Mohammad Shamsuzzoha (1934-1969) was a Bengali educator, and a professor at Rajshahi University. He was the first university teacher in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) who was killed by the Pakistani Military forces at the eve of 1969 revolution movement of East Pakistan, which ultimately turned to Bangladesh Liberation War.
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Shamsuzzoha, Mohammad |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
Born in the district of Bankura in West Bengal, India. Passed matriculation examination from Bankura Zilla School in 1948 and ISc from Bakura Christian College in 1950. After the partition of India he migrated to the East Bengal. He secured BSc (honours) degree in Chemistry in 1953 and MSc in 1954 from Dhaka University. Mohammad Shamsuzzoha took part actively in the language movement in 1952 while as a student of Dhaka University. He obtained his PhD degree in 1964 from the Imperial College of London.
Mohammad Shamsuzzoha joined Rajshahi University in 1961 as a Development Officer and in the same year he was appointed as lecturer in the Department of Chemistry. He was promoted as Reader of the Chemistry Department in 1966. He received the Proctorial responsibility of the university from the 1st May of 1968 and was on duty till to his last breath.
He was the first university teacher to have been martyred between 1947 and 1969. Dr Shamsuzzoha hastened the victory of freedom loving mob by sacrificing his life. On 20 January 1969 the Pakistani army killed asaduzzaman khan who was a student leader.One of the accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case, Sergant Juhurul Haq was murdered in Dhaka Cantonment on 15 February 1969. Against this backdrop, students of Rajshahi University started staging demonstration. On February 17 many students were injured in police action. Dr Zoha rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital to see them. His shirt was stained with blood of the injured. The following day the students organised a demonstration at the main gate of the University. On the same day the local administration imposed Section 144 on the Natore-Rajshahi Highway adjacent to the University. The agitated students decided to violate the Section 144 in the area where army personnel were deployed. Dr Zoha rushed to the spot and tried to get his students back to dormitories. He talked to army officers and urged them not to fire. But when the tension started to subside Dr Zoha was shot.
He was rushed to hospital where he breathed his last. Before he was shot down Dr Zoha said to his students, "I have to say this to you that the army will not fire. If they do, the first bullet will hit me before hitting any student". Dr Zoha kept his word.
He was buried in front of the administration building of the university. The death of Dr Zoha added a new dimension in the anti-Ayub mass movement. The whole country was agitated against the death of Dr Shamsuzzoha and the fall of Ayub government was quickened. Rajshahi University authority named a student's hall as Shahid Shamsuzzoha Hall in memory to the supreme sacrifice of Dr Zoha for the country.
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| Date of birth |
1934 |
| Place of birth |
district of Bankura in West Bengal, India. |
| Date of death |
1969 |
| Place of death |
university campus of Rajshahi University |
