Abul Mansur Ahmad’s 118th Birth Anniversary

He was born in Dhanikhola village in Trishal Thana of Mymensingh. Abul Mansur Ahmad made his name as a satirist in Bangla literature. He is also considered as a trailblazer of journalism during the pre-partition era of Bengal. He was the editor of Dainik Ittehad in 1946. He also worked in other newspapers, such as Krsak and Navayug. He was a leading figure of modern and progressive journalism. An accomplished politician, Abul Mansur Ahmad served the Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haque-led United Front government as the provincial education minister. During 1956-57, he was the central commerce and industry minister of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy’s cabinet. In his literary oeuvre, he produced famous books like Aina, Asmani Parda, Gulliverer Safarnama, Food Conference and Bangladesher Culture. His autobiographical works include Atto Katha and Amar Dekha Rajnitir Ponchash Bochor. Since the early 40s, he had been writing on the question of language, and he played a crucial role in the language movement as the editor of Ittehad. He drafted the 21 point programme of United Front in the election of 1954. It was the earliest political articulation of the political, economic and cultural demands of the Bangalees of East Pakistan. Abul Mansur Ahmad died on March 18, 1979 in Dhaka.  On the occasion of his birth anniversary, ‘’Bikkhon’’ organised a discussion on Friday in Mymensingh. Professor Dr. Sirajul Islam Choudhury graced the programme.