Abdur Rab Serniabat Explained

Abdur Rob Serniabat
Native Name:আব্দুর রব সেরনিয়াবাত
Native Name Lang:bn
Birth Date:4 April 1921
Birth Place:Agailjhara, Bengal, British India (now Barisal, Bangladesh)
Death Place:Dacca, Bangladesh
Death Cause:Assassination
Party:Bangladesh Awami League
Relatives:See Sheikh–Wazed family
Nationality:Bangladeshi

Abdur Rob Serniabat (1921-1975) was a Bangladeshi politician and the former water resources minister. He was the brother-in-law of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding father of Bangladesh, and the maternal uncle of Sheikh Hasina, the four-time prime minister of Bangladesh. He was killed during the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August 1975.[1]

Early life

Abdur Rab Serniabat was born in the village of Sarail in Agailjhara, Barishal, in 1921.[2]

Career

At early stages in his career, Abdur Rob Serniabat was a lawyer in the city of Barishal.[3] He later carried out his appointed role as the minister of Water Resources for Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, soon after Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistan.[4]

Death

See main article: Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His house on 27 Minto Road, Dhaka was attacked at about 5:00 AM by soldiers commanded by Major Shahriar Rashid, Major Aziz Pasha, Captain Nurul Huda and Captain Majed. Abdur Rob Serniabat, daughter Baby Serniabat, son Arif Serniabat, his nephew Shaheed Serniabat, Grandson Sukanto Babu were among those killed while his wife Amena Begum, Shahan Ara Begum, Abul Hasnat Abdullah's wife daughter Beauty Serniabat was injured along with others in the house. His sons Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Abul Khair Abdullah and granddaughter Kanta Abdullah also survived. A case was filed regarding this incident at Ramna Police Station on 21 October 1996, convicting 18 people.[5] His son Abul Hasnat Abdullah was elected a member of parliament in 2014.[6] His house is now part of headquarters complex of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.[7] On 30 July 2018, his grandson, Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, was elected Mayor of Barishal.[8]

Legacy

Shaheed Abdur Rob Serniabat Stadium at Barishal Division in Bangladesh is named after him. SARSTEC, a technological college for textiles education which is located at the same division has also been named honoring him.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: Nation In Mourning. The Daily Star. 10 February 2016.
  2. Book: Ahmed. Sirajuddin. Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh. 1998. UBS Publishers' Distributors. New Delhi. 9788174762207. 62.
  3. Book: Mujibur Rahman . Sheikh . Alam . Fakrul . 2012 . Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: The Unfinished Memoirs . Penguin . 75 . 978-81-8475-703-3 . 10 February 2016.
  4. Book: Momen. Nurul. Bangladesh, the first four years. Bangladesh Institute of Law & International Affairs. 141. 560279964.
  5. News: No justice yet in 3 other Aug 15 cases. The Daily Star. 10 February 2016. 23 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923171733/http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-150810. dead.
  6. Web site: Abul Hasnat Abdullah. Dhaka Tribune. 10 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923054233/http://election.dhakatribune.com/members/view/322. 23 September 2016. dead. dmy-all.
  7. News: Ali. Tawfique. A heritage site in city heart overshadowed. The Daily Star. 10 February 2016. 23 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923054812/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=42243. dead.
  8. News: Sadiq Abdullah of AL bags eight times more votes than BNP's Sarwar in Barishal mayor race. 6 August 2018.
  9. News: Students to line up for president and PM only. Dhaka Tribune. 10 February 2016.