Bazlur Rahman (3 August 1941 – 26 February 2008) was a

Bangladeshi Bangladeshis ( ) are the citizens and nationals of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centred on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the Bay of Bengal, eponymous bay. Bangladeshi nationality law, Bangladeshi citizenship was fo ...

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

and

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

. He was awarded

Independence Day Award The Independence Award (), formally known as the Independence Day Award or Swadhinata Padak (), is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh. Introduced in 1977 by President Ziaur Rahman, this award is bestowed upon Banglade ...

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree of accuracy. The word, a noun, applies to the journ ...

by the

Government of Bangladesh The government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh () is the central government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Constitution of Bangladesh comprising the executive (the president, prime minister and cabinet), the ...

in 2012 posthumously.

Early life

Rahman was born on 3 August 1941 in Charniamatpur, Phulpur Upazila,

Mymensingh District Mymensingh District () is a district in Mymensingh Division Bangladesh, and is bordered in the north by Meghalaya, India and the Garo Hills, in the south by Gazipur District, in the east by the districts of Netrokona and Kishoreganj and in ...

, East Bengal, British Raj. He graduated from Ganabardi School in 1956 and from Anandamohan College 1958. He completed his B.A. in 1961 from Barisal Brajamohan College and completed his M.A. in economics from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

in 1962.

Career

In 1961, Rahman joined The Daily Sangbad as an assistant editor. He then joined as the assistant editor of

The Daily Ittefaq ''The Daily Ittefaq'' (, Bangla pronunciation: ) is a Bengali-language daily newspaper. Founded in 1949 by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Yar Mohammad Khan, it is the oldest and one of the most circulated newspapers in Bangladesh. The newspape ...

. He was involved with the

National Awami Party The National Awami Party (NAP) was the major left-wing political party in East and West Pakistan. It was founded in 1957 in Dhaka, erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Yar Mohammad Khan, through th ...

and East Pakistan Communist Party. He founding editor of the Ekota, a weekly, which was closely linked to the communist party. In 1971 he fought in the Bangladesh Liberation war and was the editor the Muktijuddha. From 1973 to 1975, he was the general secretary of ''Bangladesh Afro-Asia Solidarity Council'' and the acting Editor of The Daily Sangbad. Rahman was a founding member of the Bangabandhu Parishad in 1980. He served as the senior vice-president and acting president of Bangladesh National Press Club. He was a founding member of Bangladesh-Soviet Friendship Society and served as its president from 1982 to 1990. In 1984 he was the President of

International Federation of Journalists The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the largest global union federation of journalists' trade unions in the world. It represents more than 600,000 media workers from 187 organisations in 146 countries. The IFJ is an associate ...

's Bangladesh Chapter. He was a director of

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) is the news agency of Bangladesh. BSS was established on 1 January 1972 by the Government of Bangladesh soon after the Bangladesh Liberation War. Mahbub Morshed is the current managing director and chief editor o ...

and

Bangladesh Press Council Bangladesh Press Council () is an quasi-judicial institution that protects freedom of speech and regulates the press in Bangladesh and is located in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, Bangladesh. History The act to establish the institution was passed in 1974 ...

. From 1998 to 1999, he was the chairman of Khelaghar, a children's welfare organization. He was the editor of the Khelaghar page of The Daily Sangbad. In 2010, he wrote Bangladesher Arthonitir Halchal: 1974–1987, a book about the economy of Bangladesh from 1974 to 1987. His book focused on poverty in Bangladesh.

Personal life

Rahman was married to

Matia Chowdhury Matia Chowdhury (; 30 June 1942 – 16 October 2024) was a Awami League leader and one of the key perpetrators of the July massacre orchestrated and executed by Sheikh Hasina's toppled regime. She died while awaiting trial for crimes against h ...

, a politician of

Bangladesh Awami League The Awami League, officially known as Bangladesh Awami League, is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achievin ...

, member of parliament and former government minister.

Death

Rahman died on 26 February 2008 in Ibrahim Cardiac Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh from a heart attack. He was buried in the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard with a guard of honor for his role in the Bangladesh Liberation war.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Bazlur 1941 births 2008 deaths People from Mymensingh District University of Dhaka alumni Burials at Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard Recipients of the Independence Award 20th-century Bangladeshi journalists Mukti Bahini personnel