Portrait of Professor Abdur Razzaq by Sheikh Afzal.

Professor Abdur Razzaq is the iconic philosopher, teacher and thinker of Bangladesh. He is the mentor of all the intelligentsia of our country and was the dreamer of establishing a knowledge based society. On his 14th death anniversary (28th November), we remember this man of great wisdom and teacher of all.

! Professor Abdur Razzaq was born on 1914 at Nawabganj, Dhaka district. He never mentioned his date of birth so it remains unknown forever.
! His life as a teacher started after passing MA in the first class from the department of political economy of Dhaka University in 1936. After the division of the department as economics and political science, he chose the latter for teaching.
! Abdur Razzaq went to England and admitted to London School of Economics to study under the famous economist and political theorist Harold Lasky.
! After Harold Lasky's death in 1950 he returned without any degree and never published his thesis considering that except Lasky, no one would be able to evaluate his research.
! Abdur Razzaq remained unmarried throughout his life. He always cooked his own food and used to invite his students to share his self- cooked meal.
! He never published any book but through his lectures, essays and dialogues he taught the nation of his philosophy and thoughts.
! Many renowned intellectuals such as Ahmod Sofa, Humayun Azad, Sarder Fazlul Karim, Humayun Ahmed, Salimullah Khan were his disciples. Professor Razzaq influenced their study and works in various aspects.
! His disciples also included many notable public leaders among whom Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the most notable.
! Professor Razzaq used to live an introverted life surrounded by books and disciples. Humayun Azad, Sarder Fazlul Karim and Selina Shireen Shikdar only these three persons have managed to interview him.
! To acknowledge his unique status as a teacher, the Government of Bangladesh honoured him with the distinction of National Professor in 1975. In 1973
! The University of Delhi honoured him with a PhD in 1973
! Professor Abdur Razzaq died in November 28, 1999 due to old age physical complications.

– MSKC

Professor Razzaq (L) and Ahmed Sofa. Photo: Courtesy: