Shafiur Rahman

Shafiur Rahman
Born	24 January 1918 Konnaagar of Hooghly District in West Bengal, of India
Died	22 February 1952 Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka
Occupation	Government Service Holder
Known for	Language Martyr of 1952

Grave of Sofiur Rahman in Azimpur Graveyard, Dhaka.

The grave of Sofiur, 21 Feb 1953

Shafiur Rahman (Bengali: শফিউর রহমান) (24 January 1918 – 22 February 1952) is considered in Bangladesh to be a martyr of the language movement which took place in the former East Pakistan. Shafiur Rahman was born in Konnagar, in Hoogli, West Bengal. His father was Hakim Mahbubur Rahman. He took his I. Com from the Government Commercial College of Kolkata. After the partition of India he came to East Bengal with his wife Aquila Khatoon and his daughter Asfia Khatoon and other members of the family, taking a job in the accounts section of the Dhaka High Court.

On 22 February 1952 while commuting to his job on his bicycle he entered Nawabpur Road, which was full of protesters against police shootings the previous day at a language movement rally. Rahman was shot in the back by a Pakistani Police bullet, and died after being taken to Dhaka Medical College. The authorities tried to bury his body as unidentified person, but later his family members managed to secure his body & he was buried by the in the middle of the night by students of Dhaka Medical College, led by his brother who was a student of Medical College back then, at the Azimpur Graveyard near the grave of Abul Barkat, who had been shot by police the previous day.

Two days after the incident, the First Shaheed Minar was inaugurated by his Father, Hakim Mahbubur Rahman along with the protesting students of Dhaka University.

In 2005 Rahman was awarded Ekushey Padak, one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh received by his wife, Aquila Khatoon, his son, Shafiqur Rahman and his grand daughter, Samreen Rahman. In 2006 his wife Begum Aquila Khatun and the families of other language movement martyrs were given pensions from the government of Bangladesh.

Shafiur Rahman's bloodstained work clothes are preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum and his belongings of that time are preserved at Bangla Academy An auditorium is named after him in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, where he was employed.

Family

During the time of his death he left behind his wife, Aquila Khatoon and a 4-year daughter, Asfia Khatoon, whom he loved dearly. After 3 months of his death, his son, Shafiqur Rahman was born. It was unfortunate that he could not see his father after his birth. He was the country manager of Rangs Limited, a renowned Automobile Company of Bangladesh.

Grandchildren, Kazi Asif Tareq, only son of his daughter and Samreen Adeeba Rahman, only daughter of Shafiqur Rahman. The family are known to visit Shafiur Rahman's grave and pay their respects every year on 21 February.