Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur (7 June 1871 – 16 January 1915) was the fourth
Nawab of Dhaka
The Nawab of Dhaka (Bengali: "ঢাকার নবাব"), originally spelt in English Nawab of Dacca, was the title of the head of largest Muslim zamindar in British Bengal and Assam, based in present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh. The title of ''na ...
and one of the leading Muslim politicians during the
British rule in India
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was hims ...
. In 1906, the Muslim League was officially founded at the
educational conference held in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest ...
. The convention was held at
Ahsan Manzil
Ahsan Manzil is the erstwhile official residential palace and seat of the Nawab of Dhaka. The building is situated at Kumartoli along the banks of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Construction was started in 1859 and was completed in ...
, the official residence of the
Dhaka Nawab Family
The Nawab of Dhaka ( Bengali: "ঢাকার নবাব"), originally spelt in English Nawab of Dacca, was the title of the head of largest Muslim zamindar in British Bengal and Assam, based in present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh. The title of ''n ...
. Sir Salimullah was a key patron of education for the Eastern Bengal. He was one of the founders of the
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
and the prestigious Ahsanullah School of Engineering (now the
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, commonly known by the acronym BUET, is a public technological research university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in 1876 as the Dacca Survey School, it is the oldest institution for the study ...
).
Sir Salimullah was a staunch supporter of the
Partition of Bengal and was a member of East Bengal and Assam Legislative Council from 1906 to 1907.
[ He was also a member of Bengal Legislative Assembly from 1913 till his death in Calcutta in 1915 at the age of 43.][ He was the founder President of Bengal Muslim League in 1907.
]
Politics
Salimullah began his career in government service in 1893 as Deputy Magistrate, a position he held until he departed in 1895 to start his business in Mymensingh. In 1901 he inherited the position as the head of the Dhaka Nawab Family
The Nawab of Dhaka ( Bengali: "ঢাকার নবাব"), originally spelt in English Nawab of Dacca, was the title of the head of largest Muslim zamindar in British Bengal and Assam, based in present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh. The title of ''n ...
following his father's death.[
In 1903–04, Nawab Salimullah began supporting the partition of Bengal in the face of opposition of the ]Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
. On 16 October 1905, the day the Bengal Province was parted, Salimullah presided over a meeting of Muslim leaders from all over East Bengal in Northbrook Hall
Northbrook Hall (also known as Lalkuthi) was originally built as a town hall during the British period. It is situated at Farashgonj road in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh, on the north bank of the Buriganga River.
History
In 1874, Indian Governor Th ...
where a political front called Mohammedan Provincial Union was formed. With others of the front, Salimullah organized meetings around East Bengal in favor of the partition, while the Congress built up a movement to oppose it. On 14 and 15 April 1906, Salimullah organized and was named president at the first convention of East Bengal and Assam Provincial Educational Conference at Shahbag
Shahbag or Shahbagh (also Shahbaugh, bn, শাহবাগ, Shāhbāg, ) is a major neighbourhood and a police precinct or ''thana'' in Dhaka, the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It is also a major public transport hub. It is a juncti ...
, Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest ...
. Later that year, newspapers published a dispatch from Salimullah to various Muslim leaders around India urging to form an all-India political party he called Muslim All India Confederacy, and leaders of the Aligarh Movement
The Aligarh Movement was the push
to establish a modern system of Western–style scientific education for the Muslim population of British India, during the later decades of the 19th century. The movement's name derives from the fact that i ...
requested him to convene the 20th meeting of the All India Mohammedan Educational Conference
The All India Muhammadan Educational Conference was an organisation promoting modern, liberal education for the Muslim community in India. It was founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, also the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University. All India Mum ...
at his own cost. Over two thousand people covering Muslim leaders from all over India gathered at the Nawab's family garden-house in Shahbag, Dhaka for the conference held between 27 and 30 December 1906. On the last day, the assembly formed the All India Muslim League
The All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party established in Dhaka in 1906 when a group of prominent Muslim politicians met the Viceroy of British India, Lord Minto, with the goal of securing Muslim interests on the Indian subcont ...
, appointing Nawab Salimullah the Vice President and placing him on a committee to craft its constitution. Two years later, in December 1908, Salimullah would speak out for free speech in educational institutes and also rights for Muslims to separate elections.
Throughout these years, Salimullah held positions of authority in several leagues and conferences and continued to speak out on important political issues. In 1907, he became president of the All Bengal Muslim League, formed newly Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
. In 1908, he became the secretary of the newly established East Bengal and Assam Provincial Muslim League, becoming president in 1909. He served as the chairman at the 22nd Convention of the All India Mohammedan Educational Conference at Amritsar
Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha ...
in December 1908. In 1909, he led people of wealth in the newly formed province to form the Imperial League of Eastern Bengal and Assam. In March 1911, at a meeting at the Ahsan Manzil
Ahsan Manzil is the erstwhile official residential palace and seat of the Nawab of Dhaka. The building is situated at Kumartoli along the banks of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Construction was started in 1859 and was completed in ...
, he presided over a decision to maintain the provincial Muslim League and provincial Educational Conference separate for political and educational activities. On 2 March 1912, Salimullah chaired a meeting at which the two Muslim Leagues of the Bengal were combined into the Presidency Muslim League and the two Muslim Associations were combined into the Bengal Presidency Muslim Association. Salimullah was made president of both the organisations.
In August 1911, Salimullah demanded a university for Dhaka at a function at a political function at Curzon Hall
The Curzon Hall is a British Raj-era building and home of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Dhaka.
The building was originally intended to be a town hall and is named after Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India who laid its foundation st ...
,[ but it was not until after the shock of the annulment of the partition by George V on 12 December 1911 that Salimullah was able to achieve this goal. Within days of the annulment, Salimullah submitted a list of demands to Viceroy Lord Hardinge to protect the interest of Muslims. In response, a pledge was made to establish a university at Dhaka and to provide for Muslims an education officer, which pledge led to the inclusion of an ]Islamic Studies
Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...
Department in Dhaka University
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
. Salimullah continued afterwards to champion this cause, making speeches to counter those who argued against it and, in 1914, organizing a convention on 11–12 April for the Muslim Education Conference of United Bengal.
Along with his continued championing of education, Salimullah's last focuses before withdrawing from active politics in 1914 included situations involving Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
. In 1912, he raised money from East Bengal to assist Turkish Muslims threatened by the Balkan wars
The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and def ...
. During World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, however, he supported the Allied Powers after Turkey aligned with Germany.
Honours
* Companion of the Order of the Star of India ( CSI)-New Year Honours, 1906
* Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India ( KCSI)-New Year Honours, 1909
* Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:
#Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE)
#Knight Commander ( KCIE)
#Companion ( CIE)
No app ...
)-23 December 1911
Personal life
Khwaja Salimullah was the eldest son of the third Nawab of Dhaka, Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah
Nawab Bahadur Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah KCIE (22 August 1846 – 16 December 1901) was the third Nawab of Dhaka. He also authored books in Persian and Urdu under the pen name of Shaheen. Ahsanullah is recognised for his philanthropic works in Ben ...
and his first wife Nawab Begum Wahidunnesa. He was the grandson of Nawab of Dhaka
The Nawab of Dhaka (Bengali: "ঢাকার নবাব"), originally spelt in English Nawab of Dacca, was the title of the head of largest Muslim zamindar in British Bengal and Assam, based in present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh. The title of ''na ...
, Sir Khwaja Abdul Ghani
Nawab Bahadur Sir Khwaja Abdul Ghani (30 July 1813 – 24 August 1896) was the second Nawab of Dhaka and the first to assume the title of Nawab as hereditary, recognized by the British Raj.
He introduced the panchayat system, gaslights, wat ...
.[ Nawab Khwaja Salimullah was born at the Ahsan Manzil Palace on 7 June 1871.][Ahmed, Sharifuddin. Dhaka Past, Present, Future (Revised edition). The Asiatic Society, Dhaka, 2009. ]
;Wives
* Nawab Begum Asmatunnesa
* Nawab Begum Alima Bibi
* Nawab Begum Raushan Akhter
* Nawab Begum Naznijan
* Nawab Begum Ayesha
* Nawab Begum Azizunnesa
;Children:[
* With Nawab Begum Asmatunnesa:
** Nawab Khwaja Habibullah
** Begum Ayesha II
* With Nawab Begum Alima Bibi:
** Khwaja Alimullah II
** Khwaja Waliullah
* With Nawab Begum Raushan Akhter:
** Khwaja Hafizullah I
** Khwaja Nasrullah
** Ahmedi Bano
* With Nawab Begum Naznijan:
** Khurshid Bano
** Aftab Bano
* With Nawab Begum Azizunnesa:
** Khwaja Ahsanullah
]
Legacy
Several of Nawab Sir Salimullah's descendants went on to become prominent politicians in the later days of the British Raj and in Pakistan. They include one of his sons Khwaja Nasrullah who was the Governor of Calcutta, his grandson Sir Khwaja Nazimuddin
Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin ( bn, খাজা নাজিমুদ্দীন; ur, ; 19 July 1894 – 22 October 1964) was a Pakistani politician and one of the leading founding fathers of Pakistan. He is noted as being the first Bengali to ha ...
who was the second Prime Minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...
, his grandson Khwaja Hassan Askari who became a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and also another grandson of his and The 5th Nawab's 3rd son Nawabjada Khawaja Tofeal Ahmed. He had played a major role in bringing freedom to Bangladesh. Khawaja Tofeal Ahmed was a member of Awami league and was elected as Dhaka's MP in 1971 but unfortunately he was shot in front of his greenhouse.
Other family members also became prominent political figures.
Several places in Bangladesh have been dedicated in Sir Salimullah's name. They include most notably the following:
* Salimullah Muslim Hall
Salimullah Muslim Hall is a residential hall at Dhaka University, named after Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur. It was inaugurated on 11 August 1931. Among the residential halls of Dhaka University, Salimullah Muslim Hall holds a special stat ...
, University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
* Sir Salimullah Medical College
Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC) is a public medical college in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The medical college has been producing quality physicians, eminent researchers and health policy makers who are currently working in different medical secto ...
, Dhaka
* Salimullah Muslim Orphanage
* Nawab Salimullah Road, Naryanganj
In 1990 the Pakistani government launched commemorative postage stamps honouring Sir Salimullah as one of the Pioneers of Freedom. In 1993 the Bangladeshi government launched a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Sir Salimullah.
References
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salimullah, Khwaja
1871 births
1915 deaths
Nawabs of Dhaka
Indian knights
Leaders of the Pakistan Movement
Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India
20th-century Bengalis
19th-century Bengalis