Kazi Abdus Shahid Lal
Kazi Abdus Shahid Lal (কাজী আব্দুস শহীদ লাল) was a politician and lawyer from Jashore, Bangladesh. He is well known for his involvement in the 1962 East Pakistan education movement, the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising, and the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Early life
[edit]Abdus Shahid was born on 28 November 1939 in Jessore. He studied at Michael Madhusudan College and Rajsahi University.[1][2][3]
Career
[edit]Abdus Shahid started his political career with the East Pakistan Students Union (EPSU). Subsequently, he was in the National Awami Party (NAP), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Gano Forum.[1][4][5]
On 31 May 1962, during the East Pakistan education movement against the Martial Law regime, a special military court convicted him under CMLA regulations (24 and 94) and sentenced him to 14 years in prison for participating in student disturbances.[3] This became an exemplary case and gained much national attention. On 6 June, in an extraordinary general meeting of the Dhaka District Bar Association, the members expressed their distress over this conviction and urged the government to withdraw cases and warrants issued under the Safety Act.[6] On 8 June, the government released seven Safety Act prisoners from the Rajshahi Central Jail, but Shahid was not released. The seven detenus made a statement demanding the release of Kazi Abdus Shahid along with other high-profile political prisoners - Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, and Abdul Gaffar Khan.[7]
Later on, students and political leaders across the country demanded the release of Kazi Abdus Shahid, along with other student and political prisoners.[8] On 17 June 1962, the East Pakistan Provisional Assembly carried an Adjournment Motion on the release of political prisoners detained under the Safety Act without trial, and a special reference was made to his case.[9]
Following this country-wide protest of students and public leaders, Kazi Abdus Shahid was released from prison.[8] However, in September 1963, notice under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Code was issued on him, Principal Abdul Hai of M. M. College, and others in Jessore for instigating the students to indulge in activities causing a serious breach of peace with apprehension of human life and property.[10]
Shahid became a joint secretary of the East Pakistan Workers' Council when it was launched in October 1964.[11] He actively participated in the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising and Bangladesh Liberation War.[12] He took part in the 1973 Bangladesh General election as a NAP-M candidate for Jessore IX constituency, competing against Raushan Ali of Awami League, Mosharraf Hossain LL.B. of JSD, and Alamgir Siddique of NAP-B.[13] He was elected multiple times as the president and general secretary of the Jessore Bar Association.[14]
Death
[edit]Kazi Abdus Shahid died on 20 May 2021 at a local hospital in Jashore at age 82.[12][15][16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "ভাষা সংগ্রামী কাজী আব্দুস শহীদ লালের জীবনাবসান" [The death of language activist Kazi Abdus Shaheed Lal]. Gramer Kagoj (in Bengali). 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "একজন লাল উকিলের প্রস্থান" [Exit of a "Lal" advocate]. Magpienews24 (in Bengali). 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Students' Leader Gets 14 Years R.I. At Rajshahi". The Pakistan Observer. 1 June 1962. p. 8.
- ^ "EPSU Education Seminar". The Pakistan Observer. 19 October 1963. p. 8.
- ^ "গণফোরাম থেকে অব্যাহতি নিলেন ড. কামাল" [Dr. Kamal Retires from Gano Forum]. Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 27 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Dacca Bar Wants Release of Detenus". The Pakistan Observer. 7 June 1962. p. 1.
- ^ "Seven Detenus Released From Rajshahi Jail". The Pakistan Observer. 9 June 1962. p. 1.
- ^ a b "10 Students, 2 Public Leaders Discharged". The Pakistan Observer. 14 April 1963. p. 8.
- ^ "Prov. Assembly Unanimous On Release of Detenus". The Pakistan Observer. 18 June 1962. pp. 1, 2.
- ^ "Notice Under Cr. P.C. Served On Principal & Others". The Pakistan Observer. 26 September 1963. p. 1.
- ^ "Workers' Council Comes Into Being". The Pakistan Observer. 26 October 1964.
- ^ a b "Abdus Shahid passes away". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 21 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Election Results". The Bangladesh Observer. 10 March 1973. p. 8.
- ^ "Condolence Statement for Adv Abdus Shahid Lal" (PDF). Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (in Bengali). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "চিরনিদ্রায় শায়িত যশোরের বর্ষীয়ান রাজনীতিক কাজী আব্দুস শহীদ লাল" [Senior politician Kazi Abdus Shaheed Lal of Jessore has passed away]. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "যশোরের কাজী আব্দুস শহীদ লাল আর নেই" [Kazi Abdus Shaheed Lal of Jashore is no more]. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (in Bengali). 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.