By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: The Muslims in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam have played a major role in the history since ages. At present the Muslim population is around 33 per cent in the state and has been vital in many aspects of the socio-political scenario. On times, it is difficult to find the details of the community and their role in the state and the region which is known for its cultural diversity.
But there is an effort by noted scholar and educationist Ali Haidar Laskar to bring the historical facts and figures of the Muslims in Assam, especially in the Barak Valley for the first time with his book ‘A History of the Muslims and the Barak Valley’.
Ali Haidar Laskar
“Several histories of Muslim settlement in Assam have been written but unfortunately the history of Muslims of Barak Valley is not included in those books although the Barak Valley is an integral part of Assam since 1874 AD. Coming to all India scenario, most of the historians have concealed the facts about the Muslims and their great contribution to the society,” said the author Ali Haidar Laskar who is a retired principal of SS College in Hailakandi in Assam.
The book with 532 pages traces all the major developments which took place in the region including the advent of Islam in Bengal and Assam, the Afgan and Mughal Rule, the arrival of saint Ajan Fakir in Assam, the role of people of the region played during the Sepoy Mutiny, the process of migration in Assam from East Bengal and assimilation, Nellie Massacre, Assam Accord and several other socio-political developments.
“The advent of Islam and its impact on the socio-cultural life of people of the Barak valley is an important subject. I’m neither a litterateur nor a historian. I just involved myself in studying structure and pattern, socio-economic conditions and political involvement of Muslim community including their struggle and sacrifices for India’s freedom. I hope somebody will come forward to take my endeavour with more works on the issue,” Ali Haidar added.
Ali Haidar Laskar was born at a village called Chandpur under the present Hailakandi district on February 1 in 1948. He had a brilliant academic record in Gauhati University and had several honours during his student days. He was associated with Gargaon College under Dibrugarh University for more than 28 years before joining RK Nagar College and SS College. At present, he is associated with number of educational institutes in the state.
He has traveled Assam, Meghalaya and some parts of Bangladesh for collecting materials for the book.
“His book is a pioneering work on the history of the Muslims in Barak Valley. It is true that it is not easy to rise to the expectations of the readers in providing all information while writing the history of a community and a pioneering work is always subject to revisions and update on the basis of feedback from the readers. But what the author has achieved in the first attempt is indeed phenomenal,” said Professor J B Bhattacharjee, chairman of Institute of Northeast India Studies in Kolkata.