December also marks the death anniversary of Suhrawardy, the last prime minister of British Bengal who later became prime minister of East and West Pakistan during the 1950s. Suhrawardy was the first statesman to propose an independent Bengali state in 1947 when he called for a sovereign Free State of Bengal. In Lebanon, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian; the speaker of parliament has to be a Shia Muslim; and the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim. American diplomats observed that Suhrawardy achieved visible progress on what had been a bitter bilateral relationship over the Durrand Line. Prime Minister Suhrawardy supported projects in telecommunications and connectivity under the activities of CENTO.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 25, 2020 18:45 UTC