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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Short description|Pakistani politician}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2022}}
{{use Pakistani English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
 
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox person
| name               = Dhirendranath Datta
| name         = Dhirendranath Datta
| native_name       = ধীরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত<br />دھریندر ناتھ دتا
| native_name = ধীরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত
| native_name_lang   = bn
| native_name_lang = bn
| image             = Dhirendranath datta.jpg
| image       = Dhirendranath datta.jpg
| caption           =
| caption     =
| office            = [[Ata ministry|Health and Social Welfare Minister of East Pakistan]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|df=yes|1886|11|2}}
| term_start          = 19 September 1956
| birth_place  = Ramrail, Tipperah, [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| term_end            = 7 October 1958
| disappeared_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1971|3|29|1886|11|2}}
| predecessor        =
| disappeared_place = [[Moynamoti]], [[East Pakistan]]
| successor          =
| nationality = British Indian(1886-1947)
| office1            = [[Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)|Leader of the Opposition of Pakistan]]
                [[Pakistani]](1947-1971)
| term_start1        = 7 May 1948
| term_end1          = 7 July 1955
| leader1            = [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]<br />[[Khawaja Nazimuddin]]<br />[[Mohammad Ali Bogra]]
| predecessor1        = [[Kiran Shankar Roy]]
| successor1          = [[Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy]]
| office2            = [[Leader of the Opposition (East Pakistan)|Leader of the Opposition of East Bengal]]
| term_start2        = 15 March 1948
| term_end2          = 7 May 1948
| leader2            = [[Khwaja Nazimuddin]]
| predecessor2        = ''position created''
| successor2          = [[Basanta Kumar Das (Pakistani politician)|Basanta Kumar Das]]
| birth_date        = {{birth date|df=yes|1886|11|2}}
| birth_place        = [[Brahmanbaria]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_date  =
| death_place =  
| citizenship        = [[British Raj|British India]] (1886-1947)<br />[[Pakistan]] (1947-1971)<br />[[Bangladesh]] (1971)
| occupation        = {{hlist|Lawyer|politician}}
| party              = [[Pakistan National Congress]]
}}
}}
 
'''Dhirendranath Datta''' (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971)<ref name="dream">{{cite web |url=http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2016/11/02/dhirendranath-duttaour-dream-maker/ |title=Dhirendranath Dutta...our dream maker |publisher=bdnews24.com |type=Opinion |date=2 November 2016 |access-date=2 November 2016 |author=Ahsan, Syed Badrul}}</ref>
'''Dhirendranath Datta''' (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971)<ref name="dream">{{cite web | url=http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2016/11/02/dhirendranath-duttaour-dream-maker/ | title=Dhirendranath Dutta…our dream maker | publisher=bdnews24.com |type=Opinion | date=2 November 2016 | access-date=2 November 2016 | author=Ahsan, Syed Badrul}}</ref>
was a [[Bengali people|Bengali]] lawyer and politician from [[East Bengal]] who was a member of the 1st [[Constituent Assembly of Pakistan]]. He is best known for proposing [[Bengali language|Bengali]] for the national language of Pakistan in the Assembly. He was also active in the politics of undivided [[Bengal]] in [[Partition of India|pre-partition]] India.<ref name=pedia>{{cite web |last1=Salam |first1=Muhammad Abdus |title=Datta, Dhirendranath |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Datta,_Dhirendranath |website=Banglapedia |access-date=26 July 2015}}</ref>
was a [[Bengali people|Bengali]] lawyer by profession who was also active in the politics of undivided [[Bengal]] in [[Partition of India|pre-partition]] India, and later in [[East Pakistan]] (1947–1971).<ref name=pedia>{{cite web |last1=Salam |first1=Muhammad Abdus |title=Datta, Dhirendranath |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Datta,_Dhirendranath |website=Banglapedia |access-date=26 July 2022}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Datta was born on 2 November 1886 in Ramrail, in [[Brahmanbaria District]],<ref name="Prothom">{{cite news |date=3 November 2007 |script-title=bn:শ্রদ্ধাঞ্জলি:এই দেশ এই মাটি যাঁর অস্তিত্ব |trans-title=A Tribute to this Country |work=[[Prothom Alo]] |language=bn}}</ref> Bengal Province (in today's Bangladesh). His father Jagabandhu Datta was a lawyer and introduced Dhirendranath to the legal profession from an early age. Dhirendranath was educated at Nabinagar High School, [[Comilla Zilla School]] and [[Surendranath College|Ripon College]] in [[Calcutta]].
Datta was born in an aristocratic [[Kayastha]] family on 2 November 1886 in [[Ramrail]], in [[Brahmanbaria District]],<ref name="Prothom">{{cite news |date=3 November 2007 |script-title=bn:শ্রদ্ধাঞ্জলি:এই দেশ এই মাটি যাঁর অস্তিত্ব |trans-title=A Tribute to this Country |work=[[Prothom Alo]] |language=bn}}</ref> Bengal Province (in today's Bangladesh). His father Jagabandhu Datta was a mukhtiyer (lower ranked pleader) who introduced Dhirendranath to the legal profession from an early age. Dhirendranath completed matriculation from [[Comilla Zilla School]].{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} He graduated from [[Surendranath College|Ripon College]] in 1908.<ref name="Nuruzzaman1968">{{cite book |last=Nuruzzaman |first=Mohammad |title=Who's Who |year=1968 |publisher=The Eastern Publications |oclc=46205 |pages=274–275}}</ref> Later he obtained a law degree from [[Calcutta University]].{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}


==Early career==
==Early career==
Datta began his career as a school teacher, eventually becoming assistant headmaster of the Bangora High school in [[Comilla]]. He was very active in the local community and was a leader of the relief effort following devastating floods in 1915. He formed the ''Mukti Sangha'', a welfare organization, after becoming inspired by [[Mahatma Gandhi]]. Datta's relief work continued up to the [[Bengal Famine of 1943]]. He joined the Comilla District Bar in 1911 and continued to practice until he was advised to give up his profession in favor of politics by his political comrade [[Chittaranjan Das]].
Datta began his career as a school teacher after passing intermediate, he eventually became assistant headmaster of the Bangora High school in [[Comilla]]. After obtaining law degree, he started law practice as an advocate. He joined the [[Comilla District Bar Association]] in 1911.  Quite early in his legal career, he established himself as a successful lawyer in the Comilla district. He practiced law earnestly and uninterruptedly from 1911 to 1920. Dhirendranath's reputation as a lawyer was akin to legend due to the service he provided for the poor.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rahman |first=Mohammad Afzalur |title=Dhirendranath Dutta: Portrait of a patriot |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/views/in-focus/news/dhirendranath-dutta-portrait-patriot-2224291 |work=The Daily Star |date=8 November 2021}}</ref> He continued to practice until he was advised to give up his profession in favor of politics by his political comrade [[Chittaranjan Das]]. He was very active in the local community and was a leader of the relief effort following devastating floods in 1915. He formed the ''Mukti Sangha'', a welfare organization, after becoming inspired by [[Mahatma Gandhi]]. Datta's relief work continued up to the [[Bengal Famine of 1943]].{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}


==Political activism==
==Political activism==
Along with many politically active Bengalis of his time, Datta took a firm stand following the [[Bengal Partition of 1905]]. He chose to vehemently oppose partition, working closely with other anti-partition activists such as [[Surendranath Banerjee]] and [[Rabindranath Tagore]]. Datta joined the [[Indian National Congress]] from [[Mymensingh District]] and was first elected to the Bengal Legislative Council in 1937. He was arrested by the British rulers of India for his participation in the [[Quit India]] movement of 1942.
Along with many politically active Bengalis of his time, Datta took a firm stand following the [[Bengal Partition of 1905]]. He chose to vehemently oppose partition, working closely with other anti-partition activists such as [[Surendranath Banerjee]] and [[Rabindranath Tagore]].{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} He took part in the [[Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922)|Non-cooperation movement]] in 1921. He was imprisoned multiple times, including in 1932 for 13 months.<ref name="Nuruzzaman1968" />
 
Datta joined the [[Indian National Congress]] and was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1937. He was imprisoned for 9 months for his participation in the [[Quit India]] movement of 1942. He was reelected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1946.<ref name="Nuruzzaman1968" />


Datta firmly opposed the creation of Pakistan and partition of India on religious lines; but when it became clear that partition of Bengal was inevitable and that his home district of Comilla would be in the new Muslim majority state, he opted to remain in [[East Bengal]] (unlike many other Hindu leaders), and as a result, was invited to be part of the constitutional committee to draft the legislative framework of the new country before the actual independence of Pakistan.
Datta firmly opposed the creation of Pakistan and partition of India on religious lines; but when it became clear that partition of Bengal was inevitable and that his home district of Comilla would be in the new Muslim majority state, he opted to remain in [[East Bengal]] (unlike many other Hindu leaders), and as a result, was invited to be part of the constitutional committee to draft the legislative framework of the new country before the actual independence of Pakistan.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}


[[file:Dhirendranath Datta at the Fine Arts Institute Dhaka 1957.jpg|thumb|300px|Dhirendranath Datta addressing a meeting at the Fine Arts Institute, Dhaka, 1957]]
===The Pakistan era===
===The Pakistan era===
Datta continued to represent his constituency as a Hindu member of the renamed [[Pakistan National Congress]] (seats were allocated by a quota according to religion). On 23 February 1948 in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly in [[Karachi]], he made a speech calling for Bengali to be made one of the official languages of Pakistan,<ref name="Banglapedia">{{cite encyclopedia | url = http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Language_Movement | title = Language Movement | encyclopedia = Banglapedia – The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh | publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | access-date = 26 July 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160307033428/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Language_Movement | archive-date = 7 March 2016 | url-status = dead }}</ref> in what was to become the action he will be most remembered for by his compatriots.
Datta continued to represent his constituency as a Hindu member of the renamed [[Pakistan National Congress]] (seats were allocated by a quota according to religion). On 23 February 1948 in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly in [[Karachi]], he made a speech calling for Bengali to be made one of the official languages of Pakistan,<ref name="Banglapedia">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Language_Movement |title=Language Movement |encyclopedia=Banglapedia – The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh |access-date=26 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307033428/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Language_Movement |archive-date=7 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> in what was to become the action he will be most remembered for by his compatriots.


In 1954, he moved an adjournment motion against the declaration of Governor's Rule in East Pakistan, and was seen as the ''de facto'' face of protest and democracy.
In 1954, he moved an adjournment motion against the declaration of Governor's Rule in East Pakistan, and was seen as the ''de facto'' face of protest and democracy.


He served as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare (East Pakistan) in [[Ataur Rahman Khan]]'s cabinet (1956. because of his alleged links to the emerging underground Bengali Nationalist movement, supposed members of which included [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]]. After this, he refrained from active politics but kept on supporting the rising nationalist movement from behind.
[[File:1954 east bengal cabinet.jpg|thumb|Datta at the 1954 cabinet standing second from right]]
 
He served as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare (East Pakistan) in [[Ataur Rahman Khan]]'s cabinet (1956). Because of his alleged links to the emerging underground Bengali Nationalist movement, supposed members of which included [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]], he was barred from participation in national election through the imposition of EBDO (Elective Bodies Disqualification Order). After this, he refrained from active politics but kept on supporting the rising nationalist movement from behind.


==Assassination by the Pakistan Army==
==Assassination by the Pakistan Army==
Due to Datta's continued defiance of state discrimination and authoritarianism in Pakistan, at the onset of the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]], three days after the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Datta was arrested at his house in Comilla on 29 March 1971, and taken with his son, Dilip Kumar Datta, to [[Moynamoti]] Cantonment and [[torture]]d to death.<ref name="Prothom"/> For this reason, he is often referred to as "Shaheed" (martyr) as a sign of respect.<ref name=pedia/>
Due to Datta's continued defiance of state discrimination and authoritarianism in Pakistan, at the onset of the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]], three days after the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Datta was arrested at his house in Comilla on 29 March 1971, and taken with his son, Dilip Kumar Datta, to [[Moynamoti]] Cantonment and [[torture]]d to death.<ref name="Prothom"/> For this reason, he is referred to as "Shaheed buddhijibi" (martyred intellectual) as a sign of respect.<ref name=pedia/>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Datta had a son Dilip Kumar Datta.<ref name=dream/>  
Datta had 2 sons, Sanjib and Dilip Kumar Datta.<ref name=dream/>
 
==See also==
*[[Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium]]
 
== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Surendranath College alumni]]
[[Category:Surendranath College alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:People from Comilla District]]
[[Category:People from Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila]]
[[Category:People killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chittagong Division]]
[[Category:Assassinated Bangladeshi politicians]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Independence Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Independence Day Award]]
[[Category:Pakistani torture victims]]
[[Category:Pakistani torture victims]]
[[Category:People from Comilla]]
[[Category:People from Comilla]]
[[Category:Bengal MLAs 1946–1947]]
[[Category:East Bengal MLAs 1947–1954]]
[[Category:Pakistani MNAs 1947–1954]]
[[Category:Pakistani MNAs 1947–1954]]
[[Category:Surendranath Law College alumni]]
[[Category:Surendranath Law College alumni]]
[[Category:1971 murders in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:History of East Pakistan]]
[[Category:Members of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Members of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Comilla Zilla School alumni]]
[[Category:Asian politicians assassinated in the 1970s]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi politicians assassinated in the 20th century]]
[[Category:20th-century Bangladeshi politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians assassinated in 1971]]
[[Category:Bangladesh National Congress politicians]]

Latest revision as of 06:05, 22 March 2026


Dhirendranath Datta
ধীরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত
دھریندر ناتھ دتا
Health and Social Welfare Minister of East Pakistan
In office
19 September 1956 – 7 October 1958
Leader of the Opposition of Pakistan
In office
7 May 1948 – 7 July 1955
LeaderLiaquat Ali Khan
Khawaja Nazimuddin
Mohammad Ali Bogra
Preceded byKiran Shankar Roy
Succeeded byHuseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
Leader of the Opposition of East Bengal
In office
15 March 1948 – 7 May 1948
LeaderKhwaja Nazimuddin
Preceded byposition created
Succeeded byBasanta Kumar Das
Personal details
Born(1886-11-02)2 November 1886
Brahmanbaria, Bengal, British India
CitizenshipBritish India (1886-1947)
Pakistan (1947-1971)
Bangladesh (1971)
Political partyPakistan National Congress
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • politician

Dhirendranath Datta (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971)[1] was a Bengali lawyer and politician from East Bengal who was a member of the 1st Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. He is best known for proposing Bengali for the national language of Pakistan in the Assembly. He was also active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India.[2]

Early life[edit | edit source]

Datta was born in an aristocratic Kayastha family on 2 November 1886 in Ramrail, in Brahmanbaria District,[3] Bengal Province (in today's Bangladesh). His father Jagabandhu Datta was a mukhtiyer (lower ranked pleader) who introduced Dhirendranath to the legal profession from an early age. Dhirendranath completed matriculation from Comilla Zilla School.[citation needed] He graduated from Ripon College in 1908.[4] Later he obtained a law degree from Calcutta University.[citation needed]

Early career[edit | edit source]

Datta began his career as a school teacher after passing intermediate, he eventually became assistant headmaster of the Bangora High school in Comilla. After obtaining law degree, he started law practice as an advocate. He joined the Comilla District Bar Association in 1911. Quite early in his legal career, he established himself as a successful lawyer in the Comilla district. He practiced law earnestly and uninterruptedly from 1911 to 1920. Dhirendranath's reputation as a lawyer was akin to legend due to the service he provided for the poor.[5] He continued to practice until he was advised to give up his profession in favor of politics by his political comrade Chittaranjan Das. He was very active in the local community and was a leader of the relief effort following devastating floods in 1915. He formed the Mukti Sangha, a welfare organization, after becoming inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Datta's relief work continued up to the Bengal Famine of 1943.[citation needed]

Political activism[edit | edit source]

Along with many politically active Bengalis of his time, Datta took a firm stand following the Bengal Partition of 1905. He chose to vehemently oppose partition, working closely with other anti-partition activists such as Surendranath Banerjee and Rabindranath Tagore.[citation needed] He took part in the Non-cooperation movement in 1921. He was imprisoned multiple times, including in 1932 for 13 months.[4]

Datta joined the Indian National Congress and was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1937. He was imprisoned for 9 months for his participation in the Quit India movement of 1942. He was reelected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1946.[4]

Datta firmly opposed the creation of Pakistan and partition of India on religious lines; but when it became clear that partition of Bengal was inevitable and that his home district of Comilla would be in the new Muslim majority state, he opted to remain in East Bengal (unlike many other Hindu leaders), and as a result, was invited to be part of the constitutional committee to draft the legislative framework of the new country before the actual independence of Pakistan.[citation needed]

The Pakistan era[edit | edit source]

Datta continued to represent his constituency as a Hindu member of the renamed Pakistan National Congress (seats were allocated by a quota according to religion). On 23 February 1948 in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly in Karachi, he made a speech calling for Bengali to be made one of the official languages of Pakistan,[6] in what was to become the action he will be most remembered for by his compatriots.

In 1954, he moved an adjournment motion against the declaration of Governor's Rule in East Pakistan, and was seen as the de facto face of protest and democracy.

Datta at the 1954 cabinet standing second from right

He served as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare (East Pakistan) in Ataur Rahman Khan's cabinet (1956). Because of his alleged links to the emerging underground Bengali Nationalist movement, supposed members of which included Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he was barred from participation in national election through the imposition of EBDO (Elective Bodies Disqualification Order). After this, he refrained from active politics but kept on supporting the rising nationalist movement from behind.

Assassination by the Pakistan Army[edit | edit source]

Due to Datta's continued defiance of state discrimination and authoritarianism in Pakistan, at the onset of the Bangladesh Liberation War, three days after the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Datta was arrested at his house in Comilla on 29 March 1971, and taken with his son, Dilip Kumar Datta, to Moynamoti Cantonment and tortured to death.[3] For this reason, he is referred to as "Shaheed buddhijibi" (martyred intellectual) as a sign of respect.[2]

Personal life[edit | edit source]

Datta had 2 sons, Sanjib and Dilip Kumar Datta.[1]

See also[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Ahsan, Syed Badrul (2 November 2016). "Dhirendranath Dutta...our dream maker" (Opinion). bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Salam, Muhammad Abdus. "Datta, Dhirendranath". Banglapedia. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  3. 3.0 3.1 শ্রদ্ধাঞ্জলি:এই দেশ এই মাটি যাঁর অস্তিত্ব [A Tribute to this Country]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 3 November 2007.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nuruzzaman, Mohammad (1968). Who's Who. The Eastern Publications. pp. 274–275. OCLC 46205.
  5. Rahman, Mohammad Afzalur (8 November 2021). "Dhirendranath Dutta: Portrait of a patriot". The Daily Star.
  6. "Language Movement". Banglapedia – The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2015.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

Template:Language Movement

Template:Liberation of Bangladesh