Abdus salam molla
Abdus Salam Molla (1949) is a Bangladeshi academic, educationist, and freedom fighter of the liberation war 1971 of Bangladesh. Besides his involvement in different types of work, his major career was teaching in Govt. Colleges since October 1978. He retired as Vice-Principal from his Govt. job, then joined in a Private University as Registrar and worked for more than 14 years.
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Biography
Abdus Salam Molla is a Bangladeshi academic, educationist, and freedom fighter of the liberation war 1971 of Bangladesh. Besides his involvement in different types of work, his major career was teaching in Govt. Colleges since October 1978. He retired as Vice-Principal from his Govt. job, then joined in a Private University as Registrar and worked for more than 14 years.
Early life
He was born in his maternal parent’s house in a village, ‘Sunder kathi’ in Bakerganj Upazila, in Barishal. His father, Abdul Latif Molla and mother, Mosammath Monowara Begum also came from the village. His father was a Govt. employee in Barishal Collector Office.
Education
His primary education started in a Baptist Mission Christian school, “Provati Prathomic Bidhalay” (no longer in existence) near their residence at 121, Sadar Road, Barishal. After primary school, he was admitted to ‘Barishal Zilla School’ in class three in 1958 and received the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in 1966 in science group and then admitted to ‘Barishal B.M. College and received Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)) in science group in 1968. After College, he was admitted to honors in Economics in Dhaka University, and Hazi Muhammad Mohsin Hall, room 637 was allotted for him. The ‘Liberation War of Bangladesh’ started in the month of March 1971, while he was a third-year student.
Participation in the Bangladesh Liberation War
He joined the Liberation War and fled to India where he received training on Guerilla Warfare by the Indian Army at Chakulia, in the state of Bihar, India. Then he joined the 9th Sector, where Sector Commander was Major Jalil. He fought inside the country under the Sub Sector Commander, Captain Mafuz Beg. After the Liberation war, he went back to Dhaka University and completed Masters's in November 1974.
Career
(A). Just after his Masters from Dhaka University, he joined as a ‘Diet Supervisor’ to a Research Project launched by the Institute of Nutrition, Dhaka University (December 1974 to February 1975). He could not continue due to severe illness.
(B). Then he worked as a ‘Research Investigator’ and then ‘Research Assistant’ in a project, ‘Performance of Public Enterprise in Bangladesh’ under Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), under the supervision of two renowned Economists, Prof. Dr. Muzzafar Ahmed and Prof. Rehman Sobhan (from 1st April 1975 to 30th September 1976).
(C). The BIDS project came to an end and then he joined in a project as a ‘Research Officer’, under the ‘Reconstruction Board of Planning Commission’, Ministry of Planning, Govt. of Bangladesh (October 1976 to March 1977). It was a class one Govt. job.
(D). Then he joined as ‘Assistant Chief’, Directorate of Agricultural Marketing, Ministry of Agriculture and Forest, Govt. of Bangladesh (March 1977 to September 1978). It was also a class one Govt. job at a higher grade pay scale.
(E). As he was interested in teaching he joined as a ‘Lecturer of Economics in Govt. Edward College, Pabna, and worked from 3rd October 1978 to 21st April 1983. Then he was transferred to Govt. Tolaram College, Narayanganj (23rd April 1983 to 13th January 1992). After servicing more than 13 years as a Lecturer in two Government colleges, he was promoted to ‘Assistant Professor’ and was placed in Satkania Govt. College, Chittagong(14th January 1992 to 23rd May 1992). As he had enough spare time in a teaching job he started studying ‘Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery at Tanzim Homeopathic Medical College in Narayanganj while he was there. In course of time, he received DHMS (Diploma in Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery) Degree. Though he did not take Homeopathic practice as a profession he learned a lot which was beneficial for him and his family members/ friends.
(F). Then he was again transferred to Govt. Jagannath College, Dhaka and worked there from 24th May 1992 to 20th May 2001 as Assistant Professor and from 21st May 2001 to 25th January 2006 as ‘Associate Professor of Economics’.
(G). He got a promotion to the post of ‘Professor and Head of the Department of Economics and transferred to Barishal B.M College, Barishal (26th January 2006 to 17th May 2006).
(H). Then he was transferred to Sarkari Kabi Nazrul College, Dhaka as Vice-Principal (18th May 2006 to 27th May 2006). On 28th May 2006 he went on L.P.R (Leave Preparatory to Retirement) for one year. Thus his working in Govt. jobs for about 28 years ended.
(I). Then he joined a private university, ‘World University of Bangladesh’ (WUB) as ‘Registrar’, and continued for more than 14 years from 20th August 2007 to 1st November 2021.
TRAINING
He received ‘Foundation Training’ at NIEAR (National Institute for Education and Research) in Dhaka (presently it is NAEM: National Academy for Education Management) from December 1974 to February 1975. He had to complete more other training programs in course of time.
Published works
(i). He had a piece of writing in the book named ‘ANTIDOTE’, published by Subud Publication International, Jakarta, Indonesia, (ISBN: 1 869822 03 X). (ii). He Translated the book, ‘THE PROPHET’ by Kahlil Gibran (ISBN: 978-984-95261-3-1) in Bangla. (iii). He wrote many articles in national newspapers and international journals.
Charitable Activities
(i). He worked as a secretary of the Lions Club of Dhaka, Caladama, and was associated with many social activities in Dhaka city.
(ii). He worked as the chairperson of a Govt. approved Social Welfare Organization, named ‘Darus Salam Welfare Association'. The most mentionable three projects were: (i). A ‘Free Friday Clinic’ for poor people in a village in Narayanganj. (ii). A ‘Free Primary Night School’ for the slum errand children (80 to 100 students) for long five years at Magh Bazar in Dhaka city. Those children used to work in the day time with their parents to increase their families’ income and got free education (basic) at night. (iii). A ‘Free Sewing Training Center’ at a village in Narayanganj with an instructor and five sewing machines for poor vulnerable girls and distressed women, so that after training they can stand on their own feet.
He operated many other small projects for poor villagers in the nineteen eighteens and nineties. For vulnerable persons, the motto of his work was to ‘give the fishing rod not the fish’.
Mr. Molla attended many ‘International Conference of SUBUD’ held in different years in different places: Toronto, Canada (1979); Jakarta, Indonesia (1981, 2002); New Delhi, India (1991and 1992); Innsbruck, Austria (2005); Christchurch, New Zealand (2010); Puebla, Mexico (2014); Freiburg, Germany (2018).
- (SUBUD is a spiritual movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo)
