Abdul Monem Khan (28 July 1899 – 13 October 1971) was a Pakistani politician who was the longest serving governor of

East Pakistan East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wi ...

during 1962–1969.

Early life and education

Khan was born in Humayunpur village of

Bajitpur Upazila Bajitpur ( bn, বাজিতপুর) is an administrative unit of Kishoreganj District in Bangladesh. Bajitpur was created by Baizid Kha. It was previously a Mohkuma(মহকুমা) of greater Mymensingh district, currently falls under th ...

, Kishoreganj to Kamar Ali Khan and Nasima Khatun. He studied in

Mymensingh Zilla School Mymensingh Zilla School, also known as MZS, is a boys' public secondary school.The school was established on 3 November, 1853 as Hardinge School during British Raj.It has its own century old reputation for providing quality education and producin ...

graduating in 1916. He went on to

Dhaka College Dhaka College ( bn, ঢাকা কলেজ also known as DC) is the oldest secular educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhaka. It offers higher secondary education ( HSC). It has Honours and Masters programs as well which are aff ...

and earned his bachelor of law degree from

University of Calcutta The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, ...

in 1922. He got another law degree from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

in 1924.

Career

In 1927, Khan joined the Mymensingh District Bar. He was part of the Muhammadan Sporting Club of

Mymensingh Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north- ...

. In 1930, he worked with Subhas Chandra Bose to carry out aid operations after a flood in North Bengal. In 1932, he became the assistant secretary of the Mymensingh Anjuman-i-Islamia. He became the founding secretary of Mymensingh branch of the All India Muslim League in 1935. From 1946 to 1954, he served as the chairman of the Mymensingh District School Board. He was elected a member of the East Pakistan Muslim League Working Committee in 1947. He also went on to become Counselor at the All Pakistan Muslim League. He was elected to the

Constituent Assembly of Pakistan The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan ( bn, পাকিস্তান গণপরিষদ, Pākistān Goṇoporishod; ur, , Aāin Sāz Asimblī) was established in August 1947 to frame a constitution for Pakistan. It also served as its first ...

and East Bengal Primary Education Board in 1948. He was appointed to the Bengal Defence Committee and the Provincial Armed Services Board in 1950. Khan lost in the

1954 East Bengali legislative election Legislative elections were held in East Bengal between 8 and 12 March 1954, the first since Pakistan became an independent country in 1947. The opposition United Front led by the Awami League and Krishak Sramik Party won a landslide victory with ...

. In 1962, he was elected uncontested a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He joined the cabinet led by President Ayub Khan becoming the Minister for Health, Labour and Social Welfare. During his ministry, seven medical colleges were established in East Pakistan and MBBS condensed course for the LMF doctors was introduced and the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research (now Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University) was established. After two months, on 28 October 1962, he was appointed as the governor of

Governor of East Pakistan

Khan rendered services during the tidal wave of Chittagong in 1963 and again during the aftermath of the cyclone of 1965. He helped in the establishment of

Jahangirnagar University Jahangirnagar University ( JU) is a publicly funded university located in Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the only fully residential university in Bangladesh. It operated as a project until 1973, when the 'Jahangirnagar Muslim University Act' w ...

. In July 1967, he converted Dighapatia Palace into Dighapatia Governor's House. Khan, while the governor of East Pakistan, remained loyal to the Ayub regime which made him unpopular to the people of East Pakistan. Under the pressure of the 1969 mass student uprising, he was removed and replaced by Mirza Nurul Huda as the new governor on 24 March 1969.

Death and legacy

In the Bangladesh Liberation War, Khan supported the Pakistan army. On 13 October 1971, he was shot at his Banani residence by a

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 ...

member named Mozammel Hoque. Khan later died at

Dhaka Medical College Hospital 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 ...

. Hoque later earned

Bir Protik Bir Protik ( bn, বীর প্রতীক ''Bīr Pratīk'', "Symbol of Bravery or Idol of Courage") is the fourth highest gallantry award in Bangladesh. Recipients This award was declared on 15 December 1973. A total of 426 people have rece ...

title for this act. In 1974, the

Government of Bangladesh The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার — ) is the central executive government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Co ...

allotted a 5.11- acre land for Khan's family at Banani near Banani Graveyard. In November 2016,

Dhaka North City Corporation Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) or Dhaka Uttar City Corporation was created as an autonomous body that governs 54 northern wards of Dhaka to better manage local services, but has since added new areas. It is one of two municipal corporations ...

demolished structures on a land in Banani occupied, as per the order of the then mayor Annisul Huq, for over five decades by the family of Khan. In July 2016, during a raid by

Dhaka Metropolitan Police The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) is the unit of Bangladesh Police responsible for law enforcement in the metropolis of Dhaka, the national capital and most populous city in Bangladesh. The DMP is the largest police force unit in Bangladesh. A ...

in the Kalyanpur area of Dhaka, nine suspected militants were killed. Among them, Aqifuzzaman Khan, was identified as the grandson of Monem Khan. In January 2017, the

Mymensingh District Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is a district in Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh, and is bordered on the north by Meghalaya, a state of India and the Garo Hills, on the south by Gazipur District, on the east by the districts of Ne ...

administration shut down a school, run by Nasreen Monem Khan, a daughter of Monem Khan. It was established at his house at Notun Bazar Saheb Ali Road in Mymensingh town in 1996. In July 2017, Khan's nameplate was removed from Uttara Ganabhaban.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Abdul Monem 1899 births 1971 deaths People from Kishoreganj District Mymensingh Zilla School alumni Dhaka College alumni University of Calcutta alumni University of Dhaka alumni Pakistani MNAs 1962–1965 Government ministers of Pakistan Governors of East Pakistan Pakistan Movement activists from Bengal People killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War Assassinated Pakistani politicians Burials at Banani Graveyard