Yar Mohammad Khan

Yar Mohammad Khan (September 9, 1920 – August 29, 1981) was one of the founders and the first treasurer of the Bangladesh Awami League, the main political party that eventually led Bangladesh's struggle for independence against the West Pakistan regime.

Khan’s residence at 18, Karkun Bari Lane, Dhaka, was the League’s party office for its first few years.

As treasurer, he donated a Jeep and a newspaper, The Daily Ittefaq, to the party.

His able financing helped mobilize and galvanize the Awami League in its initial stages, bolstered its strength, and helped catapult it into the leading party in Bangladesh’s independence movement.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman expressed his views about a prominent leader like Yar Mohammad Khan in his autobiography The Unfinished Memoirs.

In January 1948 Shamsul Haque and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to establish a newly organized Muslim League and therefore they created a workers camp at 150 Mogultuli.

In February 1948, Professor Ibrahim Khan resigned from south Tangail and Maulana Bhashani won that seat in by election.

Yar Mohammad Khan was one of the key founders of the Awami Muslim League in 1949.

Presenting to you as a historical masterpiece in the words of Sheikh Shaheb in his biograpbiography The Unfinished Memoirs.

The following scripts are written by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In 1949, Moulana Bhasani discussed the possibility of forming a new political party with disaffected elements of the East Pakistan Muslim League.

A committee, headed by Bhashani, as president, and Yar Mohammad Khan, as secretary, was established to organize a June 23 conference, at which the resolution creating the Awami Muslim League was adopted.

"In 1949 People were gearing up for a grand meeting of workers. From our jail cell we came to know that elaborate preparations going on. An office has been set up at 150 Mughaltuli. Shawkat Mia was looking after all the logistical details. Who else in Dhaka was competent enough to take care of food and accommodation matters? Yar Mohammad Khan, a veteran League worker of Dhaka was assisting him. Mr. Khan was resourceful in that he had the finances and the manpower to help. The party was formed and named East Pakistan Awami Muslim League. Moulana Bhasani was made President, Shamsul Huq was General Secretary, Ataur Rahman Khan, Vice President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Joint Secretary and Yar Mohammad Khan, Treasurer. The Unfinished Memoirs Page-129"

150, Mogultuli, Dhaka was a famous party place for Muslim League.

Shamsul Haque got huge support from Yar Mohammad Khan, Shawkat Ali, Aziz Ahmed and others and won the by election on 26 February 1949.

Chief Minister Nurul Aminpostponed the election and a case was filed against Shamsul Haque.

South Tangail seat remained vacant.

When Maulana Bhashani was released from Jail he came to Mogultuli and declared that the conspiracy of west Pakistan hast to stop.

A committee was formed where Bhashani was the President and Yar Mohammad Khan became the Secretary.

Being afraid of Bhashani's activity against west Pakistan many people turned their back.

But during such a time Kazi Humayun Bashir declared that Maulana Bhashani along with Yar Mohammad Khan can organize the meeting at his house Rose Garden located at K.M Das Lane, Dhaka.

The meeting began on 23 June 1949 and at least 300 people attended that meeting.

Finally a new party was formed named as Awami Muslim League opposing Muslim League.

The organizers declared that they do not want to be a part of Muslim league anymore as they remain neglected.

They formed Awami Muslim League so that they can say something against Muslim League's negligence.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in prison, so he couldn't attend that meeting.

The committee declared Maulana Bhashani as president, Ataur Rahman Khan as vice president, Shamsul Haque as General Secretary, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Joint Secretary and Yar Mohammad Khan as a treasurer of the Awami Muslim League.

The three storied house of Yar Mohammad Khan located at 18, Karkun Bari Lane in Dhaka became the first Party office of Awami Muslim League, which later become Awami League.

Begum Jahanara Khan wife of Yar Mohammad Khan during those days used to cook lunch and dinner for the Awami League party workers.

Before cooking, Begum Jahanara Khan used to ask everyday to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman about the number of workers available for lunch and dinner and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman replied today 14 workers for lunch and 18 workers for dinner.

Begum Jahanara Khan at Karkun Bari Lane entertained the Awami League party workers during that time made enough contribution to bond the party workers further like a family.

On June 24, 1949 Awami Muslim League held up a public meeting at Armanitola Maidan,

"We of course knew that Liaquat Ali Khan was coming to Dhaka on 11 October 1949 who told journalists he had no idea what Awami League was! So we called another public meeting in Armanitola Maidan on 11 October 1949. We had one microphone and our workers went around on a horse carriage to announce the date and time of the meeting. Muslim League attacked them and snatched away the microphone from them. I took along with me students league's leader Nurul Islam and Chawk Bazar's Nazir Mia and Abdul Halim. We headed for their Victoria Park Office since I found out that they reassembled there. They used to hang around the first floor of the Cooperative Bank building.

When we reached the building we found them deep in discussion.

I knew two of them Ibrahim and Alauddin from my Muslim League days.

I said, Why have you snatched our microphone away?

That is very unfair.

Instead Maulana Bhashani was banned for election till 1950.

A new date for by election was declared for South Tangail.

Pakistan Muslim League nominated Khurram Khan Ponni of Korotia, while Shamsul Haque was nominated from East Pakistan.