All India Mumammadan Educational Conference

All India Mumammadan Educational Conference was the origin of the Muslim League. the Muslim League was born in the 20th session of All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which was established by Syed Ahmed Khan in Aligarh in the year 1886.

The 1906 conference

After the Congress sponsored agitation against the partition of Bengal (1905) an All India Muhammadan Educational Conference was held at Shahbag in Dhaka, capital of the then East Bengal and Assam Province in the year 1906. The conference was sponsored by Nawab Khwaja Salimullah the Nawab of Dhaka. The conference was inaugurated on 27 December, 1906 and continued till 29 December, 1906 as Conference on Education. The inaugural session was chaired by Nawab Justice Sharfuddin, the newly appointed justice of Calcutta High Court.

On 30 December, 1906 political session of the conference took place. It was chaired by Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk. In this session a motion to form an All India Muslim League (AIML) was proceeded. Initially a party styled as "All India Muslim Confederacy" was discussed. But, in the process the name "All India Muslim League", proposed by Nawab Khawaja Sir Salimullah Bahadur and seconded by Hakim Azmal Khan, was resolved in the meeting. All delegates were registered as members of the proposed party led by Janab Muhsin-ul-mulk and Janab Wakar-ul-mulk was Joint Conveners.

AIML was first Muslim political party in the history of India. From the even date Muslims of all Indian provinces were under the mainstream political umbrella of Muslim League until independence achieved in the year 1947 under the leadership of Muslim League. Awamil Muslim League and Awami League was also formed as a late production of the party in the Pakistan Period. In Indo pak Bangla sub continent those parties have the part "League" possess heritage of Muslim League till date. Political awareness, eagerness and rising of Muslims was organised and institutionalised from the starting point of establishing "All India Muslim League".

Venue

It is to be noted that the place where All India Muhammadan Educational Conference were held was known to all as Ishrat Manjil, a mansion of the Dhaka Nawab Family that was later donated for the establishment of the Dhaka University. After 5 years of this conference in the year 1911 Partition of Bengal was annulled in the Delhi Durbar. In the year 1912 A delegation headed by Khawaja Nawab Sir Salimulla met Lord Hardinge Lt. Governor, to the same venue demanding establishment of a University at Dacca and it was agreed. Upon whom present Dhaka University was started its functioning on 1st July,1921 in the same venue. Now the Eshrat Manjil lapsed its heritage, fame and name of Dhaka's Nawab familly and prevailed as a canteen named "Modhur Canteen".

Delegates

A total of 1955 delegates attended the event. The conference was attended by most of the Muslim "zamindars", educationists, pleaders, and other leaders of the community. The programme was attended among others by:

* Nawab Muhsinul Mulk Bahadur
* Mamtajul Mulk Khalifa Syed Muhammad Hussain of Patiala
* Hakim Muhammad Azmal Khan of Delhi
* H.M. Malek of Nagpur
* Khan Bahadur Ahmad Muhiuddin of Madras
* Khan Bahadur Sheikh Gulam Sadik of Amritsar
* Raja Nawshad Ali Khan, Talukder of Audh
* Nabiullah, Bar at law, Lucknow
* Honourable Khan Bahadur Nabab Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury, Zaminder of Mymensingh
* Khan Bahadur Ali Nawab Chowdhury, Zaminder, Comilla
* Abdul Majid, District Session Judge, Assam
* Abdul Karim, School Inspector, Chittagong Division
* Khan Bahadur Moulvi Syed Muhammad, Inspector General of Registration, Bengal
* Mr. Sharp, Director of Public Instructions, East Bengal
* H.P. Mosurior, CIE, Commissioner, Dacca
* B.C. Allen, Magistrate and Collector, Dacca
* Stapleton
* Mr. Kelp, Editor, Bengal Times
* Colonel J Hodinge, CIE
* Campbell
* Rafiuddin, Bar-at-law, of Bombay
* Nizamuddin Ahmed, B.A.B.L.Deputy Commissioner, Berar
* Shamsul Ulama Moulana Shibly Nomani
* Shah Sulaiman of Foolwar
* Syed Ali Hasan Bahadur, Council Member of Indur Estate
* Khawaja Golam Saklain B.A. LLB
* Sheikh Abdullah, B.A. LLB
* Muhammad Ali, B.A. Oxon,Boruda
* Shawkal Ali, Opium Agent
* Abdul Hamid, Editor, Muslim Chronicle
* Abdul Hamid Hasan, Editor, Muslim Patriot, Madraj
* Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad
* Archbold, Principal, MAO College

ources

* Article read by Muhammad Ashraful Islam in a seminar organized by Centre for National Culture (CNC) at Dhaka on 28.12.2006 in connection with centenary celebration of All India Muslim League