Qazi Motahar Hossain
Encyclopedia
Qazi Motahar Hossain is a famous Bangladesh
i author, scientist, statistician and journalist
. He is also renowned for his unique style of literature. He had intimate friendship with poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
, Kazi Abdul Odud
and many other eminent figures. He is well known as a chess
genius.
. He received his earliest education from his father and from the village primary school.
He entered Kushtia Zilla School for Secondary studies.Among the teachers he specially recalled of Jyotindranath Roy and Jatindra Mohan Biswas. Hossain learnt Algebra
, Geometry
, Conic section
and Mechanics
from Mr. Jyotindranath Roy. Mr. Roy introduced the Mechanics
course in the school solely for Hossain as he was the only student of Mechanics
. In 1915 he passed Entrance from there.
After passing entrance Mr. Hossain admitted himself at the Presidency College, Calcutta for I Sc course. There he was highly impressed by eminent teachers like Praphulla Chandra Ghosh (English
), Mr. Sterling (English
), Praphulla Chandra Roy
(Chemistry
). But unfortunately due to an unpleasant experience he transferred himself to Rajshahi College
in the middle of academic year. Here he also found many good teachers. Beside his studies Hossain showed considerable skill and interest in sports such as football
, Tennis
etc. In 1917 he passed I Sc from there.
Motahar Hossain choose Dhaka College
to take higher studies in Mathematics
and Physics
. In 1917 he arrived Dhaka
and got admitted to Dhaka College
.Here he found W A Jenkins (Physics
), Wrangler Bhupati Mohan Sen (Mathematics
), Bankim Das Banerjee (Mathematics
) and others as teachers. In 1919 he passed B A (Hons.) from here.
In 1920 he married Sajeda Khatun with whom he passed the long eventful course of his life. Later their children were famous peoples, they are Qazi Anwar Hussain
(famous author), Jobaida Mirza, Sanjida Khatun (author and singer).
He passed M A in Physics
in 1921 from Dhaka College
under Calcutta University. Before his M A examination he got important help from Satyen Bose who came to Dhaka
in 1921 as a reader of Physics
of newly established Dhaka University.
With the encouragement and stimulation of Satyen Bose he went to Calcutta in order to study Statistics
. This was a fresh new subject in the subcontinent until then. Great statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
had just established Indian Statistical Institute
in Calcutta to introduce the new subject to Indian
students. Hossain was taught the subject with great care of Mr. Mahalanobis
. In 1938 he got a Diploma in Statistics
from ISI
.
He died in Dhaka
on 9 October 1981. Whole nation mourned deeply at his death.
A postage stamp was published by Bangladesh Postal Department to respect his contributions.
while he was a student of M A at Dhaka College
. In 1923 he was promoted to assistant-lecturer. In 1948 Statistics
M A was established with his own effort and he joined the department. He retired from Dhaka University in 1961. In 1964 he founded the Institute of Statistical Research and Training and since then it is considered as the country's leading school of Statistics
. From 1964-1966 he served as the founder-director of the institute. He retired from the position of director in 1966 due to old age. Dhaka University appointed him as honorary Professor Emeritus in 1969.
Motahar Hossain also showed unusual skill in the game of chess
. For seven times he was the all India
chess champion. He is known as the chess-guru of Bangladesh as he has popularized the game to his generation. Many of his pupils later flourished in the game.
In 1920's and 1930s he became involved with "Buddhir Mukti Andolon" (Freedom of thought movement) with his intimate friend Kazi Abdul Odud
and others as a convener and editor of the organizations official proceeding named Shikha.
In 1975 after the liberation of Bangladesh he became the national professor of Bangladesh. Until his death in 1981 he decorated the position.
He is specially remembered for his implementation of logic
, lucidity and simplicity of language and clarity in his writings.His first published book Shancharan was praised by Rabindranath Tagore
. Bangla Academy
has published his complete works in four volumes.
He had also given many speeches in many occasions and written many biographical notes.A collection of his eighteen biographical essays was published in 2004 under the title Smritikatha by Qazi Motahar Hossain Foundation.The foundation has also reprinted his Gonit Shastrer Itihas in the same year.
He was a founder fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i author, scientist, statistician and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is also renowned for his unique style of literature. He had intimate friendship with poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
, Kazi Abdul Odud
Kazi Abdul Odud
Kazi Abdul Wadud was a Bengali author. He championed the Buddhir Mukti Andolon.-Life:Kazi Abdul Odud was born in 1894 at his mother's village Jagannathpur in the district of Nadia...
and many other eminent figures. He is well known as a chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
genius.
Life
Qazi Motahar Hossain was born in his mothers village Lakshmipur in the district of Kushtia in 1897. His father was Qazi Gaohar Uddin Ahmed and mother was Tasirunnesa. He passed his childhood in his fathers village Bagmara in FaridpurFaridpur District
Faridpur is a district in central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. Faridpur District has a population of over 1.7 million people and is situated on the banks of the Padma river . It is bordered by Madaripur, Narail, Rajbari, Magura, Shariatpur, Gopalgonj, Dhaka and Manikganj...
. He received his earliest education from his father and from the village primary school.
He entered Kushtia Zilla School for Secondary studies.Among the teachers he specially recalled of Jyotindranath Roy and Jatindra Mohan Biswas. Hossain learnt Algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
, Geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
, Conic section
Conic section
In mathematics, a conic section is a curve obtained by intersecting a cone with a plane. In analytic geometry, a conic may be defined as a plane algebraic curve of degree 2...
and Mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
from Mr. Jyotindranath Roy. Mr. Roy introduced the Mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
course in the school solely for Hossain as he was the only student of Mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
. In 1915 he passed Entrance from there.
After passing entrance Mr. Hossain admitted himself at the Presidency College, Calcutta for I Sc course. There he was highly impressed by eminent teachers like Praphulla Chandra Ghosh (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), Mr. Sterling (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), Praphulla Chandra Roy
Prafulla Chandra Roy
Prafulla Chandra Ray was a Indian academician, a chemist and entrepreneur. He was the founder of Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, India's first pharmaceutical company...
(Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
). But unfortunately due to an unpleasant experience he transferred himself to Rajshahi College
Rajshahi College
Rajshahi College is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Bangladesh. Established in 1873 in Rajshahi city, it is said to be the third oldest college in Bangladesh after Dhaka College and Chittagong College. Rajshahi College was the first institution in the territories now...
in the middle of academic year. Here he also found many good teachers. Beside his studies Hossain showed considerable skill and interest in sports such as football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
etc. In 1917 he passed I Sc from there.
Motahar Hossain choose Dhaka College
Dhaka College
, located in Dhaka, is one of Bangladesh's earliest and most prestigious higher educational institutions. It offers both four years bachelor's and one years masters course in various majors, but it is best known for HSC...
to take higher studies in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. In 1917 he arrived Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
and got admitted to Dhaka College
Dhaka College
, located in Dhaka, is one of Bangladesh's earliest and most prestigious higher educational institutions. It offers both four years bachelor's and one years masters course in various majors, but it is best known for HSC...
.Here he found W A Jenkins (Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
), Wrangler Bhupati Mohan Sen (Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
), Bankim Das Banerjee (Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
) and others as teachers. In 1919 he passed B A (Hons.) from here.
In 1920 he married Sajeda Khatun with whom he passed the long eventful course of his life. Later their children were famous peoples, they are Qazi Anwar Hussain
Qazi Anwar Hussain
Qazi Anwar Husain is an author, publisher and translator from Bangladesh. He has used pen names like Bidyut Mitra...
(famous author), Jobaida Mirza, Sanjida Khatun (author and singer).
He passed M A in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
in 1921 from Dhaka College
Dhaka College
, located in Dhaka, is one of Bangladesh's earliest and most prestigious higher educational institutions. It offers both four years bachelor's and one years masters course in various majors, but it is best known for HSC...
under Calcutta University. Before his M A examination he got important help from Satyen Bose who came to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in 1921 as a reader of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
of newly established Dhaka University.
With the encouragement and stimulation of Satyen Bose he went to Calcutta in order to study Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
. This was a fresh new subject in the subcontinent until then. Great statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis FRS was an Indian scientist and applied statistician. He is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure. He made pioneering studies in anthropometry in India...
had just established Indian Statistical Institute
Indian Statistical Institute
Indian Statistical Institute is a public research institute and university in Kolkata's northern outskirt of Baranagar, India founded by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in 1931...
in Calcutta to introduce the new subject to Indian
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
students. Hossain was taught the subject with great care of Mr. Mahalanobis
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis FRS was an Indian scientist and applied statistician. He is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure. He made pioneering studies in anthropometry in India...
. In 1938 he got a Diploma in Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
from ISI
Indian Statistical Institute
Indian Statistical Institute is a public research institute and university in Kolkata's northern outskirt of Baranagar, India founded by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in 1931...
.
He died in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
on 9 October 1981. Whole nation mourned deeply at his death.
A postage stamp was published by Bangladesh Postal Department to respect his contributions.
Career
Qazi Motahar Hossain joined the newly established Dhaka University in 1921 as a demonstrator of PhysicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
while he was a student of M A at Dhaka College
Dhaka College
, located in Dhaka, is one of Bangladesh's earliest and most prestigious higher educational institutions. It offers both four years bachelor's and one years masters course in various majors, but it is best known for HSC...
. In 1923 he was promoted to assistant-lecturer. In 1948 Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
M A was established with his own effort and he joined the department. He retired from Dhaka University in 1961. In 1964 he founded the Institute of Statistical Research and Training and since then it is considered as the country's leading school of Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
. From 1964-1966 he served as the founder-director of the institute. He retired from the position of director in 1966 due to old age. Dhaka University appointed him as honorary Professor Emeritus in 1969.
Motahar Hossain also showed unusual skill in the game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. For seven times he was the all India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
chess champion. He is known as the chess-guru of Bangladesh as he has popularized the game to his generation. Many of his pupils later flourished in the game.
In 1920's and 1930s he became involved with "Buddhir Mukti Andolon" (Freedom of thought movement) with his intimate friend Kazi Abdul Odud
Kazi Abdul Odud
Kazi Abdul Wadud was a Bengali author. He championed the Buddhir Mukti Andolon.-Life:Kazi Abdul Odud was born in 1894 at his mother's village Jagannathpur in the district of Nadia...
and others as a convener and editor of the organizations official proceeding named Shikha.
In 1975 after the liberation of Bangladesh he became the national professor of Bangladesh. Until his death in 1981 he decorated the position.
Works
Hossain wrote many books regarding science, religion, culture and music. Some of his books are:- Shancharan (1937)
- NazrulKazi Nazrul IslamKazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
Kabya Porichiti (Introduction to NazrulKazi Nazrul IslamKazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
`s Poetry) (1955) - Gonit Shastrer Itihas (History of MathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
) (1970) - Alok Bigyan (OpticsOpticsOptics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
) (1974) - Nirbachito Probondho (Collected Essays) (1976)
He is specially remembered for his implementation of logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
, lucidity and simplicity of language and clarity in his writings.His first published book Shancharan was praised by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
. Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy
Bangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
has published his complete works in four volumes.
He had also given many speeches in many occasions and written many biographical notes.A collection of his eighteen biographical essays was published in 2004 under the title Smritikatha by Qazi Motahar Hossain Foundation.The foundation has also reprinted his Gonit Shastrer Itihas in the same year.
He was a founder fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
Awards
Throughout his life Motahar Hossain achieved many prestigious awards and was honoured by many person and organizations.Some prizes and honours he was conferred are:- Bangla AcademyBangla AcademyBangla Academy , established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh. The main office of the organization is located at the Burdwan House, once a part of the campus of the University of Dhaka, beside Suhrawardy Udyan.-History:The importance of...
Shahitya Purashkar (Bangla Academy Literary Award)(1966). - Honorary D Sc from Dhaka University (1974).
- Nasir Uddin Swarna Padak (Golden Plaque) (1977).
- Swadhinota Dibas Purashkar (Independence Day AwardIndependence Day AwardThe Independence Day Award , also termed Independence Award , is the highest state award given by the government of Bangladesh. Introduced in 1977, this award is bestowed upon Bangladeshi citizens or organizations in recognition of substantial contribution to one of many fields, including the War...
) (1979). - Mukta Dhara Shahitya Purashkar (1980)
External links
- Institute of Statistical Research and Training Home Page
- Postage Stamp representing Qazi Motahar Hossain by Bangladesh Post Office.