Abdus Samad Azad

Abdus Samad Azad (/ɑːbˈduːs sʌˈmɑːd ʌˈzɑːd/ ( listen); 15 January 1926 – 27 April 2005) was a Bangladeshi diplomat and politician. He was elected to Bangladesh's parliament five times from 1970 to 2001. He was also elected Member of Lower Assembly in the Parliament of then East Pakistan. He became President of the Muslim Student Federation of All - Asam in 1946 and led the Language Movement in 1952.^[1]

in 1952, on 19 January founded Pakistan's first secular political party, the Ganatantri Dal. Haji Mohammad Danesh, a kisan leader, was its first president and Abdus Samad Azad became the first Joint Secretary. Abdus Samad Azad became Secretary before forming a coalition with the United Front The Ganatantri Dal was the first to open its doors to non-Muslims on an equal footing and demanded a secular constitution. The party manifesto included the demand for the abolition of feudalism without any compensation, the release of political prisoners, secession from the Commonwealth, nationalisation of jute trade, equal rights for women and minorities in social, political and economic spheres, and abolition of visa system between Pakistan and India.

He had performed his responsibilities as Acting President of the then East Pakistan Juba League in 1953.

He was political advisor of the Provincial Government of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar during the liberation war. He led Bangladesh Government delegation to the World Peace Conference in Budapest of Hungary in 1971. Abdus Samad Azad became Honorary President of World Peace Council and also was elected as Chairman of the Commission Peace and security in Asia of the Council in 1973. First President of Bangladesh Peace Council and also Samad Azad chaired the Budapest summit of World Peace Council in May 1971

Earl life and education

Azad was born on 15 January 1926 in Bhurakhali village, Jagannathpur, Sunamganj District, Assam, British Raj. He had his Matriculation from Sunamganj Jubilee High School in 1943 and graduated from Sylhet Murarichand College in 1948^[1]

Career

Azad joined the All Bengal Muslim Students’ Association in the 1940s as the President of Sunamganj unit. He supported the Pakistan movement. In 1952 he was imprisoned for his role in the Language Movement. He worked as a school teacher and then an insurance man. He was elected to the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in 1954 as a candidate of the United Front. In 1954 he joined the Awami League and served as labour secretary East Pakistan Awami League during 1955–57. He served as the league's labor secretary. He left the league in 1957 with other leftist politicians led by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani. He returned to Awami League in 1969 and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1970.^[1]

Azad was a leader and an executive member of the Awami League and a friend to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by 1970 when he became the chief representative of the Bangladeshi independence movement in exile, helping the movement get international support while Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned. When independence for Bangladesh was achieved in 1971, Azad became its first foreign minister,^[2] within the Mujibur Rahman government. He served in that position until 1973 and then became agriculture minister.^[3] He was replaced by Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad as foreign minister.^[4] Azad did not support the 1975 military coup in which Mujibur Rahman was killed. He was imprisoned until 1979.

In 1991 parliament, he became the Deputy leader of opposition. In 1996, when the Awami League came back to power under Mujibur Rahman's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, Azad was appointed foreign minister again.^[2] He served in that position until 2001 when the Awami League lost elections. He was elected to parliament in 1991, 1996 and 2001.^[1]

Death

Azad died at a hospital in Dhaka of stomach cancer on 27 April 2005.^[1]

References