Azharul Haque (1940-1971) was a Bangladeshi physician-surgeon, who was killed in the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...

and is considered to be a martyr intellectual in

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

Early life

Haque was born on 2 March 1940 in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

East Bengal ur, , common_name = East Bengal , status = Province of the Dominion of Pakistan , p1 = Bengal Presidency , flag_p1 = Flag of British Bengal.svg , s1 = East ...

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

. His father Md. Zahurul Haque, was from West Bengal and was the jailer of

Dhaka Central Jail Dhaka Central Jail was the largest jail in Bangladesh, located in the old section of Dhaka, the country's capital. The jail has been used to house criminals as well as political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the 6 P ...

. After his father died he lived under the care of his older brother, Anwarul Haque who was also a jail official. He moved around in East Bengal following the different places his brother was posted. He completed his

Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (also known as Licentiate in Medical Practice in some instances) is a medical degree of historical importance in India. During the British rule of India some universities conferred this qualification. The qualific ...

degree from Sylhet Medical College in 1963 and then completed his MBBS from

Sir Salimullah Medical College Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC) is a public medical college in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The medical college has been producing quality physicians, eminent researchers and health policy makers who are currently working in different medical secto ...

in 1968.

Career

In 1969 he joined

Dhaka Medical College Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (abbreviated DMCH) is a public medical college and hospital located in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. It houses medical school as well as a tertiary care hospital on one campus. The country's first eve ...

as an Assistant Surgeon. After the outbreak of Bangladesh Liberation war he provided treatment to members of Mukti Bahini in his private chambers in

Hatirpool Hatirpool is a busy marketplace in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a crowded area, with shopping complexes, hotel & restaurants, and market. The name 'Hatirpool' evolved from the British name of 'Hartlepool'. Etymology Hatirpool has an ancient history. T ...

. He was warned by the paramilitary

Al-Badr Al Badr is a village in Mecca Province, in western Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making ...

over his activities in a letter addressed to his practice. In July 1971 he was summoned to the Police headquarters and warned. He started treating members of

Mukti Bahini The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...

in slums near his practice. Amma-Abba-2

Death and legacy

On 15 November 1971, a curfew was imposed on Dhaka. The area around his practice was surrounded by members of Al-Badr. He and another doctor, A B M Hamayun Kabir were waiting for an ambulance when they were spotted by the Al-Badr members. Who interrogated them, the Al-Badr were looking for Dr. Azharul Haque and arrested the two doctors. On 16 November 1971 the bodies of Dr Azharul Haque and A B M Hamayun Kabir were found in a culvert near

Notre Dame College Notre Dame College (Notre Dame College of Ohio or NDC) is a private Roman Catholic college in South Euclid, Ohio. Established in 1922 as a women's college, it has been coeducational since January 2001. Notre Dame College offers 30 majors and i ...

Motijheel Motijheel ( bn, মতিঝিল) is a ''thana'' (administrative division) of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is at the heart of the city (the General Post Office is considered the zero point of Dhaka). Motijheel is the major business and commercial hub ...

, Dhaka with their hands tied and blindfolded. He was buried in Azimpur graveyard. On 14 December 1995, Bangladesh Post Office released commemorative stamps in his name. Stone-5

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haque, Azharul 1940 births 1971 deaths People killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War People from Dhaka Bangladeshi surgeons Mukti Bahini personnel Academic staff of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital 20th-century surgeons Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College alumni