh and the Bangla Academy in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The biography of ABM Husain has been included in publications such as Who’s Who in Chicago (1980-1981), Man of Achievement from the Cambridge Biographical Centre, The International Book of Honor (First World Edition), and Dictionary of International Biography (Volumes XVIII), among others.
ABM Husain participated in a innumerable national and international seminars, symposiums, and congresses. As a representative of Rajshahi University, he attended the Commonwealth Vice-Chancellors’ Conference in London in 1965, the OIC Conference held in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1984, as one of Bangladesh’s representatives in 1984, and the Human Rights Commission meeting in Athens, Greece in 1985 as an observer. Professor Husain served as Conference President of both International History Conference organized by VRM, Rajshahi University, in 1985 and the Biennial National History Conference of Bangladesh Itihasa Parishad held in Chittagong in 1987. It is noted that he was one of the founder members of Bangladesh Itihasa Parishad and contributed to the progress of the organization by sitting in various positions on its Executive Committee. Apart from Bangladesh Itihasa Parishad, he was a life member of the Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Asiatic Society, Indian History Congress, and West Bengal Itihasa Sangsad.
More than a hundred research papers on diverse topics in history, including Islamic art, have been published by Professor Husain in national and international journals. He is the author of numerous entries in Banglapedia- National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, published from the Bangladesh Asiatic Society. He was one of the members of the editorial board of Banglapedia. Fifteen books on history, art, and archeology have been authored or edited by him. These include An Introduction to the History of Muslim Culture (1958); Fatehpur Sikri and its Architecture (1970); The Manara in Indo-Muslim Architecture (1970); A Historical Survey of the Monuments and Sites in Bangladesh: vol.I Mainamati-Deva-Parbata; Vol.II Gawr-Lakhnawti and Sonargaon-Panam vol.III , (1997); Architecture-A History Through the A, vol.2 of the Cultural Survey of Bangladesh (2007); আরব স্থাপত্য (১৯৮৪); ইসলামী চিত্রকলা (২০০৪); মধ্যপ্রাচ্যের ইতিহাস- ওটোমান সাম্রাজ্য থেকে জাতিসত্তা রাষ্ট্র (২০১১); পড়ন্ত বেলার গল্প (আত্মজীবনী) (২০১৫) এবং ইতিহাস ও শিল্পকলা (২০১৬) প্রভৃতি। He was conferred the Bangladesh University Grants Commission Award in 2011 for his book মধ্যপ্রাচ্যের ইতিহাস- ওটোমান সাম্রাজ্য থেকে জাতিসত্তা রাষ্ট্র (২০১১).
ABM Husain is known as a progressive, non-sectarian, and free-thinking intellectual. He was vocal against the undemocratic and authoritarian rule during the Pakistan period.
On July 11, 2020, the internationally reputed eminent scholar, Professor Emeritus ABM Husain passed away. He was then 86 years old. He was laid to rest in intellectual cemetery at Mirpur, Dhaka. [Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan]
