Life Sketch of Muhammad Ali Bogra:

Muhammad Ali Bogra belonged to a city of Eastern Pakistan named ‘Bogra’. He was graduated from Presidency College Kolkata in 1930 and became the member of Bengal Assembly under the elections of 1937. At the time of formation of Pakistan he was the Minister of Finance of Soharwardi Cabinet of Bengal. In the reign of Khwaja Nazimuddin, he was posted as the Ambassador of Barma. After one year, he had been the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Canada. He also had been the Ambassador in America in 1953. The Governor General of Pakistan, Malik Ghulam Muhammad removed the Prime Ministry of Khwaja Nazimuddin. Then America sent Muhammad Ali Bogra in Pakistan and advised Governor General to hand over the post of Prime Ministry to him. Thus, he was posted as the third Prime Minister of Pakistan on 17th of April, 1953. He had been the Prime Minister of Pakistan till 10th of August, 1955.

Background of Bogra Formula:

The report of the Basic principles Committee could not satisfy any community. It aired mutual differences and local prejudices. During all of this, the nationwide movement against the Qadianis was started and the conditions became worse and worse. Therefore, the Governor General Malik Ghulam Muhammad deposed Khwaja Nazimuddin and appointed Muhammad Ali Bogra, who was the Ambassador of Pakistan in America, as the prime Minister. So Muhammad Ali Bogra presented a formula in the Constitution Assembly on 7th of October, 1953. This formula was fully accepted by the Constitution Assembly and was known as ‘Muhammad Ali Bogra Formula’.

Important features of Bogra Formula:

The salient features of Bogra Formula are given below:

1. Federal Estate:-

Pakistan will be a Federal Estate consisting of five provinces.

2. Central Legislature:-

Central Legislature will have two houses i.e Upper House and lower House. The amount of members of Upper House will be 50 whereas the seats of Lower House will be 300.

3. President and Prime Minister:- The President and the Prime Minister will not be from the same arm of the country. If Prime Minister is from Western Pakistan then President will be from Eastern Pakistan.

4. Selection of the President:- The President will be selected in the meeting of center of central legislature.

5. Deposal of President:- The President will be deposed in the mutual meeting of both houses from two-third majority.

6. Approval of Draft Law:- No such law will be approved against which 30% members of Eastern or Western Pakistan give their opinion.

7. Review of Sharia Laws:- The board of the scholars will not be established. Supreme Court will have the authority to take review of laws according to Islamic perspective.

8. Authority to quit Assembly:- If there produces a serious difference between both Houses then the president will be authorized to quit the Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister.

9. Official Languages:- Urdu and Bengali, both will be official languages. But up to 20 years, English will be official language.

10. Parliamentary Democratic System:-Parliamentary Democratic System will be set down in Pakistan.

11. Constitution-Making:- Constitution making will be done according to the Objectives Resolution.

Criticism:-

The formula of Muhammad Ali Bogra was liked very much than both reports of the Basic Principles Committee. Almost all the groups of Public Opinion expressed satisfaction on this. In both big provinces of the country i.e Punjab and Bengal, this formula was appreciated. This created a sense of trust and understanding between both provinces. It was taken as general impression of this formula that the possibilities of co-operation will be enhanced in both arms of the country by acting upon these suggestions. The cardinal issue between both the parts of the country was the distribution of seats which was solved efficiently with this formula and the amount of representatives in both houses of Eastern and Western Pakistan was kept equal. The amount of representatives of five provinces of Western Pakistan was 175 and that of representatives of Eastern Pakistan was also 175.

Muhammad Ali Bogra started the work of constitution-making in the light of his formula. It was announced on 14th of October, 1954 that the draft of law was completed and the constitution of Pakistan would be enforced by the 1st

Janury, 1955 after being approved on 25th of December, 1954. But suddenly the Governer General Malik Ghulam Muhammad announced to break the Constitutional Assembly and the establishment of new assemblies was conducted. Due to which, Muhammad Ali Bogra could not get the vote of confidence and instead of him, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali was posted as Prime Minister.