Dhaka Nawab Family

All you want to know about Dhaka Nawab Family

Nawab Sir Salimullah celebrating the Eid Day with his family
Nawab Sir Salimullah celebrating the Eid Day with his family

Dhaka Nawab Family reigned in Dhaka from mid 19th century to mid 20th century, after the fall of the Naib Nazims. The hereditary title of Nawab, similar to the British peerage, was confered upon the head of the Family by the British Raj as a recognition of their loyalty in the time of the Sepoy Mutiny.[1] The Family is a legal entity, created by a Waqfnama back in 1854.[2] The the self definition[3] is a Family instead of an Estate due to certain legal considerations imposed by the East Bengal Estate Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950.[4]

They were not sovereigns, but played an important role in the politics of South Asia. The family was owner of Dhaka Nawab Estate, and were seated at Ahsan Manzil. Nawab of Dhaka was the title of the head of family and estate. Khwaja Alimullah was the first Nawab of Dhaka instated by the British Raj. Khwaja Abdul Ghani was the first person in the family to wield that title as a statesman.

Considerable infighting within the Nawab family lead to the decline of the estate. In 1952 the East Pakistan Estates Acquisition Act formally abolished the estate. Succesive land reform in Pakistan and Bangladesh brought an end to the remaining landholdings of the Nawab family. In 1952 the East Pakistan Estate Acquisition Act relinquished the title of Nawab. Khwaja Habibullah Khan Bahadur was the last reigning Nawab of Dhaka.

Contents

History

Ancestry

The ancestors of the Khwajas are said to be traders of gold dust and skins in Kashmir. The history of Dhaka Nawab Family begins with Khwaja Abdul Kader Kashmiri, who migrated from Kashmir to Sylhet sometime early 18th century. He married Asuri Khanam, the daughter of Khwaja Abdul Hakim Kasmiri, an Administrator of Kahshmir. Abdul Hakim also migrated to Sylhet and died there. His son Moulvi Khwaja Abdullah, an alem, reached Dhaka in 1830 and settled in Maghbazar. After his death in 1796 he was buried there with Shah Nuri.

Foundation

The transition from Khwaja family to the Dhaka Nawab family was largely founded by Maulvi Hafizullah, a merchant prince of Dhaka, who acquired considerable wealth from trading in leather, salt and spices together with Greek and Armenian trading partners. He also purchased some floundering zamindari estates, on sale everywhere in Bengal under Permanent Settlement, and indigo factories in Barisal District and Mymensingh District.

Some of the major land acquisitions of Hafizullah were:

  • Atia pargana in the then Mymensingh district (now in the Tangail district). Hafizullah bought a 4-anna (one fourth) share of the pargana, including Dhamrai, the Atia Mosque built in 1608 and much of Madhupur forest, in 1806 on the strength of a mortgage bond for Rs. 40,000.[5] Profits from this purchase inspired him to buy more land properties. In this area, in the Fattehpur village Babu Ananda Chandra Kali (alias Kailai) established the cult of Trinath worship in 1867.[6]
  • Aila Phuljhuri in the Bakarganj Sundarbans, a 44000 acres (180 km²) area bought for Rs 21000 in 1812, at a revenue demand of only Rs 372 annually. After claring of the jungle was affected, in the late 1870s, its estimated total rental income appeared as high as Rs 2,20,502.

Establishment

Main article: Khwaja Alimullah

Due to an absence of any surviving male successor of Hafizullah, his estate on his death descended on his nephew Khwaja Alimullah, son of his deceased elder brother Ahsanullah, whom he groomed as an astute estate manager. His landed acquisitions were added to those of his uncle, consequently making the united zamindari one of the biggest in the province. Before his death in 1854, Alimullah made a waqf for a united status of the zamindari which was to be managed jointly by a mutawalli.

Expansion

Main article: Khwaja Abdul Ghani

On the succession of Khwaja Abdul Ghani Mia (son of Alimullah) to the management that the prosperity of the house reached its zenith. Under him the land control of the family was extended to many parganas in the districts of Dhaka, Bakerganj, Tripura, and Mymensingh. For management he split the zamindari into 26 sub-circles, each governed by a kachari (office) headed by a naib (manager) with a number of amlas (officials). He was vested with the personal title of Nawab in 1875, which was made hereditary in 1877.

With Ghani Mia the Khwaja family for the first time developed interest in the politics and social works of the country. He also organised Dhaka people into panchayet mahallas, which was endorsed by the British Raj in view of his support to the Raj during the Sepoy Mutiny.

Consolidation

Ahsan Manzil-the palace of the Dhaka Nawab Family
Ahsan Manzil-the palace of the Dhaka Nawab Family
Main article: Khwaja Ahsanullah

Nawab Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah, Abdul Ghani's son, adopted a unique strategy to consolidate the zamindari control that was threatened by the operation of the Bengal Tenancy Act, 1885. When this Act was enacted, he started buying off intermediate tenures and raiyati rights with family surplus and settling them as khas. Under this arrangement the Khwajas became their own tenants. This strategy kept much of the estate intact when the zamindari system was abolished in 1951.

Decline

Main article: Khwaja Salimullah

Nawab Salimullah, the eldest son of Ahsanullah took up the management of the zamindari in 1902. But soon family feuds started and Salimullah lost the grip on the estate. The estate management deteriorated to the extent of rising revenue arrears and estate debts. For political considerations, the government backed up Nawab Salimullah financially, which included a confidential official loan to Salimullah (1912) to clear up his personal debts.

The tottering Dhaka Nawab Estate was brought under the Court of Wards in September 1907. The first steward of the Estate was HCF Meyer who was followed by LG Pillen, PJ Griffith, and PD Martin, all members of the Indian civil service.

Nawab Khwaja Salimullah of Dhaka and the Muslim aristocrats who formed the bulwark of the Muslim League in 1906 inspired Muslim peasants against the Swadeshi movement (1905-1911) in support of Partition of Bengal. Together with Nawab Ali Chowdhury, he was instrumental in initiating A. K. Fazlul Huq into politics, who isolated Muslim League from peasants and defeated Sir Khwaja Nazimuddin at the Patuakhali Constituency in the election of 1937. Dhaka Nawab Family, together with the Ispahanis of Kolkata still kept a firm grip on a majority of Muslim students while the Bengal chapter of the All India Muslim Students Association was renamed as All Bengal Muslim Students League in 1938.

Fall

Main article: Khwaja Habibullah

The Dhaka Nawab Estate was abolished in 1952 under the East Bengal Estate Acquisition and Tenancy Act (1950). Only the Ahsan Manzil complex and khas lands held under raiyati rights were exempted from the operation of the Acquisition Act. But due to many unresolved family claims many assets of the Estate were still controlled by the Court of Wards. The land reforms board, which is the successor of the Court of Wards, still holds those assets on behalf of the family.

The influence of Dhaka Nawab family on the Muslim Students League eroded after the partition, particularly after Muhammad Ali Jinnah's pronouncement on the state language issue in 1948. The anti-Khwaja faction of the Muslim League broke away from the All Bengal Muslim Students League, and established East Pakistan Muslim Students League in 1948. This Students League spearheaded the Language Movement that began that year.

Brief Genealogy

Alimullah Abdul Ghani Ahsanullah Salimullah Habibullah

Pre-Nawabi heads of the family and the estate

  1. Khwaja Abdul Kader Kashmiri: (? – ?) First to come to Bengal. Father of the following.
  2. Khwaja Moulvi Abdullah: (? – 1796) First to come to Dhaka.
  3. Khwaja Ahsanullah: (? – 1795)

List of the Nawabs of Dhaka

  1. Nawab Khwaja Alimullah: (? – 1858) First to assume the title of Nawab.
  2. Nawab Sir Khwaja Abdul Ghani Mian KCSI: (1813 – 1896) First to assume the title of Nawab as hereditery. Second Nawab of the family.
  3. Nawab Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah KCIE: (1846 – 1901) Third Nawab of the family.
  4. Nawab Bahadur Sir Khwaja Salimullah GCSI: (1871 – 1915) Fourth Nawab of the family.
  5. Nawab Bahadur Khwaja Habibullah: (1895 – 1958) Fifth Nawab of the family.

List of the titular Nawabs of Dhaka

  1. Nawab Bahadur Khwaja Habibullah
  2. Nawab Bahadur Khwaja Hassan Askari: (1920 – 1984) First inheritor of the estate after abolition of titles. Sixth Nawab of the family.
  3. Nawab Bahadur Khwaja Habibullah Askari: Seventh and incumbent Nawab (titular)

Other members of the family

 This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (January 2007)

Extendaded kin of the Dhaka Nawab Family, mostly bearing the family name Khwaja, though not part of the direct lineage, featured prominently in the history of Bangladesh.

  • Khwaja Hafizullah: (? – 1815) Son of Khwaja Molvi Abdullah. Real founder of the estate.
  • Nawabzada Khwaja Atiqullah: (1882 – 1945) Third son of Khwaja Salimullah.
  • Nawabzadi Meherbanu Khanam: (1902 – 1954) Daughter of Khwaja Ahsanullah.
  • Nawabzada Khwaja Ahsanullah: (1915-?)
  • Khwaja Yusuf Jan: (1850-1923) Builder of modern sewerage system in Dhaka, founder of the Mohammedan Association, and a leading agitator in favor of Partition of Bengal. A member of the Dhaka Municipality (1884-1923), Chairman of Dhaka Municipality (1897-1901; 1905-1916) and Vice-Chairman (1901-1905) of Dhaka Municipality. Chairman (1921-1923) and Vice-Chairman (1897-1905) of Dhaka District Board. Member of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly since 1907, as a representative of the municipalities of Dhaka Division. Honorary Magistrate of Dhaka for 28 years. He was awarded by the British government a Certificate of Honour (1903) and the titles of Khan Bahadur (1904) and Nawab (1910).
  • Khwaja Muhammad Afzal: (1875-?) Son of Khwaja Yusuf and disciple of noted poet Syed Mahmud Azad, Khwaja Muahammad adopted the pen name Afzal to write diwans in Persian and ghazals in Urdu. His best known work is Gam-e-ma-Paikar, a three volume chronicle in verses.
  • Khwaja Haider Jan Shayek: (?-?) Son of Khwaja Khalilullah, an influential member of the family, Khwaja Fayezuddin adopted the pen name Shayek to write diwans in Urdu. His correspondence with Mirza Ghalib, where Ghalib addressed him as the Parrot of Bengal, is compiled under the title of Inshaye Shayek.
  • Khwaja Asadullah Kaukab: (?-?) A relative of the Nawabs, Personal munshi of Khwaja Abdul Gafur and disciple of Shah Najibullah, the eminent mystic of Bihar, Khwaja Asadullah adopted the pen name Kaukab to write diwans in Persian. His best known work is Durbeen, a collection of Persian devotional poems.
  • Khwaja Nuruddin: (1900-1968) Son of Khwaja Mohammad Ashraf, publisher of Morning News, the first English daily newspaper in Dhaka, member of the Council of the Bengal Provincial League (1921), and alderman in the Calcutta Corporation.
  • Farooq Sobhan: (1940- ) Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, High-Commissioner of Bangladesh to India (1992-95).
  • Khwaja Saifullah: Son of late Nawabzada Khwaja Hafizullah & Grandson of Late Nawab Habibullah Bahadur, Nawab of Dhaka is working as Social compliance & Environmental Advisor in the Clothing Industry Working in GTZ: GERMAN DEVELOMENT COOPERATION a Project of BMZ Germany Federal Ministry of Economics Cooperation & development with Ministry of Commerce Bangladesh Promoting social and environmental standards in clothing Industry.
  • Naim: Film actor in Bangladesh, married to Bangladeshi film actress Shabnaz.
  • Faisal: Model and actor in Bangladesh, married to Bangladeshi model and actress Joya Ahsan.
  • Khwaja Mohammed Ismail (1885-1959)
  • Khawaja Abul Hasan Mumtaz (?-1964)
  • Syed Abdus Salim (1905-1967)
  • Khwaja Zakiuddin (1918-2003)
  • Khwaja Wasiuddin (1921-1992)

Contributions

Literature

Extended kin of the Dhaka Nawab Family played a vital role in the history of Urdu-Persian literature in Bengal. Khwaja Haider Jan Shayek, Khwaja Asaduddin Kawkab, Khwaja Atiqullah Sayeda, Khwaja Muhammad Afzal and Khwaja Nazimuddin and others contributed considerably to Urdu and Persian literature in the 19th and 20th centuries. The family maintained close connection with highly noted literary figures like Syed Mahmud Azad and Hakim Habibur Rahman.

  • Khwaja Muhammad Azam wrote Islami Panchayet Dhaka (1911) in Urdu. His son, Khwaja Muhammad Adel, co-edited Jadu, a monthly journal with Hakim Habibur Rahman.
  • Khwaja Abdur Rahim Saba (d 1871) wrote Urdu poems. His manuscript, Daste Saba is preserved in the Dhaka University Library.
  • Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah wrote Urdu poems by his pen-name Shaheen collected in Kulliat-e-Shaheen, and a history of his family collected in Tawarikh-e-Khandan-e-Kashmirian. He was also a composer and lyricist of thumri songs, and a finacer of Ahsanul Kasas (15 February 1884), an Urdu weekly magazine of Dhaka.

Photography

It was in the later part of the 19th century that the art of photography got its momentum in Dhaka under the patronage of Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah and his son Nawab Khwaja Salimullah. Khwaja Ahsanullah joined the Calcutta based Photographic Society of India in 1888.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Christophe Jaffrelot and Gillian Beaumont, A History of Pakistan and Its Origins, page 39, Anthem Press, 2004
  2. ^ Sharif Uddin Ahmed, Dacca: A Study in Urban History and Development, page 52, Riverdale, 1986
  3. ^ NawabBari.com
  4. ^ Muzaffar Ahmed Chaudhuri, Government and Politics in Pakistan, page 257, Puthighar, Dhaka, 1968
  5. ^ Protection of heritage: Judicial response in South Asia by Taslima Islam
  6. ^ Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report - note by GA Grierson

References

  • Ghose, Loknath The Modern History of Indian Chiefs, Rajas & Zaminders, Calcutta,1879
  • Buckland, C.T. Sketches of Social Life in India, London, 1884

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka_Nawab_Family"

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