16 Facts About Dhirendranath Datta

Dhirendranath Datta was a Bengali lawyer and politician from East Bengal who was a member of the 1st Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.

Dhirendranath Datta is best known for proposing Bengali for the national language of Pakistan in the Assembly.

Dhirendranath Datta was active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India.

Dhirendranath Datta's father Jagabandhu Datta was a mukhtiyer who introduced Dhirendranath to the legal profession from an early age.

Dhirendranath Datta completed matriculation from Comilla Zilla School and intermediate from Ripon College in Calcutta.

Dhirendranath Datta began his career as a school teacher after passing intermediate, he eventually became assistant headmaster of the Bangora High school in Comilla.

Dhirendranath Datta joined the Comilla District Bar Association in 1911.

Dhirendranath Datta practiced law earnestly and uninterruptedly from 1911 to 1920.

Dhirendranath Datta was very active in the local community and was a leader of the relief effort following devastating floods in 1915.

Dhirendranath Datta formed the Mukti Sangha, a welfare organization, after becoming inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.

Dhirendranath Datta chose to vehemently oppose partition, working closely with other anti-partition activists such as Surendranath Banerjee and Rabindranath Tagore.

Dhirendranath Datta joined the Indian National Congress from Mymensingh District and was first elected to the Bengal Legislative Council in 1937.

Dhirendranath Datta was arrested by the British rulers of India for his participation in the Quit India movement of 1942.

Dhirendranath Datta firmly opposed the creation of Pakistan and partition of India on religious lines; but when it became clear that partition of Bengal was inevitable and that his home district of Comilla would be in the new Muslim majority state, he opted to remain in East Bengal, and as a result, was invited to be part of the constitutional committee to draft the legislative framework of the new country before the actual independence of Pakistan.

Dhirendranath Datta continued to represent his constituency as a Hindu member of the renamed Pakistan National Congress.

Dhirendranath Datta served as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare in Ataur Rahman Khan's cabinet.