Abul Kalam Shamsuddin (3 November 18974 March 1978) was a journalist, writer and politician. He was born in Trishal in the
Mymensingh
Mymensingh () is a metropolis, metropolitan city and capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of the Old Brahmaputra River, Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center ...
district of Bengal.
Early life
Shamsuddin graduated from
Dhaka College
Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...
Surendranath College
Surendranath College is an undergraduate college affiliated to the University of Calcutta, in Kolkata, India. It was founded in 1884 by the nationalist leader and scholar Surendranath Banerjee. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate level co ...
) in Kolkata for his higher studies. In 1921 he took the Upadhi examination from Gudiya Suvama Vidyayatan. He participated in Khilafat and the
Non-Cooperation Movement
Non-cooperation movement may refer to:
* Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922), during the Indian independence movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule
* Non-cooperation movement (1971), a movement in East Pakistan
* Non-cooperatio ...
as a student.
Career
Journalism
In 1922, Shamsuddin joined the daily ''Mohammadi'' as assistant editor. He also edited the weekly ''Moslem Jagat'', '' The Musalman'', the ''Daily Soltan'', the weekly ''Mohammadi'' and ''Mashik Mohammadi''. He joined the daily newspaper called ''
The Azad
''The Azad'' () was a Bengali-language daily newspaper published from 1936 to 1990s. ''The Azad'' became Dhaka's first daily newspaper. The newspaper while based in Dhaka played an important role during the Bengali Language Movement for its adv ...
'' in 1936. After the death of Khairul Anam Khan, Shamsuddin became editor of ''
The Azad
''The Azad'' () was a Bengali-language daily newspaper published from 1936 to 1990s. ''The Azad'' became Dhaka's first daily newspaper. The newspaper while based in Dhaka played an important role during the Bengali Language Movement for its adv ...
'' alongside Mujibur Rahman Khan from 1940 to 1962. He also was the editor of ''
Daily Pakistan
The ''Daily Pakistan'' () is a daily newspaper in Pakistan, published both in Urdu language and in English.
Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami is its chief editor.
Punjab
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
. He was inspired by
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
and joined the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
. In 1927 he joined the Muslim League. During the 1940s, while working for ''The Azad'', he began agitating for "Purba Pakistan" (), a Bengali term referring to a specific East Pakistan based upon Bengali Muslim culture. In doing so, he was often critical of the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement was a religiopolitical and social movement that emerged in the early 20th century as part of a campaign that advocated the creation of an Islamic state in parts of what was then British Raj. It was rooted in the two-nation the ...
after becoming the president of the East Pakistan Renaissance Society. He was the chairman of the Reception Committee of the Renaissance Society Summit at Kolkata in 1944.
In 1946 he was elected to the Central Legislative Council. Shamsuddin became a member of Language Committee of East Pakistan Government in 1949.
Involvement in Language Movement
Shamsuddin played an important role during the Language Movement. At that time he was the editor of the leading daily ''The Azad'' which reported about the movement. On 22 February 1952 he resigned from the East Bengal Legislative Assembly to protest the police firing on a crowd the previous day. Azad also published a special evening edition on that day. The editorial that he wrote criticised the police for created massive excitement among the youth.
Publications
Shamsuddin wrote a number of books. He along with some other Islamist writers formed a domestic literature society named Raonok. Shamsuddin was the secretary of this 21 member society of Islamist writers.Rahman, Saeed-ur. Purbo-Banglar Shangskritik Andolon. pp.37-38 Of his books, his autobiography ''Atit Jiboner Smriti'' is considered as his masterpiece. His other works are:
*''Podojomi Ba Anabadi Jami'' (1938)
*''Trisrota'' (1939)
*''Kharataranga'' (1953)
*''Drishtikon'' (1961)
*''Natun Chin Natun Desh'' (1965)
*''Digvijayi Taimur'' (1965),
*''Iliad'' (1967),
*''Palashi Theke Pakistan'' (1968),
*''Atit Diner Smriti'' (1968)
Awards
Shamsuddin received a number of awards in Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Pakistan he was awarded the Sitara-i-Khidmat in 1961 and
Sitara-i-Imtiaz
The Sitara-e-Imtiaz () also spelled as Sitara-i-Imtiaz, is the third-highest (in the order of "Imtiaz") honour and Civil decorations of Pakistan, civilian award in the State of Pakistan. It recognizes individuals who have made an "especially me ...
in 1967. In 1969 during the revolution of people he protested against the government and refused his awards for the cause. He received the
Bangla Academy Literary Award
The Bangla Academy Literary Award (; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar'') is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius in advancement and overall contribution in the field of Bengali language and literature.
...
in 1970. After the independence of Bangladesh, he was honoured with the Bangladesh's highest honour,
Ekushey Padak
Ekushey Padak () is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of martyrs of the Bengali language movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contributions in a number of fields, including culture, education, and e ...