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Dr. Qudrat-e-Khuda
Dr. Quadrat-e-Khuda was born in May 1900 at Magram village in Birbhum district of West Bengal. He was born into a very respected Muslim family. His father Syed Shah Sufi Khandker Abdul Mukit was a university graduate. He was known as 'peer' for his piety. After achieving brilliant feats in the primary, secondary and college exams, Qudrat-e-Khuda gained admission to the Kolkata University. He stood first class first in MSc exam in 1924. He got state scholarship and went to London to study at the Imperial College of Science & Technology. In 1929, he obtained his DIC and DSc from the same college under the University of London. He continued with his researches at the Presidency College, Kolkata and was awarded the rare Prem Chand Roy Chand scholarship and Gold Medal for his post-doctoral researches. He first experimentally proved the origin of stainless mono-cyclic ring. This research is believed to be the base of conformational theory in organic chemistry. He was one of the pioneers for introducing Bengali in all spheres of national life. He wrote 27 scientific books in Bengali making them suitable for textbooks at school, college and university. After establishment of East Regional Laboratories Dhaka (Now BCSIR Lab), in 1955, he became its founder director. In 1966 he retired from the service and joined Bangla Unnayan Board as its Chairman. Since 1972, he was actively engaged with the Bangladesh Education Commission and took the initiative to prepare a report for improving the system of education in the country. This famous and widely discussed report is known as Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission Report. He submitted recommendation of this report to the government in 1975. He was appointed as the visiting professor, Department of Chemistry, Dhaka University in 1975 and served there until his death on November 3, 1977.
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