Shawkat Ali
Shawkat Ali | |
---|---|
শওকত আলী | |
Ekushe Padak |
Shawkat Ali (April 20, 1918 – August 18, 1975) was a politician and a leader of the
Early life
Shawkat Ali was born in a prominent
Political career
Shawkat Ali was deeply involved with
On March 2, 1948, he was elected one of the members of the second Language Movement sub-committee. The second sub-committee called a general strike throughout the country on 11 March 1948. It was the first strike of the Language Movement. Shawkat Ali played an important role during that strike. He along with his friends started picketing in front of the second entrance of the Secretariat building. At one point of the picketing, he halted the car carrying the Police S.P. Chatham and I.G. Zakir Hossain. Others picketing with him were
On March 16, 1948, a student meeting was held at the Dhaka University Campus demanding Bengali to be the National Language. After the meeting, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led a rally towards the Assembly Hall. The rally passed Engineering College, Dhaka Medical College and reached the four corners near Assembly Hall. The students surrounded the Hall and laid a siege. The members of the assembly, the speaker, deputy speaker, and the MPs were all encircled. Shawkat Ali, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and others engaged in a heated exchange of words with the MPs and the District Magistrate. Suddenly, the students came under attack by the police. The policemen started using batons, tear gas shells and fired blanks. Nineteen activists were injured that day and Shawkat Ali was the most seriously hurt.
The Language Movement reached its climax in 1952 with the indiscriminate shooting by the police at protesters and killing four young men -
.Shawkat Ali led and organised and led many of the protests, rallies, and picketing during the tragic and fateful days of February 1952. He was arrested again on March 2, 1952, and was imprisoned for a long time.
Death
Shawkat Ali suffered a stroke on August 15, 1975, upon hearing the news of the Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He died on August 18, 1975, at the Holy Family Hospital, Dhaka. He is buried in Jurain graveyard in Dhaka.
Family
On 1960, Ali married Rahima Khatun, the vice-principal of Fazlul Haq Mohila College in Dhaka. They had three sons and a daughter.
Legacy
In 2011, Ali was awarded the Ekushey Padak one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Language Movement, with effect from January 17, 2010, Dhaka City Corporation renamed Dhanmondi Road No. 4/A after him.
References
- ^ a b Mahbub, M R (April 20, 2018). ভাষাসৈনিক শওকত আলী. Bhorer Kagoj (in Bengali). Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ISBN 984-560-094-8.
- Umar, Badaruddin. Purbo Banglar Bhasha Andolon O' Tothkaleen Rajneeti (vol. 1) (in Bengali). Dhaka: Māolā Brādārsa. OCLC 13334899.
- Umar, Badaruddin. Bhasha Andolon Prasanga (in Bengali). Dhaka: Bangla Academy. pp. 83–84. OCLC 13124728.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20110716230936/http://www.thedailysangbad.com/details.php?news=23&action=main&menu_type=&option=single&news_id=3238&pub_no=38
- Umar, Badaruddin (2000). Language movement in East Bengal. Dhaka: Jatiya Grontha Prakashan. ISBN 984-560-094-8.