NAWAB SALEEM ULLAH

The partition of Bengal and the creation of a new--predominantly Muslim--province of Eastern Bengal during the viceroyalty of Lord Curzon is a watershed in the history of the Subcontinent; it was the harbinger of a new and dynamic political awakening of the Muslims which pivoted on Navab Sir Saleemullah, the Navab of Dacca.

Navab Saleemullah was born in 1884 at Dacca. His grandfather Sir Abdul Ghani and father Sir Ahsanullah spent huge sums on the development of Dacca.

On October 16, 1905, when the province of Bengal was partitioned, Navab Saleemullah spoke at the Munshigunj. The partition, he said, "had put an end to the inaction of the Muslims and diverted them towards action". He and his friends established a Muhammadan Provincial Union to politically organize the Muslims and to promote their interests in the socio-economic field.

When the Simla delegation called upon the Viceroy, he could not join it due to illness, but he invited Navab Mohsin-ul-Mulk to hold the next session of the All-India Muslim Educational Conference at Dacca, which was done in 1906. Before this conference Bengali Muslims were not associated with the Aligarh Movement; now with the Aligarh Movement reaching out to Dacca, the history of the subcontinent was changed for good.

On December 30, 1906, when the All-India Muslim Educational Conference had ended in Dacca, the Muslim leaders met under the presidentship of Navab Viqar-ul-Mulk. In this meeting Navab Sir Saleemullah explained his scheme and presented his epoch-making resolution which was seconded by Hakim Ajmal Khan [ of Dehli] and supported among others, by Maulana Muhammad Ali [Jauhar] and Maulana Zafar Ali Khan [Zamindar newspaper fame]. According to the resolution the new political party was named the All-India Muslim League.

Subsequently Navab Saleemullah toured the entire province and addressed meetings to organize the Muslims of Bengal. He became the secretary of the provincial Muslim League, East Bengal. In 1908 he presided over the annual session of the All India Muslim Educational Conference at Amritsar [Punjab].

His last days were very sad and tragic. He was deeply shocked by the annulment of the partition of BEngal in 1912. He presided over the Muslim League session at Calcutta on March 3, 1912 which was his last political appearance. His son's death broke his heart and he died on January 16, 1915.