Abdul Majed Khan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdul Majed Khan was a Bangladeshi-New Zealander academic, researcher, and activist.[1] He is a former senior lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington.[2] He was a former faculty of the University of Kolkata and University of Dhaka.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Khan was born in August 1919.[4] He graduated from Faridpur Zilla School and Presidency University, Kolkata, in 1935 and 1939.[4] He did his master's degree from the University of Calcutta in 1942 in Islamic history and culture.[4]

Khan completed his PhD at the University of London.[4] His thesis was "The Transition in Bengal 1756-1775: A Study of Saiyid Muhammad Reza Khan".[5][4][6]

Career[edit]

Khan joined the University of Calcutta as a tutor in 1943.[4] He would be appointed a full-time lecturer and superintendent of Carmichael Hall. In 1944, he joined the Bengal Education Service as an Islamic History and Culture professor.[4] He was posted to Islamia College, Kolkata. He transferred to the Civil Supplies Department and was stationed in Jalpaiguri.[4]

After the partition of India, Khan moved to East Bengal.[4] He was posted in Faridpur District, Gaibandha District, and Rajbari District.[4] He joined the Department of Islamic History and Culture at the University of Dhaka.[4] Khan joined the Bengali language movement in 1952.[4]

Khan joined Victoria University of Wellington in 1966 after completing his PhD.[4][7] His family was the only Bangladeshi family in New Zealand.[4] During the Bangladesh Liberation War, he worked with M Hossain Ali and A R Mallick to lobby on behalf of Bangladesh in Australia and New Zealand.[4]

Khan worked with Norman Kirk, Prime Minister of New Zealand, to get aid to Bangladesh such as a dairy farm in Savar and training of Bangladeshi pilots in New Zealand.[4] He taught at the University of Dhaka as a visiting faculty in 1973.[4] He founded the International Muslim Association of New Zealand.[4]

Death[edit]

Khan died on 31 October 1975.[4] He was buried in Muslim Cemetery at Makara in Wellington.[4] He had worked to establish it as the first Muslim cemetery in New Zealand and he was the first burial at the cemetery.[8][4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Rippin, Andrew (2008). World Islam: Critical Concepts in Islamic Studies. Routledge. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-415-45652-4.
  2. ^ "News" (PDF). nzjh.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  3. ^ Bangladesh, Asiatic Society of (1976). Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. p. 39.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Khan, A Majeed (17 June 2021). "Khan, Abdul Majed". Banglapedia. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  5. ^ Khan, Abdul Majed (2007-12-03). The Transition in Bengal, 1756–75: A Study of Saiyid Muhammad Reza Khan. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-04982-5.
  6. ^ Khan, Mūīnuddīn Aḥmed (1970). "Review of The Transition in Bengal 1756-1775: A Study of Saiyid Muhammad Reza Khan". Islamic Studies. 9 (3): 276–278. ISSN 0578-8072. JSTOR 20832998.
  7. ^ Pakistan, Asiatic Society of (1970). Journal of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan. Asiatic Society of Pakistan. p. 174.
  8. ^ "Muslim Cemetery in Wellington | IMAN". Retrieved 2023-12-13.