This information has been collected from his son Hasan Matin. A book with the title of History of Bangladeshis in Greater Manchester has been published and it will be distributed to the libraries, schools, colleges and universities. On behalf of the Probashbarta we recognise his contribution to the Bangladeshi community in Great Britain. His work should be acknowledged and recognised by the Government of Bangladesh.
8.53 Muhammad Abdul Matin Chowdhury [ M.A.Matin]
8.53.1 Life in Bangladesh: Muhammad Abdul Matin Chowdhury was born in 1929 in the village of Sreeramshi, Jogonnathput, Sylhet. His father’s name was late Moulana Abdul Azim Chowdhury and his mother’s name was late Shamsun Nehar Chowdhury. He was the only child.
He went to the local Primary School and Secondary School studied up to SSC. Due to the early death of his father, he left his studies and become a teacher at the local Primary school.
MA Matin’s grandfather, came to Sreeramshi from Fitwah, Nobigonj in the early 1900’s and acquired the present “Bari” and agricultural land to support the family.
8.53.2 Journey to the UK & Immigration:
In 1949, he entered to the UK. He was living in Birmingham and moved to Manchester and settled here. He went to Assam for obtaining the passport and went to Karachi for flight to United Kingdom.
8.53.3. Family and homes:
MA Matin married Syeda Nurun Nehar Begum in 1964, they have 6 children, a son & 5 daughters. He bought his first house in Victoria Park Manchester and then Cheetham Hill, before moving to Didsbury in 1974.
8.53.4 Employment & Business:
On arriving in the UK he started working in a restaurant and then opened a small cafe with a dear friend, Mr Lal Miah. Moving to Manchester, he opened the Oriental Restaurant on Oxford Road, Manchester. When the Oriental Restaurant was demolished, he opened the Motijheel in Deansgate, Manchester. In 1964 he moved to Leeds opening Taj Mahal Restaurant. Moving back to Manchester in 1967 the opened the first Bengali Grocery ”Asian Food Store” on Stockport Rd which relocated to Landcross Road, Fallowfield. In 1971 he opened a travel agency “Sylhet Travel Services” on Oxford Road – the oldest surviving Bangladeshi Travel Agency in UK and the first Biman appointed agent in UK.
8.53.5 Life in the UK:
The weather was very cold; people used coal to warm up the room. The snow and ice was common weather everywhere. There was good an understanding and co-operation amongst Bangladeshis, if there was a death in the community, the people came forward to raise funds in order arrange funerals in the UK or by sending the deceased back to Bangladesh.
8.53.6 Social & Family:
MA Matin spent most of his life in organising the unity of the Bengali communities to realize their objectives here in Britain as well as at home.
In 1951, he organized and founded The Pakistan Welfare Association in Birmingham, Leeds, Oldham and the Caterer’s Association in Manchester. He was also a founder member of the Pakistan Welfare Association for Britain at London. He also organised the first Muslim burial facilities in Birmingham.
In 1955, he organised a historical public meeting attended by late H S Shuhurawardy, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Maulana Bhasani at St Pancras Hall, London which for the first time initiated the movements of the Bengalis in the UK.
In 1965, as President of Pakistan Welfare Association for Britain at a meeting with Ayub Khan, he ensured that East Pakistanis [Bengalis] received a just and fair share of Catering Vouchers [visas] and that Bengalis completed Immigration & Customs in Dhaka and not Karachi.
In 1966, he organized and launched the first historical public demonstration as the president of the Pakistani Federation in Britain against the totalitarianism of Ayub regime.
In 1968, he organized the demonstration in London, for the release of the Bangabandhu from the Agartala Conspiracy Case.
In 1969, he also organised and led the Hyde Park Speakers Corner demonstration against the Yayha Khan’s regime within 3 days of the take over from Ayub regime. As President of the Pakistan Welfare Association he met with President Yayha Khan for the immediate release of Bangabandu.
In 1969, to help people send money back to their families in Bangladesh, he persuaded Habib Bank to open a branch in Manchester, working there himself, he ensured that people used the Bank and thus ensure profitability of the branch; after the independence of Bangladesh, the state owed Pubali Bank opened a branch – Manchester being the second worldwide branch after London.
Recognising the need for the rights of Bengali speaking East Pakistanis Muslims he founded the East Pakistan Muslim society in Manchester which lead to the purchase of the building now known as Shah Jalal Mosque & Islamic Centre. He was also involved in the foundation and development of the Shahjalal Mosque in Manchester. Bosroth Ali, Malik Bakth, Syed Abdul Hannan and MA Matin were the first Trustees of the Shahjalal Mosque. He also took the initiative to unite the Bengalis and to focus on their problems by publishing a Jagaron Bengali newspaper from Manchester.
In 1971, when the independence was declared he fully devoted his time in organising the movement of liberation in UK. Along with others respected elders, he organised The Action Committee for Bangladesh in UK (24th April, 1971 at Coventry) and persuaded Justice Choudhury to become the advisor of the movement. Those who were closely connected with the movement were aware how much he contributed to keep the unity of this movement.
During the Liberation war he founded The Lancashire Awami League Action committee which held many rallies throughout the North including at the Shalimar & Manila restaurants. The organisation convinced many Bengalis to contribute a month’s salary towards the arming of the freedom fighters.
In 1971, it was reported that The Lancashire Awami League Action committee has the historical honour of being the first depositor in the account of Bangladesh. The cheque was handed over to Bangabandu at Claridge’s Hotel during the famous press conference London after his release from imprisonment in West Pakistan on 8th January 1972.
MA Matin recognised the fact that Bangladeshis needed to quickly create an identity in UK and formed the Lancashire Bangladesh Association [which later became the Greater Manchester Bangladesh Association – GMBA].
After independence many Bangladeshis holding Pakistani passports could not provide the necessary documents to obtain Bangladeshi passports; MA Matin convinced the Bangladeshi Government to allow accept Declarations of Nationality witnessed by community elders [including himself].
Leading to the first official visit to Bangladesh by the UK Awami League, he was honoured by Bangabondu for his role during the war of liberation.
Manchester was the first City outside London to give The Bangladesh High Commissioner S.A Sultan to UK a civic reception and MA Matin as President of the Lancashire Awami League organised a conference at the Free Trade Hall Manchester.
In 1975, he ensured that proper representative for Bangladeshis in UK North, he ensured that offices of Pubali Bank, Bangladesh High Commission and Bangladesh airlines were opened in Manchester.
In 1976, he observed the political instability after the tragic death of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he along with Late Tayebur Rahman joined the Jatiya Janata party being the joint UK co-ordinators.
In 1981, MA Matin recognised the need to improve the image of Bangladesh following the many coups in fledgling history of Bangladesh, uniting the many the political fractions of the community he held the first state visit to Manchester by a Bangladeshi Head of State.
1981 – Sheikh Hasina discussing the future of Bangladesh with UNCLE MA Matin 1981 – Skeikh Hasina visited Manchester after becoming President of the Awami League while in Self-Exile
In 1983, he was instrumental in the purchase of Bangladesh House, the Community centre in Longsight Manchester. He also helped the development of many Bangladeshi communities to establishing Bangladesh Welfare Association in Hyde, Oldham, Rochdale, Leeds, Bradford, Birmingham and London.
1983 – MAG Osmani 1983 Presidential Election
1983 – MAG Osmani is brought to UK by M A Matin for treatment
On 16 February 1984, after the death of Bangabir MAG Osmani in London, M.A.Matin was given the honour of escorting the coffin back to Bangladesh. President Ershad received the coffin in Sylhet.
MA Matin died on 19 September 1985, at the age of 56, over 2000 mourners attended his funeral held in Platt fields near to Shah Jalal Mosque, Manchester, he was buried in his birth place village of Sreeramshi, Sylhet,
8.53.7 Independence of Bangladesh
MA Matin was one of pro-active leader amongst other who earned respect for his hard work with Bangladeshi Community. It is not a long ago, Bangladesh as a nation has been emerged with other nation. The Bangladesh had gone through a political and physical battle with the West Pakistan. The ordinary people like MA Matin played a vital role to see the new nation should be establish, we as Bangladeshi can exercise our own culture and communicate with the same language.
Since after 1947, when Pakistan became independent from India, Bangladesh independence movement began. In 1952, students were killed when they were demanding that Bangla should be language in East Pakistan not Urdu. In 1966-69, the movement became very stronger and Yayha Khan was bound to declare the election.
In 1970, there was a national election where the East Pakistan’s leaders won the majority seats but the authority did not call the parliament but they had chosen to kill the whole nation. The Pakistani Army attacked the East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and killed 300,000 Bangladeshis.
The people were very scared and did not know what to do. But the Bangladeshi people did not just sit down and observed the killing of ordinary people but they decided to save the nation by getting support from other nation. We are going to share the life experience of a man with vision and mission for Bangladesh Nation, who done so much for the community and nation but sadly no one has given any recognition for his hard work.
At that time of liberation, there were Mr. Matin, Dr. Kabir Chowdhury, Mr Shomuj Miah, Mr Moksud Ali who worked together to achieve the goals of independence. Col. MAG Osmani and Abdus Samad Azad came to UK to unite the Bangladeshi people. Justice Abu Sayeed came to the UK and appealed all the Bangladeshi people to help the freedom fighters.
In 1971, at the time of Bangladesh liberation war, he played a vital role to unite the Bangladeshi Community in the UK. Mr. Matin was very active an intellectual person to organise community meetings, seminars and talks. He approached British MPs and Ministers for their support for the independence of Bangladesh. At that time there was massive public meeting in the Hyde Park, London. He was one of the key organiser to take leading role in this meeting. Through his active involvement and participation he became very popular leader in the northwest and the UK.
During period of independence movement in the UK, there was some problem with the leadership. He initiated a meeting in Coventry where Chief Justice Abu Syed Choudhury (first president of Bangladesh) was present to form a co-ordination committee. We have not seen any evidence to how much money was raised from the UK but from the North West Bangladeshi community were able to raise £75,000.00 to help the Bangladesh interim authority to buy arms, food, and medicine.
During the liberation movement, there were about eleven demonstrations throughout the UK that was including Manchester. Manzil and Shalimar Restaurants were the meeting point for all of the community members to meet regularly to review the war and draw further action according to the necessity.
At that time of the liberation, all the Bangladeshi people who were living in the UK supported the war against the west Pakistani aggression. The Bangladeshi people organised a rally and demonstrations at the Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, and Downing Street in support of the independence. He said “The Pakistani people often tried to get involved in an argument and tried to stop us doing our Campaign in favour of our native country”.
There were very limited telephones and televisions at that time. People used to gather to their houses to hear the news about the war. Some people got together and bought second hand television sets to watch the news.
8.53.8 Conclusion
In the conclusion, we would like to see the history of Bangladesh should be written in correct format. During the 60’s 70’s, there were only limited number of people living in the United Kingdom. With the help from the Bangladeshis was living in the UK, it was impossible to think our existence today. But sadly the Bangladesh government has not been recognised their own people who devoted their life for the nation.
It is shame, when we see people get reward for harming others. We strongly recommend that there are many people like him made the contribution for the country and nation as a whole, we have an obligation to give national recognition and insert their story in the academic level so that future generation can learn from this.