Osman Ali Sadagar Explained

Honorific Prefix:Sheikh
Osman Ali Sadagar
Office3:Member of the 1st Assam Legislative Assembly
Constituency3:Nagaon
Termstart3:19 January 1937
Termend3:1946
Birth Place:Bengal Presidency
Birth Date:1856
Death Place:Assam, Dominion of India

Sheikh Osman Ali Sadagar (Assamese: শেখ ওছমান আলী সদাগৰ, Bengali: শেখ ওছমান আলী সওদাগর; 1856 – 28 April 1948) was a politician, cultivator and educationist. He served as a member of the inaugural Assam Legislative Assembly,[1] and opposed the integration of Assam into the Dominion of Pakistan. Sadagar is considered to be a pioneer of the cultural and linguistic Assamisation of the Miya community.[2] The Chor Chapori Literary Council named the Osman Ali Sadagar Honorary Award in his memory.

Early life and migration

Sadagar was born into a Bengali Muslim family in the Bengal Presidency.

Career

In 1885, he migrated to Alitangani in Nowgong, Assam with the help of his uncle, Nazrul Ali. Ali was working in the steam ships that flowed through the rivers of Bengal and Assam at the time.[3] He participated in the Battle of Patharughat of 1894 where he got injured.[4]

In 1902, Sadagar founded a primary school in Alitangani, Nowgong. According to doctoral researcher Hafiz Ahmed,[5] the school was the second Assamese-medium institution from the Bengal-origin Muslim migrant community of Assam.[6] Sadagar was also a member of the Asam Sahitya Sabha,[7] partaking in its inaugural 1917 session where he donated 10 British Indian rupees (today equivalent to 130 American dollars) to it.[8]

He independently contested in the first Assam legislative elections in 1937, and was successfully elected as a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Nagaon constituency. In the politics of Assam, Sadagar opposed both ethnic Assamese politician Muhammed Saadulah and the ethnic Bengali politician Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. He later left the All-India Muslim League entirely.[9] Under his leadership, five independent Muslim politicians represented themselves in the assembly, who all opposed the Muslim League's plans to integrate Assam into the Dominion of Pakistan.[10]

Death and legacy

Sadagar died in Assam. His son, Abdul Shahid, was also a politician.[11] In 2019, false NRC claims were made against his descendants.[12] Among those that defended them was the Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia.[13] [14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Two Circles. 10 October 2011. Ahmed, Dr. Syed. Remembering Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla, the first Premier of Assam.
  2. News: When a Muslim Worships a Tree: Syncretic Islam of the Char Chaporis of Assam. Sahapedia. 27 November 2019. Hussain, Muhammad Shalim Muktadir.
  3. News: Scroll.in. Readers' comments on #MeToo: It's sad when those who espouse women's rights turn out to be harassers: NRC debate. 12 October 2018. Ahmed, Hafiz.
  4. News: Govt yet to recognise riverine people's contributions. Assam Tribune. 14 August 2010. Guwahati.
  5. News: Suave English-speaking Muslim lawyer spared the rod in Assam. The Times of India. Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar district. Mitra, Naresh. 4 September 2012.
  6. News: Assam: Discourse of Disinheritance. 6 November 2021. Gohain, Hiren. Countercurrents.org.
  7. News: From Citizen to Termite: The Case of the "Bangladeshis" in Assam: Integration and Disintegration of the Muslims (The "Assam Agitation" and Beyond). 1 June 2019. Shuddh Ashar. Saikia, Yasmin.
  8. Book: People's Peace: Prospects for a Human Future. Haines, Chad. Syracuse University Press. 15 November 2019. 328. Saikia, Yasmin.
  9. Book: Political History of Assam: 1940-1947. 252. 1999. Department for the Preparation of Political History of Assam (Government of Assam). Barpujari, H. K..
  10. News: Debate: Miyah Identity and Language. The Wire (India). Gohain, Hiren. 19 August 2019.
  11. The Assam Gazette.
  12. News: অসমক পাকিস্তানত চামিলৰ বিৰোধিতা কৰা বিধায়কৰ পৰিয়াললৈ জাননী জাৰি. Dainik Agradoot. as. 1, 10. 5 May 2019. Nagaon. Notice disclosed to the family of an MLA who opposed the integration of Assam into Pakistan.
  13. Web site: Statement. Saikia, Shri Debabrata. Citizens for Justice and Peace. 8 May 2019.
  14. News: EXCLUSIVE! People forced to file False NRC Objections in Assam. Citizens for Justice and Peace. 9 May 2019. Ali, Zamser.
  15. News: The fire in Assam for NRC. APN News. Goswami, Bhupen. 13 May 2019.