Doa Mahfil for Barrister Mainul Hosein held
Staff Reporter :
In a solemn and dignified gathering, a Doa Mahfil for the late Barrister Mainul Hosein, a former Adviser to the Caretaker Government and chairman of the Editorial Board, was held at the Manik Miah Foundation Auditorium in the city’s RK Mission Road on Thursday.
Family members and an array of dignitaries, colleagues, along with well-wishers were present on the occasion to pray for the peace of the departed soul and pay their respects to the noted jurist.
Family members of Barrister Mainul Hosein arranged the Doa Mahfil for the departed soul.
The Doa Mahfil, led by the Imam of the Bangabhaban Staff Quarter Jame Mosque, Mufti Maulana Ziaul Haque, was conducted with sincerity and reverence, reflecting the deep sense of loss felt by the community for the distinguished personality of the Judiciary.
Among others, Barrister Mainul Hosein’s elder son Javed Hosein, New Nation Editor Md Mokarram Hossain, News Editor Wahidul Islam, Chief Reporter Anisur Rahman Khan, Pubali Bank RK Mission Road Branch Manager Md Tarequl Islam Tuhin, New Nation General Manager Moazzem Hossain, senior journalists and colleagues of the daily attended the Doa Mahfil.
Barrister Mainul Hosein died on December 9 at the age of 83.
He breathed his life while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.
Born in Pirojpur district of Barishal in January 1940, Barrister Mainul Hosein, the eldest son of brave and renowned journalist of the country Tofazzal Hossain (Manik Mia), did his schooling in Calcutta, Pirojpur and Dhaka. He completed his school final exam (Matriculation) from Nawabpur Govt High School, Dhaka.
He did his Intermediate in Science from Dhaka College.
In 1961 he did his honours in Political Science from Dhaka University and went to London for studying Law, got admitted to Middle Temple Inn in December the same year.
He returned as Barrister-at-Law in 1965. He joined Dhaka Bar Council as a Barrister and started law as his career in the same year.
In 1969, at the sudden demise of his father he had to take the responsibility as the Editor of the Daily Ittefaq for overcoming the immediate crisis of the void created by the death of his father.
In 1973, he returned to his own legal profession leaving the responsibility of Ittefaq as an editor, but he continued as the Chairman of the board of editors.
In 1973, he was elected Member of Parliament from his village constituency of Bhandaria-Kathalia (Barishal). As the youngest member of the Parliament he remained vocal against any law of oppression and violation of human rights.
When the government changed the basic character of the Constitution for introducing one-party system (BKSAL) in 1975, it was a huge dilemma for him not to go along with Bangabandhu.
At the same time he could not give up his belief in democracy. So he chose to resign from the membership of Parliament along with Bangabir General M A G Osmani.
Barrister Mainul Hosein was President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Bangladesh from 2000 to 2001.
He was elected several times the President of Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Parishad and member of the Press Council, and in both capacities, he left his mark in developing a healthy relationship between the journalists and the newspaper owners.
Mainul Hosein was also the second most important member of the Press Commission established for the first time in Bangladesh.
Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Gazi Shamsur Rahman, Chairman, the Press Council together with Mr. Mainul played a major role in finalising the legal framework for press freedom namely the Press Commission Report.
In 2007, there arose a serious political deadlock over holding of the general elections.
The civilian government collapsed and there prevailed a civil war situation. Martial law became inevitable.
To avoid martial law and allow the constitutional process to be saved, Barrister Hosein after much hesitation agreed to join the army-backed caretaker government in 2007. He thought the army should be helped not to impose martial law.
Even under the constraints of emergency situations he, as Law Adviser during his one-year period, passed the law separating the Judiciary from the Executive which the politician failed to do ever since the constitutional commitment of 1972.
The codification of all the laws of Bangladesh, The Bangladesh Code in 38 volumes was completed. It is during this time that the Anti-Corruption Commission was given complete independence. The Election Commission was strengthened.
All this was done to make the foundations of democracy strong.
