Syed Nazrul Islam

Syed Nazrul Islam was born in village Jamodal Dampara in Kishoreganj (then Mymensingh) District in 1925. He was lastly educated in Dhaka University where from he did his M A in History in 1947 and later in 1953 the LL.B. During student life, Syed Nazrul Islam was elected the Vice President of Salimullah Muslim Hall, DU for the year 1946-'47. He was also the Secretary of Muslim Chhatra League for some time and he was a respected member of the All-party Action Committee of the Language Movement in 1952.

Syed Nazrul Islam was appointed a Taxation Officer through the Central Superior Service (CSS) examinations of Pakistan in 1949. This administrative service could not hold independent-minded Nazrul beyond 1951. He resigned his post and joined the teaching staff of Ananda Mohan College, Mymensingh. He obviously taught History that he studied in his Masters Course. Later, he joined advocacy in Mymensingh and that was his main profession.

As mentioned earlier, the active political life of Syed Nazrul Islam began in 1946. But as a national leader, he was elected the President of Mymensingh Awami League in 1957, was the senior Vice President of AL Central Committee in 1964 and hence had to act as the President of AL from 1966 to 1969 when Sheikh Mujib was in jail. In the 1970 Parliamentary Election, Syed Nazrul Islam was elected MP from Mymensingh-17 constituency.

During the War of Liberation, Syed Nazrul Islam was the Vice President and the Acting President as the declared President Sheikh Mujib was detained in a Pakistani jail. He led the War of Liberation successfully on the advice of Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed. During his political career all through, Syed Nazrul was the most revered and most of the AL leaders used to address him as 'Sir'.

Syed Nazrul Islam was the second member (first and the Chairman was Dr. Kamal Hossain) of the Bangladesh Constitution Drafting Committee in 1972. Just before his sad demise on November 3, 1975 this most revered Syed Nazrul Islam was the Vice President of Bangladesh.

Tajuddin Ahmed

Tajuddin Ahmed was born at village Dardaria in Kapasia of Gazipur (then Dhaka) District on July 23, 1925. His institutional learning began in the village Maktab and Tole. Then he was educated at Targaon Primary School and Kapasia Minor School. Observing Tajuddin's potentiality, the teachers of Minor High School advised his parents to send him to Nagari Christian Missionary High School (Now St. Nicholas High School)- known to be the best in the area. He studied here for some time and the teachers of this school also prescribed a better school for Tajuddin. Thus he was sent to St. Gregory's High School, Laksmi Bazaar, Dhaka. In this school Tajuddin started scouting being a member of the Boy Scout in 1941. However, Tajuddin matriculated in 1944 and stood third in the Intermediate Examination (now HSC) in 1948. He then did B. A. (Honours Course) in Economics from Dhaka University in 1953. But as his political career began (including his maiden imprisonment) in 1954, he could not obtain the M. A. Degree in that discipline. However, he got the LL.B. Degree by appearing in the examination from jail in 1964. Tajuddin Ahmed memorised the entire Quran during his school days, i.e., he was a Hafez. Tajuddin Ahmed was an amiable and simple but bold and serious personality.

As regards Tajuddin's political career, we may go through the events below. He became a member of Muslim League's Progressive Section in 1943, A Councilor of Bengal Muslim League in 1944, a Fundamental Member of Bangladesh Chhatra League in 1948 (January 4) and helped formation of the Awami Muslim League on June 23, 1949. Tajuddin was elected the General Secretary of Dhaka District Awami League for the period1953-'59. Later, he was also elected to the post of the Cultural Secretary of AL Central Committee. Being the General Secretary of AL from March 1966, Tajuddin was the key personality to draft the famous Six-point Charter of demands. Thus the genius in Tajuddin was exposed to the party men, though the general public were mostly unaware of this because he had little capacity for delivering hot speeches. However, Tajuddin attended the Opposition Parties' Conference in Lahore (1966) where Sheikh Mujib (President of AL) announced the Six-point Charter.

The talent, diplomacy and boldness in Tajuddin were most exposed in 1971. After the March 25 crackdown and Sheikh Mujib's arrest, Tajuddin Ahmed left Dhaka and went into hiding with Barrister Amirul Islam. They reached the Meherpur Border of the then Kushtia District in about three days and were wandering in disguise as farmers wearing Lungi and Guernsey (Ganzi) but did not cross the border on their own accord. They had to be taken to the Indian Territory by Golok Mojumder-the then Inspector General of BSF (Eastern Wing) on March 31. Such was Tajuddin's sense of honour for his motherland and the maturity of diplomacy.

After the formation of the Mujibnagar Government on April 10 and the taking oath on April 17, the first Prime Minister Tajuddin formed an all-party Advisory Committee headed by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani-the Founder President of Awami Muslim League. Thus the otherwise suspected internal quarrel (within the Government in exile, and especially the Mujib Bahini and the general Mukti Bahini) could be minimized effectively.

Tajuddin Ahmed successfully led the War of Liberation. The Indian help from the first week of December, 1971 was useful for our earlier victory over the Pakistani occupation forces. Tajuddin's Government in exile returned to the Independent Bangladesh on December 22 and started the rehabilitation of war-torn Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujib-the supreme Organizer of the movement towards liberation, returned to Bangladesh on January 10, 1972 via London and Delhi. Mujib himself became the Prime Minister while Tajuddin was given the portfolio of Planning and Finance Ministries.

The first budget of Independent Bangladesh was prepared and presented in the Parliament by Tajuddin. He prepared and presented the second and third budgets in 1973 and '74 also. Tajuddin's budget speeches have been regarded as models for our latter Finance Ministers. Tajuddin was also actively involved in drafting the Bangladesh Constitution as member number 3 (out of 34). But due to some misunderstanding between Mujib and Tajuddin, Tajuddin was dropped from the Cabinet in October 1974 when Mujib was forming the undemocratic BKSAL Government.

As ill luck would have it, Mustaque gong was successful in their conspiracy and could kill the entire family of Sheikh Mujib in the dawn of Friday-the 15th of August, 1975 in the backdrop of a cold relation in between the two leaders (Mujib and Tajuddin). Tajuddin Ahmed was killed on November 3, 1975 with other three national leaders in the Dhaka Central jail.

Captain Md. Mansur Ali

Md. Mansur Ali was born in Kuripara, Kazipur, Sirajganj (then Pabna) District in 1919. He did his M A in Economics from Aligarh Muslim University, India and also passed LL.B. Then he practised advocacy in Pabna from 1951.

He was the Vice President of Pabna Muslim League during 1946-1950. He was arrested in 1952 for his involvement in the Language Movement. He served as the Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs in Ataur Rahman Khan's Cabinet in 1956 and was arrested again in 1958 when Martial Law was promulgated by General Ayub Khan.

Captain Mansur Ali was elected MP in 1970 election from Pabna constituency. He was the Finance Minister in the first Bangladesh Government in exile in 1971. He served as the Prime Minister in Sheikh Mujib's BAKSAL Government up to 1975.

President Mustaque called Captain Mansur Ali to Bangabhaban from house arrest in the latter half of August, 1975. He scolded Mustaque for the latter's misdeed in front of all the present officials without fear of life. Such was Mansur Ali's love for the country and for legal and moral matters.

This heroic leader was jailed on August 23, 1975 and brutally killed on November 3 with the other three national leaders.

Abul Hasanat Md. Kamruzzaman

A H M Kamruzzaman was born in Rajshahi in an aristocratic family (as described by Mr. Muntasir Mamun in the Banglapedia) in 1926. He did his M A in Economics from Calcutta University in 1946. Later he passed LL.B. from Rajshahi University in 1956.

Kamruzzaman was also active in politics from his student life and was the Secretary of Rajshahi Branch Bengal Muslim Students League in 1942. He was elected the VP of the same organization during 1943-'45. He served as the General Secretary of Awami League in 1970 and was elected MP from Rajshahi that year.

A H M Kamruzzaman was the Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation in Tajuddin's Cabinet in exile during 1971. Later on, he also served as the Home Minister in Sheikh Mujib's Cabinet in the independent Bangladesh. He was elected the President of AL in 1974.

This rather younger and potential leader of the country was killed in Dhaka Central Jail on November 3 with the other three described above.

The contributions of the four national leaders made an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of our people. We must pay homage to their revered memories hoping that the trial of their killers will be brought to a speedy end.

M A S Mollah is a Member of Bangladesh Asso-ciation for the Advancement of Science (BAAS), Dhaka.