Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Cumilla
Farida Bidyayatan on Nazrul Avenue in Cumilla city was established in memory of Farida, daughter of former MP, Constituent Assembly member and prominent politician Kazi Zahirul Qaiyum, following her death in a road accident, according to locally available accounts. The institution, established in 1964, has been part of the city’s educational landscape for more than six decades.
Kazi Zahirul Qaiyum, born on 1 January 1918 and died on 14 September 1991, was a prominent political figure in the Chauddagram area of Cumilla. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly and the National Assembly during the Pakistan period and remained involved in politics after Bangladesh’s independence.
Information published by the Cumilla District Bar Association mentions his service as a member of parliament. His contribution to education also included the establishment of Chiora College in Chauddagram in 1969, according to a local government website.
The school’s name is associated with the memory of his daughter Farida, who reportedly died in a road accident. However, the exact date and location of the accident, her age and the circumstances that led to the establishment of the school require further verification through documentary evidence and interviews with family members, former teachers and former students.
Published institutional information indicates that Farida Bidyayatan was established on 2 January 1964 and received recognition at the secondary level on 1 January 1966.
The school also has a connection with the history of Nazrul Avenue. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the road from Kandirpar to Farida Bidyayatan was named Nazrul Avenue in 1962, reflecting the historical association of the area with national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and his time in Cumilla.
Preserving the institution’s history through founding records, old photographs and the recollections of former teachers and students would help document the founder’s educational contribution and the personal tragedy associated with the school’s name. #EK