In remembrance – Dr. Osman Ghani

Dr. Osman Ghani

 

By Staff reporter

March 1, 2012 was the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. Osman Ghani, former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University. The MO Ghani foundation  organized few events on this occasion. A discussion on his life and contributions was held in Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) under the auspices of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences.  It was presided by the current President of BAS Dr. Shamsher Ali. Speakers included Mr. Tofael Ahmed, MP and Chairman, parliamentary standing committee on Industries Ministry, Dr. Aminul Haque, National Professor and past Vice Chancellor of Agricultural University, Dr. Aminul Islam, past Vice Chancellor of National University, Professor Dr. Naiyyum Choudhury, Secretary of BAS, Dr. Shafiuddin Choudhury, Prof. Dr. Kazi Abdul Sattar, National Professor Dr. Rafi Khan, Prof. Dr. Fazlul Haque, Mr. Raqibuddin Ahmed, Secretary General Dhaka University Alumni Association, Mr. M. Syeduzzaman, former Finance Minister, National emeritus scientist Dr. Kazi M. Badruddoza. Also present was Dr. Osman Farruk, former Education Minister and the eldest son of Dr. Osman Ghani  the Chairperson of Mr. M.O. Ghani memorial foundation.

 All 9 children of Dr. Osman Ghani attended the discussion along with their spouses and children. Many of them came as far away as the United States.

The theme of the discussion was on the life and work of late Dr. M.O. Ghani. Mr. Tofael Ahmed reminisced about the contribution of Dr. M.O. Ghani especially in the guidance given to the development of student political organization. He cited how the black flag was hoisted on the Vice Chancellor’s residence on 21st February in 1969, how he kept the university open despite the then Governor Monem Khan’s orders that the University be closed after some student disturbances.

All speakers re-iterated the contribution of Dr. Ghani to science, agriculture and research and education.

Osman Ghani started his career as a Deputy Director of Agriculture of the Government of Bengal from 1939 to 1940. Then he joined Dhaka University as a Lecturer of soil science in 1940. In 1944, he was appointed as Special Officer-cum-Secretary of the government of Bengal in post-war reformation in agriculture 1945 to 1949 Dr Ghani was an Agricultural Chemist of the Government of Bengal and later Government of East Pakistan.

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M Osman Ghani was born in the year 1912 in Karimganj, Mymensingh and died in Dhaka in 1989.  A scientist, educationist and academic administrator; played a key role in the development of institutions and infrastructure of science and technology in Bangladesh. He received his early education at local institutions. He was the first Indian Muslim to have obtained an MSc in Biochemistry securing first class from University of Dhaka (1935) and PhD in Agricultural Chemistry from the University of London (1938).

He returned to Dhaka University in 1949 and became Professor and Head of the Department of Soil Science. He was also the Head of Geology Department, Dhaka University from 23 April 1949 until 15 April 1956 with a break from 22 July 1950 to 16 July 1951. He also served as Agricultural Development Commissioner from 1956 to 1959; Member, Food and Agriculture Commission from 1959 to 1960; and Director, North Regional Laboratories; Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research from 1960 to 1961.

Prof M Osman Ghani was the first Vice-Chancellor of the East Pakistan Agricultural University (later bangladesh agricultural university) from 1961 to 1963. He was also the Vice-Chancellor of the Dhaka University from 1963 to 1970. Dr Ghani was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippines in 1966 and made significant contribution towards establishing the bangladesh rice research institute (BRRI). He was elected a fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1954 and was elected the President of the bangladesh academy of sciences in 1976.

Ghani’s area of research covered soil and fertilizer, plant and animal nutrition and allied fields, fractionation of soil phosphorus, phosphate fixation in soils and its mechanism, and availability of soil phosphorus and its determination and transformation under fertilizer treatments. He has a large number of publications to his credit in the national and international scientific journals. MO Ghani was awarded the title of ‘Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam’ in 1959 and ‘Sitara-e-Pakistan’ in 1964 by the government of Pakistan in appreciation of his outstanding achievements. He was honored as DSc (Honoris Causea) from Northern Colorado University, USA in 1967. He was also elected a Member of the Bangladesh Parliament as an independent candidate in 1979. M Osman Ghani died on 21 July 1989.

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. Yes,Yes, Dr. Ghani was a great man and fully responsible for destruction of academic atmosphere of Dhaka University along with Ayub Khan’s pet Monem Khan. Those who were students at Dhaka University during this period can testify the correctness of my statement except the NSF fellows whom these Osman Ghani and Monem Khan used to suppress rest of the student community who dared to raise any finger against Ayub Khan. NSF waged a reign of terror in the campus. We lived under utmost stress and great agony due to NSF terrorism which Ghani and Monem encouraged and observed as silent spectator. Nice to see Tofail attending Ghani’s 100th birthday! Does he remember how NSF punished BAL supporters of which he was also a leader? Ghani’s tenure was an era of nepotism, favouritism and utmost disregard for anything that goes with academic decency.

  2. Pleased to see, some people in Bangladesh even if it is very few, have courage to speak the truth. We remember very vividly NSF’s atrocities and dishonourable activities at Dhaka University campus during Ayub era. How could you attend remembrance of Dr. M. O. Ghani’s 100th birth anniversary, Tofail? Ghani was responsible directly along with Monem Khan for the sad destruction of Dhaka University from a great seat of learning of the then East Pakistan.

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