Rahimullah
| Shahid Rahimullah | |
|---|---|
| Native name | রহিমউল্লা |
| Born | ? Baraikhali, Khulna, Bengal Presidency |
| 💀Died | 25 November 1861 Morrelganj, Khulna, Bengal Presidency25 November 1861 |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Movement | Peasant rebellion |
Shahīd Raḥīmullāh (Bengali: রহিমউল্লা; died 25 November 1861) was the leader of an indigo revolt of the Sundarbans region of Bengal.[1] As Chief of Baraikhali, he formed a resistance force to fight against the local aristocracy.[2]
Background[edit]
Rahimullah was the chief of a group of Bengali farmers in Baraikhali, Sundarbans. He was a popular individual in the community. During this time, Dennis Haley, the tyrannous manager of the Zamindar of Morrel, used to oppress and loot from the peasantry with the help of his lathial force. Rahimullah was also a great lathial (stick-fighter). He resisted oppression with courage and formed his own resistance force.[3]
Initial clash[edit]
In November 1861, Mamun Taluqdar, a wealthy local zamindar, tried to grab land with the help of Haley and forced the peasantry to cultivate indigo. Rahimullah interrupted this attempt, ensuing a fierce clash. The sardar of Haley's lathials, Rāmdhan Mālo, died in this clash, subsequently leading to the zamindar forces fleeing from the battlefield.[2]
War and martyrdom[edit]
A few days after the clash, Dennis Haley and his lathial force raided Rahimullah's house late at night in retaliation. Prior to this, Rahimullah had already speculated that his house may be attacked. Thus, he had constructed a moat around his home and made arrangements to prevent a raid. Rahimullah and his comrades fought a fierce battle with a large number of gunmen and batons throughout the night. Rahimullah himself fought with a gun. When the shots were fired, it is said that the silver bracelets of the women in the household were shattered as a result. Rahimullah was killed in this encounter, with both sides losing seventeen people and many more injured. Haley's force seized the bodies of Rahimullah and other rebels, burning them in the forests of the Sundarbans. The women of the household were subjected to violence and oppression too.[1][4]
Aftermath[edit]
The erstwhile Magistrate of Khulna Subdivision, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, directed an inquiry into the incident. He himself went to Morrelganj and found Haley guilty and gave a long report to the district magistrate. He also issued an arrest warrant in Haley's name when he fled. At that time, Haley tried to intimidate Chatterjee by giving him a bribe of up to 100,000 rupees. The case went on for fifteen years and the Jessore Sessions Court ordered the execution of one person and deportation of 34 others. Haley was released as no one was able to identify him.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Roy, Suprakash (1972). সুন্দরবন অঞ্চলের বিদ্রোহ. DNBA Brothers. p. 341. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sengupta, Subodh Chandra; Basu, Anjali, eds. (2002) [First published 1994]. Saṃsada Bāṅālī caritābhidhāna সংসদ বাঙালি চরিতাভিধান (in Bengali). 1. Sāhitya Saṃsada. p. 463. OCLC 18245961. Search this book on
- ↑ মোড়েলগজ্ঞ এর ইতিহাস!!!. Golperjhuri.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ↑ নীল বিদ্রোহের সুতিকাগার চৌগাছা. Chaugachha Upazila. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
