A.Z.M. Enayetullah Khan

Abu Zafar Mohammad Enayetullah Khan (known as Enayetullah Khan; 25 May 1939 – 10 November 2005) was a Bangladeshi journalist and government minister. He founded the weekly newspaper Holiday and the daily newspaper New Age. He served in Ziaur Rahman's cabinet, first as minister of land administration and land reform from December 1977 to June 1978, and then as minister of petroleum and natural resources from July 1978 to October 1978.

Md. Shaheduzzaman had remarked him as one of the best political writers in South-East Asia.

He was president of the Jatiya Press Club and the Dhaka Club.

Early life and family

Enayetullah Khan was born in Mymensingh, Bengal Province (present-day Bangladesh) on 25 May 1939, the third son of the late Justice Abdul Jabbar Khan, a former speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly. Enayetullah Khan was nicknamed as Mintu.

Khan's siblings include journalist and columnist Sadek Khan, poet Abu Zafar Obaidullah, former minister Selima Rahman, political leader Rashed Khan Menon MP, Architect Sultan M. Khan, Alan Khan, a photographer in Sydney, and the publisher of New Age, Shahidullah Khan Badal. In 1962, he married Masuda Khan Leena, the sister of renowned structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan.

Politics and education

Khan was a student of Anand Mohan College. He served as the general secretary of Students' Union of his college. Then he got admitted in University of Dhaka, completed his graduation and attained master's degree in philosophy. While studying in University of Dhaka, he was involved in student politics on behalf of Bangladesh Students' Union and served as the vice-president of Shahidullah Hall section.

He actively participated in the Bengali language movement in 1952. Later on he worked in favour of Bangladesh Liberation War. He joined Farakka Long March Committee with Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.

Khan was the owner editor of Weekly Holiday, the magazine that played a strong role against the anarchy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and published many reports that included full description of atrocities done by the Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini from 1972 to 1975. He was later detained and Weekly Holiday was banned by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Then he was commissioned as the ambassador of Bangladesh

In 2003, Khan started the publication of the daily newspaper New Age.

Death

Khan died in Toronto, Canada on 10 November 2005 at the age of 66. He had been suffering from cancer of the pancreas.