The prince from
Prithimpasa
By Ali Hamid
Khan
Published: The Independent Internet Edition, August 17,
2001
It is very
difficult to just select and pinpoint a single person and say that he has the
most enduring and deep impact on me and my coming of age. When I decided to
pick out one such man who had the persona and the capacity to stand out it was
my late uncle Nawab Ali Safdar Khan, popularly known as Raja sahib. It is
difficult to analyze and measure a person in isolation; we have to take up
different aspects of him and his environment, which creates a man and his
actions. His different traits and the background in which he grew up and became
a part of the social order are to be considered before any reasonable and
viable analysis, which will be realistic and acceptable, can emerge.
Raja Sahib was a
man who transcended his feudal background, the world in which he was born and
raised with all the accoutrements required to give him a persona and attitude
of the privileged class. His leadership quality was inbred and in the course of
time it bloomed internalizing from eminent personalities in whose company he
spent great deal of time. Gradually he attained a position, which set him apart
to touch the lives of the masses, specially the underprivileged. He succeeded
with great ease and flair to endear himself to those who looked up at him as an
icon and a voice of the voiceless. He relentlessly struggled to free the masses
from their abject poverty and misery. He was compassionate and kind. He easily
expressed empathy with the have-nots and took up their cause and completely got
himself immersed in their worlds to seek their emancipation and freedom from
want and lead a respectable life away from the burden of deprivation. His work
and endeavour made the common man gravitate to him to seek his support to
strengthen their hands. The sole purpose of his life was to wage war against
the forces, which kept them in servitude and subservience.
It was during
the Jukta Front days that he joined his crusade and from that day onward his
sole objective was to bring dignity and self-respect into the lives of these
people. From that day on he never looked back and kept his fight on. With every
passing day he grew in stature politically and socially and fast became a
bulwark against the politics of Muslim League. Those were the days when a new
order was emerging and the social and political matrix was undergoing
transformation. A new vista was surfacing and beckoning him. The political
landscape was volatile and Raja Sahib was all game ready to pounce and take up
the mantle to march ahead with his message. He was a volatile and dynamic
leader and was capable of understanding the changing political language and
stances. He had the versatility to grasp the occasion at its prime and utilize
the moment to bring the masses out of their morass. He electrified the
environment with his presence and political acumen. The leadership soon saw the
potentialities and brought him to the forefront to spearhead the movement in
his region. In a short time he won recognition and respect and set on with his
task and ambition.
He came into
politics after being inspired by Moulana Bhashani whom he considered his mentor
and teacher. He came under his patronage and was one of his favorite protégés.
This is where Raja Sahib went through a catharsis and transformation and from
this process emerged a new man shedding his feudal background and upbringing.
His sole purpose from his association with Moulana Bhashani, whose magnetic and
powerful personality gave a firmer shape to his aspirations and they were
perfectly shaped and moulded, was to bring about a social change in which
everyone could have an equitable share and thrive and prosper. He plunged into
full time active politics and never paused to look back. His agenda had no
priority other than political activities. The flurry of activity, which
encompassed him, kept him completely engrossed and he had no time for anything
else. He was always rushing to wherever he was needed and never shirking from
his responsibility and the cause he had chosen. His work and personality built
an aura around him. He was admired and loved for his courage and determination.
He stood against injustices like rock and fought strongly and unflinchingly
against the retro-forces, which suppressed and repressed the poor and the weak.
Soon his popularity shot up meteorically and his name and fame spread far and
wide. The authorities never delved into issues without knowing his stand and
view. The authorities always solicited his consent and concurrence whenever any
contentious or controversial issue came up and befuddled them. Such was his
power and influence, which affected everyone. He devoted his life to fighting
for the weak and the suppressed to rescue them from subjugation and indignity,
which they suffered at the hands of the rich and the corrupt.
Raja Sahib to be
understood in entirety has to be looked from a broader perspective. Raja sahib
was a scion of a renowned Zamindari family of Sylhet. He was born with a silver
spoon in his mouth. He was born in the Murshidabad Palace of his maternal
grandfather Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad Wasif Ali Meerza, KCVI. He was the
eldest son of Nawab Ali Haider Khan and his wife the eldest child of Nawab
Bahadur of Murshidabad. Nawab Ali Haider Khan was in the Muslim League and was
twice minister of Assam. Raja Sahib was born on 16th.August, 1919. He had his
education from St. Edmund’s College, Shillong; St. Paul’s, Darjeeling and Alia
Madrasah Calcutta. He was a very good football player and was a patron of
Mohammadan Club, Calcutta. He was also an accomplished billiards and lawn
tennis player. He was a junior champion of Calcutta Club in the mid- 30’s. He
led a jetset life in Calcutta moving and associating with prince and princess,
Rajahs and Maharajahs. The Maharajah of Tripurra was a close friend of him. He
had the privilege to be in the company of greats like Subash Chandra Bose, H.S.
Shuharwardy, Prince Yusuf Meerza, the king of Nepal and Rabindranath Tagore and
many more such distinguished personalities and luminaries. This was his young
days when he had no cares and worries and he lived a life of fun and joy. But,
his association with the different personalities was having an impact on him
and this world was influencing him though he never realized. One outstanding
quality he had and was inherent in him and that was he was an eloquent speaker
with photographic memory and a good listener. He was also a charismatic person
who had an influence over people and loved to play jokes and pranks. When he
went into politics he didn’t have too many problems in making himself
comfortable in this world and effortlessly gave extempore speeches, which
surprised many. He had the ability to sway people with his words. His speeches
easily succeeded in having an impact on the gathering wherever he went and he
was an instant success drawing huge crowds and mesmerizing them with his
speeches. People put their trust in him and rallied instantly behind him. These
were the reasons he was much liked and sought after by senior leaders.
In spite of his
lifestyle every time he visited his ancestral home Prithimpassa he was moved by
the poverty and deprivations of the people. He patiently listened to their
myriad problems and mixed and moved freely among his raiyats. Their plights and
sufferings greatly touched him and he was moved by the pathetic conditions to
join mainstream progressive politics to free them from the ordeals and crisis
of abjection and illiteracy.
He joined
politics full time and when there was a split in the party he moved with the
faction to National Awami Party with Bhashani and remained there working hard
and arduously for emancipation of the downtrodden. In 1958 he was a fugitive
when the military junta of Ayub Khan was on his trail. He was hunted and chased
out of the country. The army rule was hard and ruthless on the detractors and
politicians.
When in 1969 the
mass upsurge was ready to topple the military regime even in the face of
gruesome and barbarous treatment Raja Sahib represented his region and bravely
led the people against the army. Later, during the Liberation War when the
military rulers Pakistan began genocide of the unarmed people, he and his
younger brother Nawab Ali Sarwar Khan, M.P. joined the freedom struggle under
the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman.
Those were
fearsome days of violence and bloodshed when people were indiscriminately cut
down and crushed by the hordes, which showed unparalleled cruelty and apathy.
Racked by civil war there was no option but to join the war for freedom.
Consequently Raja Sahib and his brother were forced to cross over to India and
from there they continued their guerrilla warfare against the army. From
Kailashahar they continued their incessant forays and skirmishes. Their
ceaseless sporadic attacks daunted the determination and overwhelming might of
the well armed Pakistan army. The Pakistan Army based there on the border
turned the personal residences of Raja Sahib and his younger brother into army
head quarters and wreaked heavy and irreparable damage. When the Pakistan army
buckled and genuflected before the onslaught of the armed rebellion, Raja Sahib
returned home victorious after freeing the area from the clutches of the
occupation army. He found that the occupation army left a blazing trail of
unprecedented torture and losses. Before him lay a colossal task of
restoration. The shocking tales and remnants of the nine months of occupation,
which he confronted at every step, were unbelievable and massive.
But, he did not
shirk his responsibility of restoration and with renewed vigour and strength he
went on with the rebuilding to bring back normally to remove the scars of
persecution. From the crucible of war was born a more mature, composed and
experienced man. Though he was war weary and fatigued but he knew there was no
respite. The work before him was more important than his personal interests and
necessities.
He was a
voracious reader and an erudite person. He loved to socialize and mix around
with people from every section of society, exchanging views and enriching his
knowledge of different aspects of life and culture. He was admired and
respected in every circle and people young and old enjoyed his company. His
contemporaries looked forward to his company and he was considered by hundreds
as an icon and archetypal mass leader who had the power and ability to move and
rouse them.
Unfortunately
and very sadly he did not live long and died in the prime of his political
career in 1975 at CMH Dhaka on 16th. July. His untimely death sent shock waves
and people flocked in tens of thousand to mourn his death on hearing the news.
It was one of the largest and most memorable congregations of people who represented
all sections of society to pay their last respect. At his funeral there was an
unprecedented convergence of his admirers, followers and the common man for
whom he had devoted his whole life to bring justice and honour to them. People
came braving rain and thundershower and there was unending influx of humans.
Never before
such a huge gathering was ever witnessed by the people of the area. There were
loud lamenting and emotive expressions. He was buried in his family graveyard
at Prithimpassa amidst uncontrolled display of human emotions. That day it was
further confirmed how loved he was by the common man and what he truly meant to
them. Even today people visit his grave to pay him their respects and tributes.
In one of his
entries in his diary he had written that people can only unchain and remove the
shackles of servitude through armed rebellion and definitely not through
arbitration and peaceful means. This gives a glimpse of the man to understand
his mind and purpose. He epitomized valour, courage, chivalry and hope.
His name was
Nawab Ali Safdar Khan but his maternal grandmother affectionately called him
Raja and that's how he popularly became Raja Sahib to everyone, to his
relatives, friends, foes, peers, and the common-man.
The indelible
imprints he has left in the minds of the people continue to guide and inspire
many. Today his work and words live on and remind people to stand up against
injustice and persecution bravely.
In the 50's Raja
Sahib joined the Famous Balisara movement when the labours of the Tea Estates
who had no rights to vote by Pakistani Law rallied behind him under his
leadership to wrest the voting rights, which was justifiably theirs.
Raja Sahib led
the long march to Moulvibazar sub-division on foot all the 30 mile long dirt
road with his followers. Today 25 years after his death the govt. of Bangladesh
has finally recognized him and his freedom struggle against the occupation army
during 1971 freedom struggle and accorded him posthumous award of bravery and
valiance and his services to the new born country.