Bengal Provincial Muslim League

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Bengal Provincial Muslim League
Former provincial party
National affiliationAll-India Muslim League

The Bengal Provincial Muslim League (BPML) was the branch of the

British Indian province of Bengal. It was established in Dhaka on 2 March 1912. Its official language was Bengali.[1] The party played an important role in the Bengal Legislative Council and in the Bengal Legislative Assembly, where two of the Prime Ministers of Bengal were from the party. It was vital to the creation of the Dominion of Pakistan
, particularly after its election victory in 1946.

In 1929, a faction of the party broke away as the

Chief Minister of East Bengal (Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, Nurul Amin, A. K. Fazlul Huq and Ataur Rahman Khan), President of Bangladesh (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Mohammad Mohammadullah and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad), Vice President of Bangladesh (Syed Nazrul Islam) and Prime Minister of Bangladesh (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Tajuddin Ahmad, Muhammad Mansur Ali
and Ataur Rahman Khan).

Background

Eastern Bengal and Assam was the birthplace of the Muslim League in 1906. The League was created as a response to the growth of Hindu nationalist movements in India, particularly in Bengal after the 1905 partition. It was formed at the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference, which was aimed at promoting liberal education among Indian Muslims. In 1912, the British government annulled the partition. The annulment was not well-received among many in the Muslim population.

Formation

The founders of the BPML were Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah, Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury, Sir Abdul Halim Ghaznavi, Justice Sir Zahid Suhrawardy, Abul Kashem, Wahid Hossain and Abdur Rasul. Many members were concurrently members of the Indian National Congress.[1] A. K. Fazlul Huq was elected as its president in 1915.

Language

The BPML adopted Bengali as its official language. All its resolutions were published in Bengali.[1] In contrast, the central leadership of the Muslim League were mostly Urdu-speaking.

Dyarchy

In the period of dyarchy (1919-1935), the BPML had many factions. One of the notable factions led by A. K. Fazlul Huq favored cooperation with the British government to achieve self-rule. Another faction led by

Khilafat movement.[1]

Provincial autonomy

The BPML won 40 seats in the Bengal Legislative Assembly during the

United Provinces, 34/152 in Bihar, 31/108 in Assam, 30/175 in Bombay Presidency, 29/215 in Madras Presidency, and 4/60 in Orissa.[2] The result in Bengal, with 45% of seats won by the BPML, was among the largest mandates for the League. The Suhrawardy ministry lasted until the partition of India in 1947.[3] Suhrawardy mooted the proposal for a United Bengal, but the Mountbatten Plan failed to take it into account. Suhrawardy also faced bitterness to his plans from Nazimuddin and could not count on the cooperation of Nazimuddin's ally Jinnah.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Bengal Provincial Muslim League - Banglapedia". En.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  2. ^ "The Muslim League: A factional history". 26 January 2017.
  3. ISBN 978-0-521-45850-4
    .
  4. ISBN 978-0-521-45850-4
    .
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