• Source: A. T. M. Wali Ashraf

A. T. M. Wali Ashraf (8 September 1937 – 19 November 1994) was a politician from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and a member of parliament for Brahmanbaria-6.
Born on 8 September 1937 in the village of Domrakandi, Bancharampur, Brahmanbaria, Ashraf was the second of eight children and the oldest son. His father, Atiq Ullah, worked for the Railways Ministry and was initially based in Kolkata. His mother, Nurjahan Begum, was the daughter of the local zamindar. Additionally, his parents had four other children who died at birth.
Ashraf was reportedly an energetic child who possessed leadership qualities, which were quickly recognized by his maternal uncle, Dr. Shamsul Alam of Gouripur, during his visits to his sister's house. Alam's devotion to education and civic reform had a lasting influence on Ashraf's life and philosophy. At the age of 7, Ashraf left his parents' home to live with his uncle. When he turned 16, he graduated from school and went on to study at B.M. College in Barisal. He was later admitted to the University of Dhaka in the Department of Bengali.




Pak Students Work Camp Association/Editor of the Mission (monthly bulletin)


At Dhaka University, Ashraf served as the Secretary General of the Pak Students Work Camp Association and was the editor of The Mission, the monthly bulletin of the association. He was a student of S.M. Hall at Dhaka University. The Pak Students Work Camp Association was formed on 7 April 1963.




Faqir (Beggars) Samity


Together with young Bengali students, Ashraf led a socio-cultural group that visited the residences of Bengali expatriates in England, singing traditional songs. The group's name was derived from their practice of visiting members' homes and singing familiar songs of Bangladeshi beggars. These songs included phrases like "Shono Momin Musalmana, Kari Aami Nibedana, E Dunia Fana Habe Jene Janona" (Listen, O faithful Muslims, you know it but do not admit that this world will be destroyed one day). Another song they sang was "Diner Nabi Mastofae, Rasta Diya Haitta Jae, Rastai Chhila Harin Bandha Gachher-i Tolai" (The great Prophet of the true religion walked down the road beside which was a tree to which a deer was tied with a rope). When group members visited a home and sang these beggars' songs, the household was expected to host a feast of fine rice cooked in clarified butter and lamb curry the following weekend. This tradition helped foster close camaraderie and a sense of fellowship among the group members.




Janomot First Bengali Newsweekly


He played a pivotal role in London during the Bangladesh Independence War in 1971. His Bengali newsweekly, Janomot (established in London on 21 February 1969 and recognized as the first Bengali newspaper printed outside Bangladesh), motivated Bengalis living in London to fight for independence. A. T. M. Wali Ashraf was the founding editor of Janomot, which began in his home at 2 Temperley Road, Balham, London. The Janomot office was later relocated to Unit 2, 20b Spelman Street, Spitalfields & Bangla Town, London E1 5LQ.
His residence at 2 Temperley Road, London, was also the birthplace of the first Bangladesh Biman Office (Bangladesh Airlines) in the city.
In the 1960s and 70s, A. T. M. Wali Ashraf, Zakaria Ahmed, and other Bengalis instilled fear in the Pakistani rulers from London. He spoke about the independence of Bangladesh while sitting in London and occupied the Pakistan High Commission building to announce the independence of Bengal. He was the first to take the initiative to save Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the Agartala conspiracy case. In response to their strong agitation and resistance, Pakistan President Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who was visiting London, escaped through the back door of the hotel.




Bangladesh Students Action Committee


In London, the Bangladesh Students Action Committee played a pivotal role in garnering support from both the Bengali expatriate community and the international community. Mohammad Hossain Monju served as the convener of the Students' Action Committee for the War of Liberation in the UK. Active members of the action committee included Khondakar Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam, Wali Ashraf, Sultan Mahmud Sharif, Shafiuddin Mahmud Bulbul, Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik (who later became a justice of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh), Ziauddin Mahmud, Lutfur Rahman Shahjahan, Akhter Imam, and Kamrul Islam. The committee played a crucial role in inspiring and coordinating the activities of expatriate Bangladeshis to strengthen liberation publicity and lobbying efforts in the West, especially in Europe.




Career


A. T. M. Wali Ashraf was a Bengali newscaster on BBC Bangla World Service in London.
He was first elected to parliament from Brahmanbaria-6 as an independent member in 1988.
A. T. M. Wali Ashraf was subsequently elected to parliament from Brahmanbaria-6 as a candidate of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 1991.
Wali Ashraf attended the World Assembly for Peace held in Budapest as a member of the official delegation led by M. A. Samad, an elected member of the National Assembly and Roving Ambassador for the Republic of Bangladesh. The delegation also included Dewan Mahbub Ali, Joint Secretary of the National Awami Party, and Dr. Sarwar Ali.
Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Nazrul Islam went to Holland at the invitation of the Friends of Bangladesh to attend a press conference. Wali Ashraf also attended the conference as the representative of Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury. Together, they formed the Europa Committee and visited Belgium to seek support for Bangladesh.




References

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