Mohon Mia

Mohon Mia was born in an aristocrat zamindar family of Faridpur and became well-known for philanthropy and promotion of education among the Muslims who suffered many disadvantages due to their backwardness. Among many educational institutions he founded were Maizuddin High School and Halima Girls' School to commemorate his parents. The Halima Students' Home, established in 1926, was a unique boarding house in which meritorious students enjoyed free residence under the care and supervision of a reputed teacher. I had the privilege of living in this home for two years in the 1940 and I can confidently say the lessons of discipline and service I learnt there helped shape my way of life. Many students of this hostel later distinguished themselves in various fields of activities.

Another unique institution set up by Mohon Mia in 1945 was Baitul Aman on the outskirts of Faridpur town. For this multipurpose agricultural, industrial and educational project Mohon Mia donated large tract of land. The primary purpose of this pioneering project has been to train up students in technology and craft to stand on their own feet and set examples of self-supportive initiatives in income generation and social welfare. In founding Baitul Aman, Mohon Mia demonstrated a vision of social uplift rarely seen in those days. He believed in building institutions to promote social welfare and mitigate distress among the disadvantaged groups of people.

He demonstrated similar vision and initiative as a distinguished chairman of the Faridpur District Board for fifteen years. He initiated many projects to promote education, facilitate communication and provide health services to the people. The people of greater Faridpur remember him as an incorruptible person always ready to spend money from his own resources to advance a good cause of public welfare.

He was a very accessible and amiable person and never hesitated to help the needy. In fact, his open handedness in supporting worthy political and other causes at times put him in financial crisis. In running his zamindari he was most humane to the tenants and broke the tradition of other zamindars by allowing them to approach him as respected persons. He was a democrat per se and never discriminated against people on social or religious grounds. In the 1940s he succeeded in keeping Faridpur free from communal disharmony although the rest of British India suffered worst kind of communal violence.

Mohon Mia entered national politics under the leadership of Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq as a member of the Krishak Praja Party. Following the election of 1937 Fazlul Huq formed the government in Bengal in coalition with the Muslim League. But when in 1941 Fazlul Huq severed his ties with the Muslim League Mohon Mia stayed on in the League and played a significant role in the party. From 1940 to 1957 he was the general secretary of the Faridpur Muslim League. After the birth of Pakistan he was for a while the general secretary of the East Pakistan Muslim League. But he left the party forever when he found that its high command did not support the popular demand of the people for a honourable place of Bengali as a state language of Pakistan. He also fought vigorously to secure the rights of the people of East Pakistan in the constitution of Pakistan.

Mohon Mia did not see the formal birth of Bangladesh but the intensity of the liberation war convinced him beyond doubt that the emergence of an independent state was imminent. This was so specially after his ceaseless efforts failed to arrange transfer of power to the majority party Awami League following its landslide victory in the 1970s elections. It became clear to him that the military rulers of Pakistan were prepared to dismember their country rather than share power with the majority people of the eastern wing.

I knew Mohon Mia well and used to meet him often in Karachi when he went there to attend the parliament sessions. He knew I was from Faridpur and had lived in the Halima Students' Home as a scholar. I wish we had many more dedicated and honest personalities like him to lift Bangladesh out of today's decadence.

Enamul Haq is a former Director General of Radio Bangladesh and BTV.