Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda

Muhammad Qudrat-A-Khuda (1 December 1900 – 3 November 1977) He is most notable for publishing Qudrat-a-Khuda Education Commission Report in 1973 as a chairman of the National Education Commission of the newly independent country of Bangladesh. He founded the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). Mukid was a graduate from the University of Calcutta and later became a religious leader. He was a follower of a pir in Taltala, Calcutta who named his son, Qudrat-A-Khuda. He passed the matriculation exam from Woodburn School (then a branch of Calcutta Madrasa and now Government Woodburn M. E. School) in 1918. He took admission to Presidency College, Calcutta where he was a student of Prafulla Chandra Ray who is considered the Father of Indian Chemistry. After his six years of study he earned his master's degree in chemistry in 1925.

Failing to obtain a scholarship for higher studies from the University of Calcutta, he earned another one with the help of Sir Abdur Rahim. He then served as the principal of Islamia College (now Maulana Azad College) in Calcutta during 1942-1944. This laboratory later became Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and headquartered at Dhanmondi, Dhaka, now colloquially known as Science Laboratory. He served as its director until 1966.

Qudrat served as the president of Bangla Academy during 1964–1965. He was then the chairman of Central Board for the Development of Bengali until 1968. The report proposed to increase government spending on education to at least 25 percent, make primary education compulsory and free up to the eighth grade, introduce Bengali at all levels of education, give special importance to science and agricultural education, expand technical and engineering education, form a manpower commission, appoint the most qualified people as teachers and establish their salary structure at the highest level.

Memorials and eponyms

A 10 taka commemorative stamp and an envelope with the title "Renouned[sic] Scientist Dr. Muhammad Qudrat-I-Khuda" in 2021 Muhammad Qudrat-i-Khuda academic building at the University of Rajshahi. Dr. Muhammad Qudrat-i Khuda Fellowship at Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research since 1978. Oxford Internation School, Dhaka has an auditorium named after Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda.