Abul Barkat

Abul Barkat
Native name আবুল বরকত
Born Murshidabad, Bengal Presidency
Died Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nationality

Pakistani (1947-1952)

British Indian (1927-1947)
Occupation Language rights activist

Abul Barkat (Bengali: আবুল বরকত) (June 16, 1927 – February 21, 1952) was a protester killed during the Bengali Language Movement protests which took place in the erstwhile East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh), in 1952.[1][2] He is considered a martyr in Bangladesh.[3][4]

Early life

Barkat was born on 13 or 16 June 1927 in Babla village, Bharatpur, Murshidabad, West Bengal, British Raj. He studied in Babla primary school and completed his matriculation from Talibpur High School in 1945 and completed his intermediate from Krishnath College in 1947. He moved to Dhaka in 1948 after the Partition of India.[5] He completed his BA in political science from Dhaka University in 1951. He started his MA in political science in Dhaka University.[6]

Bengali Language Movement

On 21 February 1952, students bought out a protest demanding Bengali language be given the status of national language despite Section 144(curfew) being imposed. The police fired at the protestors on the road in front of Dhaka Medical College. Barkat was seriously injured and later died at the Dhaka Medical College around 8 PM on 21 February 1952. He was buried in the Azimpur Graveyard.[5] The location of his grave has since been lost.[7] His mother, Hasina Begum, inaugurated the Shaheed Minar in 1963.[8]

Epitaph on Barkat's grave at Azimpur Graveyard, Dhaka.

Legacy

Abul Barkat was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2000.[5] A museum has been built for him in Dhaka University campus.[6] A documentary titled Bayanno'r Michhil was made about his life.[9] Movement Hero Abul Barkat memorial museum and archive was open in 2012 in Dhaka University; it was financed by Dhaka District Council.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "DU hands over martyr Barkat's certificate after 58 years". The Daily Star. 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  2. ↑ "Ekushey: A turning point in our history". The Daily Star. 2013-02-21. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  3. ↑ Tribune Report. "Tribute paid to language martyrs". dhakatribune.com. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Documentary on Shaheed Abul Barkat premiered". The Daily Star. 2009-08-07. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  5. 1 2 3 Kader, Rozina. "Barkat, Abul". en.banglapedia.org. Banglapedia. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  6. 1 2 Rahman, Palash. "Martyr Barkat museum still waiting for opening". archive.thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Graves of three language martyrs traceless". The Daily Star. 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  8. ↑ "A Monument of Souls". The Daily Star. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  9. ↑ "Documentary on Shaheed Abul Barkat to premiere today". The Daily Star. 2009-08-04. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  10. ↑ "Barkat memorial museum at DU". The Daily Star. 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2017-04-05.


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