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Remembering Yusuf Ali Chowdhury

by Yousuf Jamil
EVERY death Is sad in Its own way. So was Yusuf All Chowdhury's — who was and Is better known as Mohan Mia — passing away to his antecedents and the people of the country, especially of Faridpur, who still remember him as one of the souls devoted to the advancement of the downtrodden. He expired 27 years ago on this day (November 26) suffering a severe heart-attack.
Born in 1905 in the zamtn-dar family of Khan Saheb Moyejuddin Biswas. Mohan Mia had to give up his studies at Ishan High School when he was 18. He h^d no other choice but to run the zamtndarl even pt that youM.age. It was because his father^fied in 1923 and His1 elder brother Lal Miah was busy with. Congress politics.
Mohan Mia was not a za-mindar like many others that one comes across while digging history — he was different rather opposed to every aspect of the system, for at one point of his life-span he said: "Sooner this bloody system goes, the better.” This is what he told to the law-makers who were debating whether the system should stay with the Muslim League in power.
Although the subcontinent was divided to ward off apprehension of any subjugation, yet the then government drifted away, proving those pronouncement a rhetoric. Mohan Mia protested against all the injustices inflicted upon the people of then East Pakistan by the rulers of the West.
’ ~THs political talent was quite considerable if one takes cue from Moulana Akram Khan’s
comment on Mohan Mia during the Pakistan Movement: "If there were 28 Mohan Mias in 28 districts, we would have reached our goal much before." Formerly a Muslim Leaguer and an activist in Pakistan Movement for historical reasons. Mohan Mia was first dismayed and then in 1952 could not ideologically agree with the Muslim League high-command on the point of state language.. He
Wanted Bangla to be the language for the Bengalis.
In 1953, he joined Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haqut's Kr-ishak-Sramik party and became a Jukto Front member of the National Assembly. In regard to his political spin. Professor Humayun Kabir, a celebrated educationist and litterateur of Asia, and former Indian Cabinet Minister is quoted as saying: "In the political arena. Mohan Mia is a practical student of reality as his methods are scientific and experimental." For example, although he
played a leading role in framing the 1956 Constitution, the then Pakistan's first, yet he was the only MNA who refused to sign it ' on reasons that the constitution did not reflect the rights, hopes and aspirations of the then East Pakistan properly.
In charity, he was one of the best followers of Pundit Is war Chandra Vtdyasagar: Yusuf Ali Chowdhury made large donations for the society's advancement without thinking about his own materialistic interests. As the chairman (for long 17 years) of Faridpur District Board, he had taken the initiative of sinking 20,000 tube-■weUs which was unthinkable in the backdrop of '40s and '50s. In the- 1930b,-- -ne founded Khademul Ihsan, a philanthropic and missionary organisation for the needy (who were the majority). Mohan Miah understood what education' really meant for the majority; and that was the reason why he established a couple of educational Institutions of repute in (greater) Faridpur like Moezud-din High School. Halima Girls' School etc.
His achievement, among others, was that he along with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Ataur Rahman, Shah Azizur Rahman, Husseyn Suhrawardi arranged refuge for some people who were sure-targets of the sequel of Calcutta riot.
Yusuf Ali Chowdhury foresaw that Bangladesh was bound to be a reality; and that was why he tried to advise the erstwhile West Pakistan to be democratic and thereby hand over the state power to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who won the election in 1970 with people's mandate.