Moulana Abdul Hameed Khan Bhashni

MOULANA ABDUL HAMEED KHAN BHASHNI

Date of Birth: 12^th December, 1880 and Date of Death: 17^th November, 1976

            Moulana Abdul Hameed Khan Bhashni, who strove hard in freedom movement and in the movement for a socialist society till his last stage in life, was born on 12^th December, 1880 in Dhongra, a village in Sirajgunj district in Bangladesh.  His father was Sharafath Ali Khan.  He discontinued his education after completing primary education.  In 1907, he restarted it and completed his religious education in 1909 in Darul Uloom in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh.  During that period, his association with famous freedom fighters like Moulana Mohammadul Hasan made him to understand the ills of British imperialism.  Ever since he started working as teacher in a school at Kagmaari in 1909, he extended his cooperation to armed revolutionaries till 1913.  In 1917, he moved closely with Desabandhu Chittaranjan Das and took a plunge into active politics by joining ‘National Party’.  Later, he was inspired by Moulana Mohammed Ali and took membership in Indian National Congress.  He started participating in the anti British activities.  As a result, he was imprisoned in 1920.  Soon after his release from the jail, he joined in Khilafat and Non Cooperation Movement and was jailed again.  Moulana started working for Independence and Socialism since he was attracted towards Socialist ideology.  He continued his activities condemning severely the British Imperialism.  In 1930, Moulana took membership in All India Muslim League and was elected for the first time to Assam Assembly from Dubri constituency.  He used to explain socialism in the back drop of the basic tenets of Islam during his discourses.  Thus his teachings gained the name of ‘Islamic Socialism’.  He declared that all the natural resources are the common property of all the people.  He always fought on behalf of toiling people with his thought and practice based on socialist ideology.  People started calling him ‘Red Moulana’.  He started two Bengali weeklies ‘Ittefaq’ and ‘Haq Katha’ to serve the interest of the people.  He played pivotal role in founding political parties and organising democratic movements which profoundly influenced the Political and Geographical history of Pakistan.  Moulana Abdul Hameed Khan Bhashni was always averse to power and position and was on the side of people, till he breathed his last on 17^th November, 1976 in Dhaka.