Mahmud Shah Qureshi

Qureshi was born on 12 October 1936 in Chittagong District, Bengal Presidency, British Raj.[1] He lived in Rangoon, Burma and moved to Chittagong around World War Two.[1] He graduated from Government Muslim High School, Sir Ashutosh Government College, and Chittagong College.[1] He did his bachelor's degree and masters at the University of Dhaka.[1][6] He did post graduate studies at University of Paris.[1] He got his doctorate from the Paris-Sorbonne University.[1]

In 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, Qureshi served as ambassador of the Mujibnagar government to Arab countries.[1][7]

In 1973, Qureshi interpreted for André Malraux when he met the President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[5][8]

From 1972 to 1977, Qureshi was the president of the Bangladesh Linguistic Society, Chittagong.[1] From 1973 to 1975, he was the head of the Department of languages at the University of Chittagong.[1]

From 1977 to 1997, Qureshi was a professor at the Institute of Bangladesh Studies at the University of Rajshahi.[1]

Qureshi was in charge of translation for the OIC Foreign Ministers' Conference held in Dhaka in 1982.[1]

On 1 January 1990, Qureshi was appointed the Director General of the Bangla Academy.[9] He had replaced Professor Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal as director general.[9]

On 5 February 1991, Qureshi was replaced by M Harunur Rashid as Director General of the Bangla Academy.[9] He established the department of English at Gono Bishwabidyalay.[10] He served as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Gono University.[11]