Muhammad Hanif Pathan (6 April 1901 - 1989) was a Bangladeshi folklorist and antiquarian. He is best known for publicizing the
Wari-Bateshwar ruins
The Wari-Bateshwar (Bengali: উয়ারী-বটেশ্বর,''Uari-Bôṭeshshor'') ruins in Narsingdi, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites in Bangladesh. Excavation in the site unearthed a ...
, an ancient fort city and archaeological site of Bangladesh dating back to 450 BC. He is credited as the highest number of proverbs collector in Bangladesh.
Early life
Pathan was born on 6 April 1901 (23
Choitro
Choitro ( bn, চৈত্র) is the last month of the Bengali calendar. It falls from mid-March to mid-April and is the last month of Spring ( bn, বসন্ত ''Bôsôntô''). The name of the month is derived from the star Chitra ( ''Chitra' ...
1307) at the village of Deewanchar,
Raipura of the then
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...
of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
(now
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 ...
) to his maternal house.
His ancestral residence was in Bateshwar village of
Belabo Upazila
Belabo ( bn, বেলাবো) is an upazila of the Narsingdi District of Bangladesh, located in the Dhaka Division. Here the 2,500-year-old civilisation of Wari-Bateshwar has been discovered. It is believed that it was a port city with foreign ...
. He passed the Normal Examination (professional training institute for the teachers) from Dhaka Normal School in 1921. He then began his career as a school teacher and was involved in the teaching profession until his death.
Books
* Bangla Prabad-Parichiti (two-volume compilation of proverbs)
* Pallisahityer Kudana Manik (1937)
Gallery
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pathan, Hanif
1901 births
1989 deaths
People from Narsingdi District
Bangladeshi folklorists