Ghaznavi, Abdul Karim

Ghaznavi, Abdul Karim (1872-1939) was a minister of undivided Bengal with ak fazlul haq as Chief Minister, a member of the Provincial Legislative Council and the Indian Central Legislative Assembly during pre-partition days. Abdul Karim Ghaznavi was born in the zamindar family of the village Delduar of Tangail on 25 August 1872. His father Abdul Hakim Khan Ghaznavi was a zamindar of Delduar. Begum Karimunnesa Khanam Chowdhurani (1855-1926) was his mother. Abdul Halim Abu Hossain Khan Ghaznavi (1876-1953) was his younger brother. begum rokeya (1880-1932) was their maternal aunt.

Abdul Karim Ghaznavi received education from St. Peter's School of Devonshire in England, the Wren and Gurney's Institution in London and London University. Afterwards he also studied for sometime in Jena University of German. He appeared but unsuccessfully, in the ICS Examination in 1890. On return home he took up the responsibility of the zamindari management.

Abdul Karim Ghaznavi started his Political career during the first decade of the 19th century. When the scheme of partition of Bengal had been materialised, he wholeheartedly supported it and opposed the nationalist movement to annul it.

Abdul Karim Ghaznavi had been a government nominated member of the Imperial Indian Legislative Council from the Muslim electorate of the province of East Bengal and Assam from 1909 to 1912 and that of the Viceroy Council of India from the Muslim electorate of the Bengal Presidency from 1913 to 1916. He was one of the non-government members of the 14-Member 'Muhammedan Educational Advisory Committee' formed under the leadership of W.W. Hornell, the then Director of Public Instructions on 30 June 1914 for the promotion of Muslim education.

Abdul Karim Ghaznavi became a nominated member of the Bengal Provincial Legislative Council (1924-1926) and held ministerial position for two times.

Karim Ghaznavi had given evidences to the Administrative Reforms Enquiry Committee in 1924. While giving those evidences he had commented that if the European democratic system was introduced in India, it might be harmful for the Indian Muslims. In 1927 under his leadership 15 distinguished Muslim leaders made a joint statement in the newspapers in support of the simon commission.

In recognition of his services to the country and to the government, Abdul Karim Ghaznavi was honoured with the knighthood in 1928 and 'Nawab Bahadur' in 1933.

Abdul Karim Ghazanvi retired on 10 May 1934 from the services of the Executive Council of the Governor of Bengal. He wrote three book entitled (i) Pilgrim Traffic to the Hedjaz and Palestine (2) Muslim Education in Bengal and (3) The Working of the Dyarchial System in Bengal.

He died on 24 July 1939 in Calcutta at the age of 66. [Muhammad Abdus Salam]