Profile of an Exemplary Icon in Civil Service

Commitment and diligence to duty matters much in any professional role. Accordingly, this is highly warranted and expected in the case of officials employed in the service of the Republic. In this article, the author would like to highlight the valued role, contribution and profile of an outstanding and exemplary Senior Member of the Civil Service who died while on official duty - Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque.

 Mr.Mohammed Imdadul Haque was born in 1920 in Habigani ( then a sub-division within Sylhet district). His father Janab Ebad Ali Chowdhury was one of the leading landowners and key personalities in the social and political circles in Habiganj.Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque was a Member of the Pre-Partition Provincial Civil Service ( that included the ex Assam Civil Service and ex-Bengal Civil Service), and after the 1947 partition,the former East Pakistan Civil Service.He had a brilliant academic profile having first divisions in Matric and Intermediate in 1935 and 1937.Mr.Imdad obtained his BA & MA from the highly prestigious Aligarh Muslim University in 1939 and 1941.Aligarh Muslim University was then a prime institution of higher education,and one of the core centers of academic excellence in the then British Indian subcontinent.This institution had a highly significant and key role in promoting intellectual and professional advancement in those times. Pre-Partition Aligarh Muslim University Alumni included eminent Politicians and Public Leaders of the sub-continent, outstanding Members from Civil Service, Law & Judiciary,Academic and higher education,Armed Forces, Advanced Specialization and Research,Philanthropists and Reformists in social and cultural advancement. Mr.M.Imdadul Haque's  classmates and friends at Aligarh also included several luminaries from different professions and eminent personalities from different parts of the whole sub-continent.For instance,Aligarh Alumni in those times, from the then greater Sylhet region included,among others, General MAG Osmany, Bir Uttam, the Commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the War of Liberation,Major General Mohammed Abdur Rab Bir Uttam,first Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army, Mr.Justice Syed AB Mahmud Hossain former Chief Justice,Mr Abdus Sami Chowdhury eminent jurist and former District and Sessions Judge,some former Cabinet Ministers and Secretaries,educationists etc.

 Mr.Mohammed Imdadul Haque was inducted first as Special Officer in Assam Provincial Administration during the Second World War, prior to joining the Pre-partition Assam Civil Service in 1943. He served as Magistrate Dhubri,Assam and Alipore,Calcutta prior to 1947 partition.While serving as Magistrate in 1946 he also qualified in the Undivided Indian Civil Service written examination but could not appear for the viva because of the disruptions during the 1947 Partition. After the 1947 Partition, Mr.Mohammed Imdadul Haque was shifted from the Pre-Partition Provincial Civil Service to the former East Pakistan Civil Service (EPCS - 1) in March 1948. From 1948 till 1956 Mr.M.Imdadul Haque held several postings for eg.

Magistrate and Deputy Collector in Mysensingh and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) & Sub-Divisional Magistrate Faridpur, and later SDO of the then Jhenidah sub-division (now district). He was recognized for his highly efficient and credible magisterial and administrative roles in the field administration.The Civil Service  was then in the process of transformation to cater to the needs of efficiency in administration and executive matters,revenue collection and dispensation of magisterial cases and decisions. When the Dhaka Improvement Trust (DIT) ( now Rajuk) was established in 1958, Mr.Mohammed Imdadul Haque was appointed the first Secretary of DIT under Mr.G.A.Madani (a senior Member of the then British Indian Civil Service (ICS) and the first Chairman of DIT.During his tenure as Secretary DIT,Mr.M.Imdadul Haque crafted its regulatory frameworks and guided significant initiatives in developing its administrative and operational mechanisms. Mr.M. Imdadul Haque later moved as Additional District Magistrate and Additional Collector Khulna.He held this position till his death at the age of 38, in a car accident in the Jessore-Satkhira road while on official duty, on 19 July 1958.

 Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque was well-known for his professional excellence and outstanding role and contribution as a Member of the Civil Service. During the span of his Civil Service career, he worked relentlessly for the overall welfare of the people. Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque was highly regarded for exemplary commitment,

remarkable diligence and impeccable integrity. He was held in high esteem by colleagues, peers,those who worked with him as well as all stakeholders and local citizens. During his postings at the then Sub-divisional and District levels, Mr. M. Imdadul Haque undertook pro-active and special initiatives in planning, supervising, and monitoring development and social welfare-based projects and programs, for timely and efficient completion. He ensured utmost  fairness and prudence in effectively implementing administrative guidelines and decisions, in the interest of good governance.

Through transparent and accountable application of relevant rules and procedures, he was able to achieve useful outcomes in strengthening urban and rural service delivery mechanisms, for the benefit of the people. One may comprehend the key constraints officials had to confront and overcome to achieve work objectives in those challenging times.He handled and resolved critical magisterial and administrative issues through professional neutrality, without any fear or favor, and was able to deliver credible results. The initiatives for social and economic development during his tenure as a Member of the Civil Service covered several sectors as education, infrastructure,social and community welfare and support to the poor and needy. Further to his professional excellence, Mr.Mohammed Imdadul Haque earned admiration for his noble traits and humane qualities.

Prior to his official program on 19 July 1956, Mr. M.Imdadul Haque coordinated with the then District Magistrate and Collector  Khulna and the then District Magistrate and Collector Jessore on inspection of the Jessore-Satkhira Road Development project to ensure this project is completed efficiently and on schedule.On the way to the project site, the vehicle in which he was travelling skidded off the road and hit a tree. Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque was critically injured and died on the way to the hospital.

M. Mohammed Imdadul Haque was among the first batch of Civil Service officials ( from the then East Bengal and provinces of former Pakistan) who received advanced long-term Civil Service training in Canada in 1954-1955. Eight officials from the then Central and  Provincial Civil Services joined this program. During this program for about nine months, he participated and contributed to extensive policy dialogue on the role of the Civil Services in achieving administrative efficiency and contributing to economic and social development. Following the adoption of Development Policy Framework of the United Nations (UN) just after it was established, and the establishment of the Bretton Woods institutions, the focus of intensive Global Development Discourse ranged from expediting Post-Colonial Recovery and Development as well as envisioning the structural and operational dimensions of bilateral and multilateral development assistance and overall collaboration.

 This and few similar programs in those initial years on mapping development strategies and perspectives was able to generate adequate momentum for future training and study programs for Civil Service officials. The significant and valued role and contribution of Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque and his colleagues added credible value to the overall output of the program,and this received significant media coverage in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal in the mid 1955.

 
The brief life span and career of Mr. Mohammed Imdadul Haque manifests his profound commitment, impeccable professional and supervisory skills and competencies,

exemplary integrity and utmost efficiency. He was among the few legendary Civil Service Officials who died while on official duty. This is like a story that, despite being short, can transcend several documents and motivate hundreds. I am sure his role and work shall be an inspiration for current and future officials of the Civil Services of our country. May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus.Ameen.


 Dr. Mohammed Parvez Imdad is
an economist, governance
specialist and policy analyst.