Whoever is born must die
Who will remain immortal anywhere!
Does water remain ever constant
Alack in life rive!
He is gratified among human beings
Whom people don’t forget
And adore in temple of mind,
— Michael Madhusudan.
Renowned persons are always remembered after their death. They are immortal for their deeds. Widely known as Principal, Principal Ibrahim Khan was such a man. He dedicated his life in teaching and contributed much to our literature. It was decade of twenty when he had completed his Masters from Kolkata. He got good offers for high rank service, but he did not join. He observed that most of the students of village area, specially the Muslim students who anyway passed the Matriculation Examination, were deprived of higher studies due to poverty and want of college in their locality. At that time there was only one college in greater Mymensingh area-Ananda Mohan College, established in 1908. It was not possible for the poor students to study in the college staying in the hostel. Consequently they were compelled to join in clerical job or had to work as primary teacher. Ibrahim Khan realised that they would never be eligible for officers’ ranks in service unless they were graduated from college. So he inspired zamindar Wazed Ali Khan Panni (Chand Mia) to establish a college in Karatia. Thus Karatia College was established in 1926 which was the 2nd in greater Mymensingh. Ibrahim Khan was the first Principal of the college and he worked there for long 22 years.
Principal Ibrahim Khan was born in village Biramdi of Tangail in 1894. He Passed the Matriculation Examination from Pingna High School Sharishabari in 1912 and passed I . A from Ananda Mohan College, Mymensingh in 1918. After appearing at IA examination he worked as Head Master in Jatia Junior High School for three months. Jatia is a union in Iswarganj Thana. Within that short period he loved the students so much that at his farewell meeting the students of Jatiya School cried like child which was a rare example.
Later on he went to Kolkata for higher studies. He passed BA Honours in 1917 and M A in 1919 in English.
In November of that year, he joined as Head Master of Karatia High School and worked for four years.
In 1923, he left Karatia High School and started practice in Mymensingh Judge Court. After joining in court he realised that he had committed a great blunder. No welfare work of the country was possible from there. He understood that it was better to work in High School.
He was the chief legal adviser of zamindar of Karatia. Ibrahim Khan had come to Karatia in 1925. Zamindar Chand Mia had invited him to dinner in his house. At the time of dinner he talked about benevolent persons to inspire Chand Mia. He mentioned the names of Hazi Mohammad Mohsin, Sir Syed Ahmad and Prafulla Chandra Roy who spent lot of money for human welfare. Chand Mia regetted in saying that lacs of taka were being spent in cases which could be spent in human welfare. He requested Ibrahim Khan to come back to Karatia and to take the responsibility of Head Master in his High School. Ibrahim Khan said, “I shall come back if you establish a college.” “How a college may run in our village area?” said Chand Mia. Ibahim Khan said, “If you take the responsibility of expenditure, I can take the responsibility to manage to run the college.” Chand Miaad confidence over him and he gladly agreed to his proposal. College Building was constructed very soon. Chand Mia had made a will of 25 per cent of his properties for his heirs and waqf of remaining 75 per cent of his property and its income for school, madrasa and human welfare works.
Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq was then Prime Minister of undivided Bengal. Ibrahim Khan went to invite him to lay the foundation of the new College. Prime Minister was delighted to hear it and said in an impassioned tone, “Mr Principal, I will not go alone, I will accompany a team of ministers.” The college was inaugurated in July 1926. It was named ‘Sa’dat College’ as per the name of the grandfather of Chand Mia.
On certain day Prime Minister A K Fazlul Huq came to Karatia for inauguration of the College. Four Ministers of his Cabinet-Hossain Shahid Sohrawardy, Khwaja Nazimuddin, Khwaja Shahabuddin and Moulvi Tamizuddin Khan came with him. Moulana Akram Khan attended the function on special invitation.
Ebrahim Khan held the responsibility of Princinal for long 22 Years. Sa’dat College was the 2nd College of greater Mymensingh. He got offer of so many high level services in different times. Dhaka University was established in 1921. He got offer to join there as Professor of English. But he stayed at Karatia for development of the College and to inspire the students in higher education. Thousands of students obtained graduation from that college in his tenure and were well established in their lives. For the poor students Sa’dat College was an opportunity for higher studies.
Principal Ibrahim Khan had taken proper care of studies of his students regularly. He always advised that the students who were admitted in the college should not leave their studies under any circumstance, rather should continue at any cost. Students followed his advice with respect to him. Here are some examples:
Classes were continuing in the college. One regular student who hailed from Mymensingh was absent. At that time Principal Ibrahim Khan got a letter from him. Subject-matter of his letter was as under:
“… Sir, it is the paddy harvesting period. I am working as day labour in a locality which is far away from my house. I want to work here for two weeks and thereby earn the required money to purchase my books. I shall attend my classes shortly….. “
I met one Alauddin in my service life in Munshiganj who was a renowned Head Master and was a student of Karatia Collage in the decade of forty. He was meritorious and passed Matric and I. A in the first division. While he was a student of degree class, it was a crisis period. His lodging master had requested him to go to his house and come at the time of paddy harvesting. They required one day labour to work in their agriculture field. Alauddin went to their field and said, “I am son of a cultivator and I know all works,” Saying so he worked with them in the field for a few days and at the same time continued his studies. It was the inspiration of Principal Ibrahim Khan which helped them to complete studies through such struggles.
Ibrahim Khan loved the students as own sons. He never felt disturbed or bored in their demand. Rather he tried to satisfy them. How broad minded he was may be realised from the fact which I am trying to express in the language of Ibrahim Khan. “ …. .Admission of students was going on in the college. One student had come from Mymensingh. He was very simple and was admitted in college. He asked me “Sir, where shall I stay?” I advised him to stay in the boarding house. At 10pm he knocked at my door and said, “Sir, I have not brought pillow from my house, how shall I sleep?” I handed over my pillow to him and he went away gladly.
On pillow cover my name ‘Ibrahim Khan’ was written. Seeing that name students began to call him ‘Student of pillow. Gradually he was known to all students of the college as ‘Student of pillow.’ Time passed and he left Karatia after graduation.
15 years passed in the meantime. I was walking on a footpath of Karachi city. A gentleman seemed to be a high level officer saw me from distance. He proceeded to me hurriedly, sat before me and extended his hand to touch my leg. I asked him, “Hallo! Who are you?” He said in a choked voice, “Sir, let me touch your leg, I am the student of your pillow.”
Ibrahim Khan was an educationist, litterateur and politician. He had written so many books. Some are: Batayon, Alu Bokhara, Istambul Jatrir Potro, children’s Shahnama, ‘Bichitra, Mohiyosi Nari; and Bou Begum.
The great educationist and litterateur Principal Ibrahim Khan breathed his last on the 29th March 1978 and was buried at Bhuapur College compound. He will remain alive in the heart of the people and respected for his activities. n
(The author is a retired AGM of Janata Bank and Life
Member, Bangla Academy)
