Chowdhury, Maqbul Hossain

Chowdhury, Maqbul Hossain (1898-1957) journalist, politician. He was born in 1898 at village Binnahkuli in Taherpur thana of Sunamganj district. His father was Abul Hossain Chowdhury and mother Azizunnesa Chowdhury. He passed entrance examination from Sunamganj Government Jubilee High School in 1919. While a student in MC College he joined khilafat movement in 1920. He was appointed editor of the weekly Jugabani in 1925 and of weekly Jugabhery in 1932. Besides, he edited the daily Soltan and the weekly Sylhet for some time.

He participated in the conference of Congress and Khilafat Movement held at Nagpur on 20 December 1920 as a representative from Sylhet. He was arrested in 1922 for his active participation in the movement against the British colonial government. He was elected MLA to the Assam Constituent Assembly in 1937 as a nominee of Muslim League. He had active role at the referendum held at Sylhet in 1946 for inclusion of Sylhet into Pakistan. He led the language movement in Sunamganj district and resigned from the Muslim League in protest against the police firing on the procession and killing of students on 21 February 1952. On 26 February 1952, a protest meeting was held at Sunamganj by the students and public under his leadership.

Mukbul Hossain Chowdhury wrote a number of books, which include Kholafa-e-Rashedin, Quran Sharifer Itihasa, Gnanabani, Quran Parichoi, Islami Jivandorshan, Sheikh Abdul Quader Jilani, Mujaddid-e-Alfe-San'i and Maltar Bandi. He died on 20 December 1957. [Murshida Binte Rahman]