Buddhir Mukti Andolan  a progressive movement against religious and social superstitions in Muslim society. On 17 January 1926, abul hussain, an Economics Professor of Dhaka University, initiated the establishment of a cultural organisation called muslim sahitya samaj. Among others who belonged to this movement were kazi abdul wadud, muhammad shahidullah, qazi motaher hossain, abdul quadir, abul fazal etc. Those who participated in the meetings of the Sahitya Samaj and wrote in the shikha, the mouthpiece of the group, were also known as the Shikha group.

The Bengali of Calcutta noted that the ideas of the Muslim Sahitya Samaj were inspired by an 'emancipation of the intellects'. Abul Hussain talked of the free use of the intellect and the quest for knowledge. Abdul Wadud first used the phrase buddhir mukti (intellectual emancipation) in one of his articles. Later on, Shivnarayan Roy used the phrase bauddhik andolan (intellectual movement). From these statements came the phrase Buddhir Mukti Andolan.

The advocates of the Buddhir Mukti Andolan were professed Islamists, but stressed the need for rational thought. They even advocated changes in the Shariah, in keeping with the exigencies of the age. [Wakil Ahmed]