Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqi

Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqi
M. R. Siddiqi
Ambassador to US & Mexico
In office
1971 (Govt.-in-Exile)
In office
1975–1978
President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Minister for Commerce & Foreign trade
In office
1972–1973
Member of Bangladesh Parliament
In office
1973
Member of Pakistan National Assembly
In office
1962
In office
1970
Personal details
Born 1 March 1925(1925-03-01)
Sitakunda, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Died 6 February 1992(1992-02-06) (aged 66)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nationality Bangladeshi
Political party Awami League
Spouse(s) Begum Latifa Siddiqi
Children Faisal Siddiqi, Kamel Siddiqi, Shams Siddiqi, Amer Siddiqi and Omar Siddiqi
Religion Islam-Sunni

Contents

Early History & Education

Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqi (M.R.Siddiqi), son of Mr. Mohammad Hossain Chowdhury, was born on March 1, 1925 in Sitakunda, Chittagong. After his schooling in Sitakunda, he pursued higher education in Calcutta, India. He completed his M. Com. from Calcutta University in 1947. He served as lecturer at Dhaka University from 1948-1950. He then went on to take a degree in Commerce from London University and followed with the final examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales in 1954. He was elected a member of both Royal Economic Society and the Royal Statistics Society.

Family life

After returning from the U.K., he joined James Finlay PLC as Chief Accountant in 1955. On 9 February 1957, he married Latifa Khan, eldest daughter of Mr. A. K. Khan, a Pioneer Industrialist of East Pakistan and former Central Minister of Government of Pakistan. They have five sons-Feisal, Kamel, Shams, Amer and Omar. In 1958, he joined the A.K. Khan Group of Industries as Finance Director (1958–1964).

Business Entrepreneur

His career as an entrepreneur started in 1962 and he played a leading role in the establishment of a number of new ventures as Managing Director and/or Chairman. These companies were:

  • A.K. Khan Jute Mills Ltd.
  • Eastern Insurance Company Ltd. (now part of Sadharan Bima Corporation)
  • S.K.M Jute Mills Ltd.
  • National Motors Ltd.
  • Crescent Motors Ltd.
  • Therapeutics (Bangladesh) Ltd.
  • Sidko Limited (Trading Division)
  • Sidko Limited (Garments Division)
  • Federal Insurance Company Ltd.
  • Sponsor Director of the Eastern Mercantile Bank Ltd. (First East Pakistani Bank, at present Pubali Bank Ltd.)
  • Founding Vice Chairman of Al-Baraka Bank Bangladesh Ltd.

Government & Politics

Apart from a distinguished career as an entrepreneur, Mr. Siddiqi was also a leading figure in Government and Politics. He was elected member of the Pakistan National Assembly in 1962 as an independent candidate. He joined the Awami League Party in 1964 and was elected as its Treasurer, as well as the President of Chittagong District Awami League from 1964-1972. He was again elected member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1970 and member of Bangladesh Parliament in 1973.

1971 Liberation War

The high point of his political career was his leading role in the Liberation War. When as president of District Awami League and Convener of Sangram Parishad of Chittagong, he organized the resistance against the Pakistan Army, including the establishment of the Shadin Bangla Betar Kendra, (initially at Kalurghat Relay Station). He initiated the activities of the Bangladesh Government in exile and was subsequently Chairman of the Eastern zone (command) comprising five districts of Chittagong Division and districts of Barisal, Faridpur and Dhaka. In July 1971, he was sent to U.S.A. and Canada as envoy of the exiled government to lobby support from the US and Canadian Government.

Minister of Commerce & Foreign Trade

After the liberation of Bangladesh in 1972, he was appointed Minister for Commerce and Foreign Trade in the First Bangabandhu Cabinet. In 1973, as special envoy of the Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he met the heads of states and governments of the U.S.A., Canada, Britain, Italy, France and West Germany and lobbied for the repatriation of stranded Bangladeshis from Pakistan.

Ambassador to The US & Mexico

He was appointed Ambassador to the US and Mexico in July 1975 by the Bangladesh Government.

Retirement from politics

He retired from active politics in 1980 despite being approached by successive regimes.

Social Work & Humanitarian Efforts

"Father of Lionism" in Bangladesh

M. R. Siddiqi was equally well known as a social worker. His selfless service and dedicated leadership over the years towards the cause of Lionism earned him love from his follow lions, who came to regards him as "Father of Lionism" in Bangladesh. He joined the Lions movement in the then East Pakistan from the very beginning in 1958. In I960, a devastating cyclone and tidal bore hit the coastal areas of Chittagong, (Halishahar, Kattali and Sitakunda). It was under his dynamic leadership (as President of Chittagong Lions Club), that a massive relief operation was undertaken, for which he was awarded "The Lions Humanitarian Award", the most prestigious in Lions International. At that time he was the 3rd person in the world to receive this rare honor, first being Pope John Paul I, and the second Hamid Nawaz of Iran. The International Publication, “Fifty years of Lionism", contains a chapter of these relief activities of the Lions of Chittagong. Later in recognition of his service, Lion Siddiqi was also made an honorary "International Counselor". In the initial stage, all the clubs in East Pakistan were under District 305 (Pakistan). It was again with his initiatives that a separate provisional Lions District 305E (Pakistan) was formed in 1962, with him elected as the First District Governor.

In 1966, Lion Siddiqi introduced the concept of Lion Foundation through the formation of the "Chittagong Lions Foundation", the first of its kind in the history of Lionism, the idea of a Lions Foundation was the brainchild of Lion Siddiqi, which was later emulated in the world of Lionism. It may be mentioned "The Lions International Foundation" was established two years later, in 1968, in Lions Headquarter in Chicago, U.S.A. To ensure better management and involve more Lions, "The Chittagong Lions Eye Hospital” (the foundation stone was laid by District Governor Lion M.R. Siddiqi on 5 January 1963) was the first of its kind initiated by the Lions of South East Asia and Indo-Pak Sub-continent. Subsequently, "The Bangladesh Lions Foundation" and "The Lions Eye Hospital" at Agargaon, Dhaka were established in 1983, again under the able Chairmanship of Lion Siddiqi.

After the emergence of Bangladesh in 1972, Lion Siddiqi again took the lead to organize the Lions Clubs. He along with his colleague and close friend, Deputy District Governor Lion Mohd. Khaled, visited district after district to re-organize and form new clubs all over Bangladesh. During this period a large number of projects of District 315E were taken up by his initiatives and encouragement.

He was the Forum Chairman of "The 17th Africa and South West Asia Lions International Forum" held in Dhaka in 1989. In recognition of his leadership and guidance, he received numerous awards from time to time from Lions International. Lion M. R. Siddiqi was District Governor for four terms of District 305E (Pakistan) for the years 1962-63, 1963–64 and District 315 (Bangladesh) for the years 1972-73, 1973–74, probably a record in Lionism.

Other organizations

Apart from Lions, he was President of OISCA (Bangladesh Chapter), Chairman of Under-Privileged Children Education Programme (UCEP) and Founder of Latifa Siddiqi Girls College and Girls High School of Kumira, Sitakunda. He had innumerable leadership positions in associations and organizations of various types, including presidency of Insurance Association of Pakistan, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Aushad Shilpa Samity to name a few. He was also the founder President of Bangladesh Japan Friendship Society. He was the Governor of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, which he helped to established in 1985.

Mr. Siddiqi died at the age of sixty seven on 6 February 1992 in Dhaka. He led an active and fruitful life, setting standards of personal and professional conduct across Bangladesh Society wherever he was involved. He was kind and generous to a fault, and will perhaps be belt remembered for his exemplary attitude towards people from all walks of life, for which he earned the affection and respect of thousands.

References

Discussions with US Presidents (pdf files. you may have to download them and view)

US Department of State

Mr. Siddiqi in US Media

References in the Liberation War of Bangladesh, 1971

References in Lionism

External links



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