The publication A.M.A. Azeez’s Contribution to Agriculture in the East edited by M. Ali Azeez was published by the Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Foundation and was released at the Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Commemoration Meeting on 9th April 2025. The book contains his greatest achievement surpassing all others..
On Easter Sunday 5th April 1942, the Japanese bombed the Colombo harbour and Trincomalee on 7th April. It was during the second world war and there was a shortage of food. All AGAs were ordered to increase food production in their districts. The Batticaloa district was a vast area and it was decided to open a Kachcheri in Kalmunai to oversee the project South of Batticaloa, which was the entire Ampara district. A.M.A. Azeez, who was Additional Landing Surveyor, H.M. Customs, was specially selected and transferred at short notice by Hon. D.S. Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture as the AGA of Kalmunai. Azeez did a tremendous job within 2 years and the Ampara district became the granary of the East. This was Azeez’s greatest achievement surpassing all others, and was praised by the Hon. Minister and the Governor.
The book includes an informative article by S.H.M. Jameel on Azeez’s greatest achievement together with Tamil and Sinhala translations. There are photographs and exchange of letters between the Hon. Minister and Azeez, which show the keen interest taken by both in food production.
A.I. Marikar, who was a leading banker and an authority on Islamic Banking, was a part time lecturer at the South Eastern University. On his travel to Oluvil he saw the vast paddy fields owned by wealthy Muslim farmers who benefited by getting land from Azeez as AGA. Marikar lamented that Azeez’s name is now unsung and unheard of in the Muslim areas of Ampara district, whereas C.P. De Silva is revered as ‘Minnery Devio’ for his similar success in the Plonnaruwa district.. This prompted Marikar to write an article which is included with a Tamil translation, to rekindle the memories of the Muslims in the East.