Forum Pakistan

Bhashani, Abdul Hamid Khan, Maulana (1885-1976)
Politician. Educated in *Deoband, Maulana Bhashani was a leader of the national Liberation movement in *British India and later a public and political figure in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Throughout his life he remained a strong proponent of the interests of the peasantry and the rural poor. Before 1947 he was President of the Muslim League in Assam and publisher of the newspapers Assam Herald and Mujahid. He participated in the *Khilafat Movement. He became a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly in 1937. From 19.+9 to 1957 Bhashani was Chairman of the *Awami League of *East Pakistan. From 1957 to 1967 he was Chairman of the National Awami Party. After the National Awami Party's split he became the Chairman of its so-called 'Pro-China' faction from 1967 to 1974. In 1971 he was a member of the Consultative Political Committee, which coordinated the national liberation struggle in East Bengal. His decision not to contest the 1970 elections gave the Awarni League a clear field.