Syed Shamsul Huda

Sir Syed Shamsul Huda (1862–1922) was a Muslim political leader of the Bengal Executive Council. He became the first British Indian Muslim President of the Legislative council in 1921. Huda was born in Gokarna, palace known as Gokarna Nawab Bari Complex Nasirnager, Brahmanbaria. It was the part of Cumilla. Earlier known as greater Hill Tipperah. His father Syed Riazat Ullah was the editor of The Doorbeen, a Persian weekly journal.

Education

Syed Shamsul Huda completed primary education at home. His father taught him Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, and Islamic ideology. For higher education, he went to Hooghly Madrasah at Calcutta. He became a BA from Presidency College in 1884, a BL from Calcutta University in 1886 and a MA in Persian, privately from Presidency College in 1889.

Huda was a student in many fields of knowledge. He was one of the most articulate Muslims of his age. He became an iconic British Indian Muslim scholar, writer, lawyer, powerful leader, and profound politician in the twentieth century.

Career

Syed Shamsul Huda joined the Calcutta Madrasah as a lecturer in 1885. He decided to be a lawyer and started practicing in Calcutta High Court in 1887. That lead him to step into politics. The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 and proposed to all Indian people to join despite religions. They succeeded by collecting full support from great Indian Muslim leaders Syed Ahmad Khan, Nawab Abdul Latif, and Syed Ameer Ali. Later for few days, Congress leaders changed their opinion and started partitioning. Muslim leaders called the next Annual Meeting in 1895. Huda addressed to stop this and advised the ways to make a more united and effective Congress. His address is known as Indian Politics and the Muhammadans. Hence, he became at the top of the political body.

He also mentioned on another occasion:

They [Hindus] have benefited for very many years out of the revenues of Eastern Bengal and have paid very little for its progress and advancement ... Jeremy Bentham, William Austin, and William Blackstone influenced him. He presided Muhammadan Educational Conference at Rajshahi in 1904, the East Bengal and Assam Legislative Assembly member in 1908, the All India Muslim League President in 1910, and Imperial Legislative Council between 1911 and 1915.

He is one of the leaders of public opinion in his Province, and is On the forefront of all movements concerning the Mohammadan community. Rewarded as the nawab in 1913, KCIE in 1916 and the second judge in Calcutta High Court in 1917 from the East Bengal Muslim justice.

Thomas Gibson-Carmichael stated:

...He worked round the clock to improve the existential condition of his fellow Muslims during his long and distinguished career as a jurist, leader and politician.

Major Hindu elites like Ashutosh Mukherjee and Shyamaprasad Mukherjee opposed the establishment of the University of Dhaka. However, Huda's involvement played a crucial in its founding in 1921. Lawrence Ronaldshay served as chancellor and appointed Huda as a life member of the university. On Huda's recommendation, A. F. Rahman was selected as a provost and subsequently appointed by Lord Ronaldshay. He prevented religious obligation for women's education in Bengal. He supported and encouraged Begum Rokeya for women's education and development and her Bengal Women's Education Project.

Death Syed Shamsul Huda lived at 211 Lawyer Circular Road, Calcutta. He died on 14 October 1922 and was buried in Tiljola Municipal graveyard. The Calcutta Weekly Notes wrote of his death: