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Feature 2

Sylhet

A Forgotten Patriot

Oliur Rahman was a man of distinct quality. Although a student of madrassa, he had keen interest and knowledge in science. Along with many other enlightened citizens, he was picked up by the Al-Badrs on 11 December of 1971 and was killed at Rayerbazar mass grave.
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Iqbal Siddiquee

Son of Habibur Rahman Khorasani, Oliur was born at Moiarchar village of Sylhet sadar thana on 7 February of 1932. His forefathers were from Khorasan of Persia.

Oliur Rahman became first class third in title examination in 1953 from the madrassa education board and took courses in English language in Lahore.

Taking teaching as profession, his first job was at a school in Teknaf before joining as superintendent at a madrassa in Barisal in 1953. He joined as a teacher at Sylhet government Alia madrasah in 1954 and continued there till 1959. Oliur served at the Bangla academy as a translator and researcher in the Urdu and in Arabic section in 1960.

He organized the students and teachers of the Alia madrasah and formed an association named 'Mukti Sangha'. Moulana Oliur Rahman also chaired the mass rally held at the Govinda Charan park in Sylhet town on 22 February, to raise protest against the 21 February killings.

Ignoring the rulers' red eyes, the man formed 'Awami Ulama Party' to extend support of ulamas (Islamic Scholars) towards the Awami League programmes. He also organized ulamas in the movement of 1969. Alongside agitation programmes in the 60s, Oliur Rahman had joined the campaign through writing on regional, national newspapers and periodicals that time in favour of the cause of the Bengalis in the light of religious and from Islamic point of view.

But, the religious fanatics and anti-liberation forces did not spare this patriotic man. On the eve of the great victory a group of Al-badars picked him up on 11 December from Lalbag area and tortured him for days. They gouged his eyes up before killing him on 14 December. They dumped the body at Rayerbazar the same day.

The chief commander of the liberation force general M.A.G Osmani acknowledged the huge contribution of Awami Ulama party chief Shahid Moulana Oliur Rahman in his writings.

The martyr was remembered for years after the liberation war, but, is almost forgotten now. Once, even a committee named 'Shahid Buddhijibi Oliur Rahman Smriti Sangsad' was formed. He was awarded posthumously by the Islamic foundation in 2001 for his contribution for humanity.