Unsung language heroes of Chandpur
Clockwise, Sheikh Muzaffar Ali, Dr MA Gafur, late Abul Kashem Chowdhury, late Dr Mojibur Rahman Chowdhury, BM Kalimullah and Sheikh Motiur Rahman.Photo: STAR
The Amar Ekushey is beck to the memory with the pride of heroic struggle of our language movement heroes who glorified our nation and the language in the world. But it also brings qualms for some of the unsung heroes in Chandpur. There are some Language Movement heroes here who are perhaps still unknown to the present generation. “They were not given any recognition or honour”, said language movement hero Dr M A Gafur, now a noted social worker and physician in Chandpur town. “I was then a student of MBBS course at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. On February 21, was in the procession just behind Gaziul Hoque, Abdul Matin, Oli Ahad, Ataur Rahman Khan Abul Kashem (Principal Abul Kashem) and others”, he said while talking to this correspondent yesterday. “I witnessed the blood stained bodies of language martyrs. I hushed bullet-injured Shafiur to DMCH where he died on that day”, Gafur recollected. “The turbulent days of 21st February are still vivid in my memory”, Dr MA Gafur said. He is yet to get any recognition. Nor any reception was accorded to him, Gafur said. His wife Prof Mahmuda Khatun is a teacher of Dhaka University. His two sons are well educated. Shakil Ghakil Gafur is a MBBS doctor and Dr Shayer Gafur is a teacher of BUET. On February 26, 1952, communist leader and the then LLB student of Dhaka University BM Kali Mullah (hailing from Mokimabad, Hajiganj) and Abdur Rab (then a student leader at Jagannath College formed the Chandpur sub-divisional unit of 'Rastra Bhasha Bastobayon Sangram Parishad at a meeting held at Ahmadia Muslim Hostel (now Government Mohila College hostel) in Chandpur town. Abdur Rab became an Awami League lawmaker from Hajiganj in 1986. At the 'secret' meeting, BM Kalimullah showed his shirt stained with blood of Shaheed Salam. BM Kalimullah had rushed critically bullet-injured Salam to DMCH where he died on 21st February. This sparked the Language Movement in Chandpur, said elderly Kalimullah. He talked to this correspondent at his residence at Hajiganj. "Through this blood (of Language Movement) we achieved an independent country and a flag", he boastfully said. At the February 26 meeting in Chandpur, Abdur Rab was unanimously elected president of Chandpur unit of Bangla Bhasa Bastobayon Sangram Parishad and Mollah Siddiqur Rahman (now BNP leader hailing from Rarirchar, Chhota Sundar, Chandpur Sadar) was made general secretary. Sheikh Motiur Rahman, an activist of the then Chhatra Union, was made joint secretary, he said. Besides, Harun Khan (who became a lawmaker from Matlab in 1986), Abul Kalam Azad (then president of Chhatra League, Chandpur), Wadud Patwary (Chhatra League central leader), Abul Kashem Chowdhury, Tunu - close relative of late veteran politician Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, his elder brother Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (then LMF student at DMCH), AB Khan (Homeo doctor), young merchant at Puran Bazar Rafiuddin Akhand alias Shona Akhand, Sheikh Mojaffor Ali, Shah Amanullah Manik, advocate AFM Fazlul Hoque (Matlab), Abdul Karim Patwary attended the meeting said elderly Sk Motiur Rahman, recalling his past memories in sick bed at his house in Chandpur town. He is now a BNP leader. Later, Amena Begum and Waliullah Naojoan (B.Sc) of Faridganj, Sujat Ali Munshi and Sattar Mia of Hajiganj and many others were involved in the movement in all six thanas of the then Chandpur sub-division. The movement flared up despite strong opposition from the then Muslim League leaders and police haunt for the leaders. "But till today, none of us got any honour or recognition from any quarter", said Dr MA Gafur. SK Motiur Rahman, BM Kalimullah, Sk Mujaffor Ali and Mollah Siddiqur Rahman also echoed the same sentiment. The same sentiment was ventilated by Gulshan Ara Chowdhury (only daughter of late Dr Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury), Nokib Chowdhury, eldest son of late veteran language movement hero Abul Kashem Chowdhury, Saifur Rab Parvez, son of late language movement hero and Abdur Rab, Au Sufian, son of late advocate AFM Fazlul Hoque (Matlab) and Shaikh Mohiuddin Russel, son of Shaikh Mujaffar Ali.
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