First Sarkar ministry
First Ministry of Abu Hussain Sarkar | |
|---|---|
4th Cabinet of East Pakistan | |
| 1955–1956 | |
| Date formed | 6 June 1955 |
| Date dissolved | 30 August 1956 |
| People and organisations | |
| Governor | |
| Chief Minister | Abu Hussain Sarkar |
| No. of ministers | 12 |
| Ministers removed | 4 |
| Total no. of members | 16 |
| Member party | United Front |
| Status in legislature | Majority 195 / 309 (63%) |
| Opposition party | |
| Opposition leader | Ataur Rahman Khan |
| History | |
| Election | 1954 |
| Outgoing election | 1946 |
| Legislature term | 2nd East Pakistan Provincial Assembly |
| Predecessor | Huq III |
| Successor | Ataur I |
The First Sarkar ministry was the fourth cabinet formed in East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan), the eastern province of Pakistan. It was formed after the Third Huq ministry formed by 1954 legislative assembly election. The cabinet was led by Abu Hussain Sarkar, leader of the Krishak Sramik Party (KSP), and remained in office for nearly one year before being replaced by the First Ataur ministry.
Background
In March 1954, the four-party alliance United Front (UF) won a landslide victory in the first provincial election of East Bengal, securing 228 of the 309 seats.[1] On 3 April, party leader A. K. Fazlul Huq formed a new cabinet at Government House as the new provincial prime minister.[2] In 30 May, citing the provincial cabinet's inability to deal with the emergency situation and concerns over public security, governor-general Malik Ghulam Muhammad imposed governor's rule in the province and suspended the cabinet. Former provincial prime minister Huq was subsequently placed under house arrest. Around 1,600 UF activists were arrested on charges of anti-government activities, including 30 members of the Legislative Assembly.[1][3] Governor’s rule was lifted on 5 June 1955,[4] resulting in the restoration of the cabinet. Huq resigned from the cabinet, and the following day a new cabinet was formed under the leadership of Abu Hussain Sarkar, politician of UF constituent party Krishak Sramik Party (KSP).[5] Before that, in reaction to Huq's statement that Huseyn Suhrawardy, leader of the All-Pakistan Awami League, means nothing in the UF, on 17 February 1955, a no-confidence motion was brought against Huq in the East Bengal Legislative Assembly by the UF constituent party East Pakistan Awami League (AL). However, a majority vote sided with Huq, resulting in the AL's departure from the UF.[6]
Fall
On 13 August 1956, AL politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman moved a no-confidence motion against the UF-led cabinet during a session of the provincial assembly. However, in 14 August, A. K. Fazlul Huq, the governor of East Pakistan, announced the indefinite adjournment of the Assembly session, prompting the AL to launch a movement against the Governor. On 15 August, three members of the cabinet resigned.[7] Amid intense protests, the governor considered convening a session in 26 August.[8] As Hindu members withdrew their support over issues related to the constitution and the joint electorate system, the cabinet soon realized that its fall was inevitable; consequently, the cabinet members resigned in 30 August. Meanwhile, the AL reached understandings with various minority-based political parties on several demands, including the Five-Point Programme.[9] In 4 September, protests erupted in Dhaka in response to the East Pakistan Rifles opening fire on an AL rally, killing four people and injuring several others. In this situation, Section 144 was imposed, and leaders of the KSP went into hiding. Under these circumstances, the governor invited the AL to form the cabinet.[8] In 5 September, the AL formed a new cabinet in the province.[10]
Members
The cabinet consisted of the following ministers:[11][12]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Minister’s Office | 6 June 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | ||
| Communications, Works and Irrigation, and Local Self-Government Department, and Public Health Engineering Department | 6 June 1955 | 30 August 1956 | AL | ||
| Commerce, Labour and Industries Department | 6 June 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | ||
| Agriculture and Civil Supplies Department | 6 June 1955 | 30 August 1956 | AL | ||
| Local Self-Government and Registration Department | Gyasuddin Ahmed Choudhury | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | |
| Government Procurement Department | Latif Hussain | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | |
| Food and Fisheries Department | Giasuddin Ahmed | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | |
| Public Relations Department | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | KSP | ||
| Medical and Public Health Department | A. K. M. Zahirul Haq | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | AL | |
| Co-operatives Department | Sarat Chandra Majumdar | 7 September 1955 | 12 March 1956 | PNC | |
| Excise and Forest Department | Madhu Sudan Sarkar | 7 September 1955 | 30 August 1956 | PNC | |
| Finance and Revenue Department | February 1956 | 30 August 1956 | UPP | ||
Former members
The list of former members of the cabinet is given below:[11]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Revenue Department | Syed Mostagawsal Haque | 7 September 1955 | 12 September 1955 |
| Education Department | 6 June 1955 | 15 August 1956 | |
| Judicial and Legislative Department | Nasiruddin Choudhury | 7 September 1955 | 15 August 1956 |
| Finance and Revenue Department | 12 September 1955 | February 1956 |
References
- ^ a b Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Elections 1954". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "পূর্ববঙ্গে নূতন মন্ত্রিসভার কার্য্যভার গ্রহণ". The Azad (in Bengali). 4 April 1954. p. 1.
- ^ "পূর্ববঙ্গে ৯২(ক) ধারা প্রয়োগঃ গবর্ণর জেনারেলের ঘোষণা". The Azad (in Bengali). 31 May 1954. p. 1.
- ^ "Lifting of Sec.92-A Approved By G-G". The Pakistan Observer. 6 June 1955. p. 1.
- ^ "SARKAR HEADS 5-MAN UNITED FRONT CABINET". The Pakistan Observer. 7 June 1955. p. 1.
- ^ Ahmed, Siraj Uddin (16 March 2020). "১৯৫৪–৫৫ যুক্তফ্রন্টে বঙ্গবন্ধু". Prothom Alo (in Bengali).
- ^ Saeed, pp. 22.
- ^ a b Saeed, pp. 23.
- ^ Kabir, Muhammad Ghulam (1978). MINORITY POLITICS IN BANGLADESH, 1947-1971 (Thesis). University of British Columbia. p. 80. doi:10.14288/1.0094437.
- ^ Saeed, pp. 16.
- ^ a b "The East Bengal Civil List" (Document). East Bengal Government Press. 1955. p. 3.
- ^ DR. KAUSAR PARVEEN, DR. SAMINA AWAN. ROLE OF PAKISTAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN, 1947-1958. J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 2