BAM AND FREEDOM MOVEMENT:

During Freedom Movement from 1920 to 1947 Bam Muslims with small population in the range of 4000-8000 during the period played an important role and gave leadership at District/Provincial  level.It is amazing that situated in the remote southernmost part of  Cachar District without any communication in those days Bam did play a prominent role  in freedom movement.The contribution of the freedom fighters and their sacrifice have been aptly recognized by Government of India and many have been given Freedom Fighters pension and decorated with  Tamrapatra.But irony is that they have gone in to oblivion and present generation hardly knows about them.There is no memorial after any of them in Bam.The present generation, the beneficiary of their struggle and sacrifice may like to pay tribute to their memory in befitting manner by naming Public Institutions and places in Bam after the name of Freedom Fighters of Bam.There is also need for detailed biographies of the Freedom Fighters of Bam.The present writer has  limitations and could not do justice to the  Freedom Fighters of Bam-the unsung and forgotten heroes.The intelligentsia of Bam may take up the project of documenting the life and times of Bam Freedom Fighters. Following are some of the leaders of Freedom Movement from Bam:

Shajid Raja Mazumdar: Sajid Raja Mazumdar of Islamad was afront ranking freedom fighter of Cacahar District. He joined the non-cooperation movement called by Mahatma Gandhi and went to jail in 1922 .His coprisoners were Tarun Ram Phukan,Bishnuram Medhi,Satindra Mohan Deb ,Ashok Kr.Chanda and others at Silchar Jail. He was Vice President of Silchar Mohokuma Congress Committee   and member Cachar District Congress Committee in 1936 .He was also member of Pradeshik Congress Committee (BPCC) in 1940. As true Gandhian he did not seek any office after India achieved independence in 1947 but engaged himself in social activities and died in 1971.In recognition of his sacrifice he was given Freedom Fighters Pension.But he did not get the recognition as he deserved.An autbiography left behind by him throws light on the Freedom Movement and is an invaluable historical document.This has been bublished in the 2017 issue of BARAK Magazine published by Minority Welfare Society Guwahati.

Maulana Mashad Ali Barbhuiya: Maulana Mashad Ali Barbhuiya of Islamabad an alumnus of Rampur Madrassa,UPjoined Khilafat movement and non-cooperation movement and worked closely with Shajid Raja Mazumdar and went to jail together.Arecipient of freedom fighters’ pension Maulana Barbhuiya passed away in 1964.His widow Jamila Khatun ,an nonagenarian is still receivingfamily pension @ Rs.10500.00 pm.Maulana Barbhuiya suffered imprisonment for nine months in 1921,1922 and 1923 for joining freedom movement. He was awarded Tamrapatra posthumously in 1997 by the Government.

Maulana HormuzAli:Saptagram; Freedom Fighter and recipient of Freedom Fighters’pension.

Mahabbat Ali Barbhuiya:Saptagram:A freedom fighter and recipient of Freedom Fighter’s Pension.

Mahabbat Ali  Laskar:Loknathpur:A political sufferer for joining freedom struggle and recipient of Freedom Fighter’s Pension @Rs.200.00 sanctioned in 1974 .Born in 1901  he joined Non-Cooperation Movement  in 1921  and in the middle of January  1922 he was arrested from his village and was tried by the then Deputy Commissioner,Cachar, G.D.Walker I.C.S and was awarded  six months imprisonment  at Silchar Jail.He died on 16.11.1975

Abdus Samad Laskar:Rajghat:Abdus Samad Laskar popularly known as Samad Mullah joined freedom movement and suffered and in recognition he was granted Freedom Fighters Pension.He passéd away in July 1986.He was awarded Tamrapatra in 1997 posthumously.

Some of the other known Freedom Fighters of Bam under banner of Congress party are:Krishnajiban Purkayastha, Binode Behari Das,  Gourmoni Nath,Ananta Kr.Das,Debendralal Choudhury,Aswini Kr Dutta,Tutiraja Barbhuiya,Moulvi Ozir Ahmed,Moulvi Abdul Hamid, Moulvi Ambar Ali  ,Moulvi Habib Ali ,Anfar Ali Choudhury, Alaudddin ,Asaddar Ali ,Deshanta Barman  and others.

Ahmad Ali Laskar:In his early youth during last part of freedom struggle, Ahmad Ali Laskar known as Ahmad Ali Miyasab of Bangram was a Muslim league follower and participated in League movement and took leading role during Sylhet referendum.  After independence he did not join any political party.