M. Akhtaruzzaman

M. Akhtaruzzaman (1 March 1933 – 2 December 2010) was a Bangladeshi botanist and academic. He was a professor at the University of Dhaka, where he served as the chairman of the Department of Botany and was named a Professor Emeritus. His research primarily focused on cytology and cytogenetics. Outside of academia, he participated in the 1952 Language Movement as a student organizer and co-founded the Blue Panel (Neel Dol), a faculty alliance at the university.

Early life and education

Akhtaruzzaman was born on 1 March 1933 in Khalispur, Bhairab, Kishoreganj, British India, to Syed Ali. He matriculated from Adampur High School in 1948 and completed his Intermediate in Science (I.Sc.) at Jagannath College in 1950.

He studied botany at the University of Dhaka, completing a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in 1953 while residing at Salimullah Muslim Hall, and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in 1960 from Fazlul Huq Hall. He then moved to the United States for doctoral studies at the University of Notre Dame, earning a Ph.D. in cytogenetics on 1 February 1967. His dissertation was titled Cytogenetics of Gamma-Ray-Induced Reciprocal Translocations in Collinsia heterophylla.

Academic career

Early in his career, Akhtaruzzaman taught briefly at Comilla Victoria College, Barisal BM College, and Notre Dame College, Dhaka. He also worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Notre Dame in 1967.

He spent most of his career at the University of Dhaka, where he established the Department of Botany's Cytogenetics Laboratory and supervised the department's first Ph.D. fellow. He later received a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship to study at the University of Oxford and conducted research at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London with assistance from the British Council.

Akhtaruzzaman joined the University of Dhaka faculty as a lecturer in 1958 and rose through the academic ranks to become a full professor on 1 October 1976. In addition to teaching, he served as the chairman of the Department of Botany and the provost of Bangabandhu Hall. From 1974 to 1998, he was an elected member of the Dhaka University Senate, and he also served on the University Syndicate and Academic Council. Following his retirement from regular service, he worked as a supernumerary teacher and was subsequently appointed Professor Emeritus by the university.

Political activism and leadership

While a student at Salimullah Muslim Hall, Akhtaruzzaman helped organize activities during the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. After the independence of Bangladesh, he co-founded the Blue Panel (Neel Dol), a faculty alliance at Dhaka University supporting pro-Liberation War values. He also served as the founding treasurer and a presidium member of the Bangabandhu Parishad.

Akhtaruzzaman was active in teacher associations and civic movements. He served two terms as the general secretary of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA). He was also elected secretary general of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) and president of the Bangladesh College-University Teachers' Association (BCUTA). In 1998, he represented Bangladesh at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in Paris and was an administrative council member of the World Federation of Teachers' Unions (FISE).

He co-convened the Peshajibi Shonjukto Parishad in 1987, convened the Shonjukto Shikkhok Andolan in 1990, and led the Central Teachers Action Council during national movements for democratic reforms and teachers' rights. In March 1996, he served as an executive member of the Peshajibi Shongram Parishad during the civic movement advocating for a caretaker government system.

Bangladesh Botanical Society

Akhtaruzzaman was a lifetime member of the Bangladesh Botanical Society (BBS). He served as its secretary general for the 1978–1980 executive term and was later elected president for the 1997–1999 term.

Publications

Akhtaruzzaman advocated for including evolutionary biology in public school curricula and wrote several biological textbooks in Bengali. His major works include:

• Koshbidhya (; Cytology) – Published by the Bangla Academy (1974); a third edition was released by Hassan Book House (1997).
• Bibortonbidya (; Evolutionary Biology) – Published by the Bangla Academy (1998).
• Kosh-bangshagatibidhya (; Cytogenetics) – Published by the Bangla Academy (1998).
• Bangshagati Bidya (; Genetics) – Published by the Bangla Academy.

He also produced the first Bengali translations of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species and Steve Jones' The Language of the Genes (published as Gener Bhasha).

Awards and legacy

In 2008, the Bangladesh Botanical Society conferred an honorary fellowship upon Akhtaruzzaman for his contributions to botanical research and institution building. His book Bibortonbidya was selected as the best science publication of the 1405 Bengali calendar year, earning him the National Archives and Libraries Award from the Government of Bangladesh's Directorate of Archives and Libraries.

Akhtaruzzaman died on 2 December 2010 in Dhaka. To honor his memory, the University of Dhaka annually awards the "Professor Dr. M. Akhtaruzzaman Gold Medal" to top-performing M.S. graduates in botany.