A. T. M. Walie Ashraf was a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician and the former Member of Parliament of Brahmanbaria-6.[2][3]

A. T. M. Walie Ashraf
Member of Bangladesh Parliament
Personal details
Born8 September 1937
Domrakandi, Bancharampur, Brahmanbaria
Died19 November 1994,[1]Dhaka, Bangladesh
CMH Hospital
Political partyBangladesh Nationalist Party

Born on 8th September 1937, in the village of Domrakandi, Bancharampur, Brahmanbaria, ATM Walie Ashraf was the second child of eight and eldest brother . His father, Atiq Ullah worked for the Railways Ministry and was based initially in Kolkata. His mother, Nurjahan Begum, was the daughter of the local Zamindar.  His parents also had four other children who died at childbirth.

ATM Walie Ashraf was an energetic child and he possessed leadership qualities. This was quickly recognized by his maternal uncle or (mama) when he visited his sister’s house in Bancharampur. His mama was the famous Dr. Shamsul Alam of Gouripur. He was a politician. Dr. Shamsul Alam then devoted his life into establishing a school and college at Gouripur and remained a constant influence on the life and philosophy of ATM Walie Ashraf. It was at the age of seven, that ATM Walie Ashraf was plucked from his parents’ home to live with his mama at Gouripur. Until the age of 16 where he matriculated, ATM Walie Ashraf lived on with his maternal mama and his family of three boys.

A T M Walie Ashraf studied at B M College in Barisal. He was then admitted to University of Dhaka at the Department of Bengali.

Pak Students Work Camp Association/Editor of the Mission (Monthly Bulletin)

At Dhaka University, A T M Walie Ashraf was the Secretary General of Pak Students Work Camp Association and the Editor of the Mission, the Monthly Bulletin of the Pak Students Work Camp Association. He was a student of SM Hall, Dhaka University. The Pak Students Work Camp Association was formed on 7th April 1963.

Faqir (Beggars) Samity

Together with young Bengali students, A T M Walie Ashraf led this socio cultural group of going around Bengali expats residences in England, singing traditional songs. After a singing repertoire, dinner would be made by the host and consumed.

Janomot First Bengali Newsweekly published in London 21 February 1969

He played a pivotal role in London during the Bangladesh Independence War in 1971. It was his Bengali newsweekly, Janomot[4] (established in London, 21 February 1969, the first Bengali newspaper printed outside Bangladesh) that motivated Bengalis living in London to fight for Independence. A.T.M. Walie Ashraf was the Founder Editor of Janomot newsweekly which began in his home at 2 Temperley Road, Balham, London. The Janomot Office was later shifted to 80 Hearnville Road, London.

His residence at 2 Temperley Road, London was also the birthplace of the first Bangladesh Biman Office (Bangladesh airlines) in London.

In 60s/70s, A T M Walie Ashraf, Zakaria Ahmed and other Bengalis scared the Pakistani rulers while sitting in London. He spoke about the independence of this country sitting in London. He occupied the Pakistan High Commission building and announced the independence of Bengal. He was the first to take the initiative to save Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the Agartala conspiracy case.In the face of their strong agitation and resistance, Pakistan President Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who was visiting Pakistan, escaped through the back door of the hotel.

Bangladesh Students Action Committee 7 March 1971

In London, the Bangladesh Students Action Committee was pivotal in garnering support of the Bengali expat community and of the international community. Mohammad Hossain Monju was convener of the Students’ Action Committee for the War of Liberation in UK. Nazrul Islam and Khondakar Mosharraf Hossain, Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik (later justice of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh), Minhaj Uddin, were active members of the action committee. It played a very important role in inspiring and coordinating activities of expatriate Bangladeshis for strengthening of liberation publicity and lobbying in the west, especially Europe.

Career edit

A T M Walie Ashraf was a Bengali newscaster on BBC Bangla World Service, London.

A T M Walie Ashraf was first elected to Parliament from Brahmanbaria-6 as an Independent Member of Parliament in 1988.

A T M Walie Ashraf was secondly elected to Parliament from Brahmanbaria-6 as a Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate in 1991.[5]

Mr. Walie Ashraf, our Committee Member, on the request of the Government of Bangladesh, attended the World Assembly for Peace held in Budapest as a delegate from Bangladesh. Incidentally, the World Assembly for Peace was the first international forum where Bangladesh was allowed to participate. (page 183)

Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Nazrul Islam went to Holland at the invitation of the Friends of Bangladesh in Holland to attend a Press Conference. Mr. Walie Ashraf also attended the same conference as the representative of Justice A. S. Chowdhury. They formed Europa Committee and they also visited Belgium to seek and solicit support for Bangladesh. (page 183)

References edit

  1. ^ "26th death anniv of ATM Walie Ashraf". The Daily Star. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Independence Day celebrated". archive.thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Teamwork for community services". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  4. ^ Bose, Sanat (January 1983). "Labour Journalism in Bengal in the Early 1920's: A Case Study of Two Bengali Labour Journals". Social Scientist. 11 (1): 32. doi:10.2307/3516868. ISSN 0970-0293.
  5. ^ ""List of 4th Parliament Members"" (PDF). Bangladesh Parliament (in Bengali). Retrieved 9 April 2020.