Khwaja Usman

Khawāja Uthmān Khān Lōhānī , popularly known as Khwaja Usman, was an Afghan Sardar (chieftain) of Pathan Confederacy and warrior based in northeastern Bengal. As one of the Baro-Bhuyans, he was a zamindar ruling over the northern parts of Bengal, including Greater Mymensingh and later in South Sylhet. He was a formidable opponent to Man Singh I and the Mughal Empire, and was the last of the Afghan chieftains and rulers in Bengal. His defeat led to the surrender of all the remaining Pashtuns as well as the incorporation of the Sylhet region into the Bengal Subah. Collectively known as the Eastern Afghan Confederates, the Usmans belonged to an influential community that gave allegiance to the Delhi and Bengal Sultanates and opposed Mughal rule. The defeat of the sultanates led to the emergence of the Pathan Confederacy of Sylhet and Baro-Bhuyans of Bengal, a collection of independent chieftains who would unite in alliance to resist Mughal invasion. Following Qutlu's demise in 1590, there was rebellion among the Afghans. Nasir Khan Lohani had pledged allegiance to the Mughals. The governor of Bihar at the time, Man Singh I, defeated Nasir Lohani two years later due to his betrayal of the Mughal Empire. Khwaja Isa Khan Lohani succeeded Qutlu as the leader of the Eastern Afghan Confederates and reigned for five years. After his death, Usman's elder brother, Khwaja Sulayman Khan Lohani, took charge.

Arrival in Bengal Man Singh I later became the Subahdar of Bengal and attempted to weaken the influence of the Pashtuns. He gave Usman and Khwaja Sulaiman jagirs in Fatehabad in Bengal, thinking it would get them out of Orissa. Usman, his three brothers, and other Pashtuns started off for Bengal. After Singh realised the rising influence of rebels in Bengal due to Isa Khan's resistance against the Mughals, Singh cancelled the jagirs in order to stop more Pashtuns from migrating to Bengal. This cancellation angered Usman, leading to his invasion of South Bengal and capture of the fort in Satgaon. In 1593, Usman then continued east to Bhusna, where he defeated Chand ibn Kedar Rai on 11 February. Here, he formed an alliance with Isa Khan of Bhati, the leader of what was to become the Baro-Bhuyans.

Rule in Bokainagar Working alongside Isa Khan, Usman was able to gain control of Greater Mymensingh with his capital at Bokainagar. For a short period of time, the Eastern Afghan Confederates regained North Orissa too. After the death of Emperor Akbar in 1605, Usman was able to rebuild and develop Bokainagar Fort into a powerful military base consisting of 20,000 soldiers. Usman also established two other forts in Hasanpur and Yarasindur and took advantage of the Brahmaputra River to separate himself from the Mughal territory in the west.

In 1596, Usman defeated Chand Rai of Sripur. He crossed the Brahmaputra in winter 1607, where he defeated the Mughal thanadars of Alapsingh, Sajawal Khan, and Baz Bahadur Qalmaq. Sajawal was killed, and Qalmaq fled to Bhawal. This news came to Man Singh I, who immediately set off from Dacca, and a day later battled Usman on the banks of the Banar River. Many of Usman's weapons and resources were looted in this battle, as well as the deaths of many Afghans. After the death of Isa Khan, his son, Musa Khan, rose to power. The plans of the insurgents were to launch an attack on the Mughal Empire and attempt to free Musa Khan and once again liberate Bhati.

In 1606, Musa Khan, his brother Mahmud Khan, and other rebels surrendered to the Mughal Subahdar of Bengal, Islam Khan I. Other than Musa Khan, the other rebels were made to join the Mughal force travelling to Bokainagar to defeat Usman; who had now become the main target of the Empire. Anwar Khan, a former rebel ruling Baniachong, surrendered to Islam Khan I and said that he would aid the Mughals in defeating Usman as long as he can keep Baniachong. Islam Khan I initially accepted but later lost trust for Anwar, who in anger, marched from Jahangirnagar to Yarasindur. Anwar Khan came across Musa's brother Mahmud Khan and Bahadur Ghazi of Bhawal and made a new plot to fight the Mughals to support Usman.

In October of the same year, Islam Khan appointed Shaykh Abdul Wahid and Shaykh Kamal Bayazid to march with a large army from Jahangirnagar to Hasanpur (Haybatnagar), which was just north of Usman's capital in Bokainagar. From Hasanpur, the Mughal army built a new fort every five days as they moved closer to Bokainagar.

Usman and his forces would often launch surprise attacks at the fort-builders. When the Mughal camp pitched themselves at the eleventh fort, Usman and the Afghans came to oppose the Mughals and an affray took place with one of Usman's men, Tatar Khan Naghir, being killed. At the eighteenth fort, Usman appeared with a small army to attack them once more. Shaykh Kamal ordered his troops not to respond and attempted to stop people from leaving the fort, however many were tempted and left the fort to fight Usman. The Mughals attained a victory by making use of the cannons at their fort and Usman's forces were heavily defeated; fleeing back to Bokainagar for safety. The Mughals continue their fort-building campaign.

Taraf and Usmangarh

After the Mughals had completed their nineteenth fort, they took a break with the approach of the Islamic month of Ramadan in which they would observe fasting. Usman was informed that his allies, Dariya Khan Pani and Nasir Khan of Tajpur, had surrendered and joined the Mughal forces. Some Pashtuns of Tajpur followed their leaders and expressed support of the Mughals, while others joined Usman. With Usman's support from other chieftains decreasing, Usman and 250 Afghans evacuated their capital at Bokainagar; fleeing eastwards towards Greater Sylhet. The Mughals were busy with Eid al-Fitr celebrations on 7 December 1611, when they heard that Usman had fled Bokainagar. Immediately following the Eid prayers, the Mughals marched to Bokainagar where they stopped to await new commands and tactics following the unexpected fleeing of Usman. In a campaign led by Haji Shamsuddin Baghdadi and the three brothers, Mirza Saqi, Baqi and Pattani, the Eastern Afghan Confederates at Taraf were defeated in a battle compared by the Baharistan-i-Ghaibi to the Day of Resurrection. Defeated in a fourth assault, the Afghans fled to Khwaja Usman at Uhar leading to the Mughal annexation of Taraf. Uhar had become Usman's final territory.

Final battle and death The Mughals sent a messenger to Usman advising him to surrender and be loyal to the Mughal Empire. Usman replied to this message saying that he would like to make peace as long as he can tranquilly rule in Uhar, a place not yet conquered by the Mughal Empire.

However, Islam Khan I was keen to end Afghan power in Bengal and decided to commence the battle. He readied 500 of his own cavalry, 4,000 musketeers and large numbers of war horses and war elephants. Shona Ghazi of Sarail provided warships and Ihtimam Khan assembled an imperial force. Shaykh Achha and Iftikhar Khan Turkmen were placed on the wings. On 4 February 1612, the army reached Taraf and then Putia/Tupia. Khwaja Wali abandoned his Putia hill-fort before facing the approaching army, fleeing to Usman at Uhar. When Shajaat Khan heard of this, he positioned an artillery battery fastened to the areca catechu trees that were opposite of Usman's marsh. This move made the two armies only one-half kos away from each other.

Iftikhar Khan Turkmen approached Shajaat and pleaded him to once more send a peace message to Usman, who was a fellow Muslim. At this moment, the Mughal driver of Ranasingar managed to calm Ikftikhar's other elephant and crossed the marsh to aid Iftikhar. Many of Iftikhar's soldiers were killed by Usman's and Usman's forces encircled and cut the drivers into pieces. The central force, led by Shajaat Khan, was then defeated although Shajaat managed to escape.

Usman's family and the Sarhangs brought his dead body back to Uhar and buried it at an unmarked spot between two hills. A false tomb was also created outside Usman's palace. Usman was succeeded as chief by his elder son Khwaja Mumriz, who was then pressured into relinquishing power to his uncle, Khwaja Wali. He sent his minister Wali Mandu Khel and Usman's youngest son Khwaja Yaqub to notify Shajaat of Usman's death and to offer surrender. The Mughals honoured Usman's relatives and the surrendered Afghans with gifts and a feast.

Legacy In 2009, the Prothom Alo reported that Usmangarh (Usman's estate) and its adjoining hills which were considered government land were being taken over by land-grabbers. The illegal occupiers had built shops and planted trees in the governmental territory but were not prosecuted due to their close links with the Awami League - Bangladesh's ruling political party. 30% of the land, including Usman's fort, was said to have been illegally occupied by local Awami League member Jamshed Miah. Other occupiers included Sundar Ali, Alta Miah, Durud Miah, Faruq Miah and Mubasshir Ali who were accused of opening shops and digging hills in the area.

In 2017, Khwaja Usman's tomb was finally marked and identified with official recognition at 10pm on 17 May 2017 in the village of Usmangarh in Patanushar. The area of the fort and nearby hills are in close proximity to the Tilagarh Primary School playground. Located in the western part of Usman's estate, the tomb was restored by the Bir Pathan Khwaja Osman Khan Memorial Implementation Council. Many notable individuals were present at the inauguration such as Usman's descendant Mawlana Ghazi Muhammad Sirajul Islam Suruki Lohani who was the President of the named Council. Others present were Shuaybur Rahman (a successor of Fultoli) and Shaykh Muhammad Misir Mian (a noted freedom fighter). The Goyghor Mosque in Moulvibazar is also named after Usman as the Historical Khwaja's Mosque.