Uzair Khan (Persian: عزیر خان), popularly known as Wazil Khan (Bengali: ওয়াজিল খান),[1] was an officer of the Bengal Sultanate during the reign of Sultan Ruknuddin Barbak Shah. He was the appointed Khan-i-Azam of Bakla (present-day Barisal, Bangladesh).[2]
Khān-i-Aʿẓam Wazil Khan | |
|---|---|
| عزیر خان ওয়াজিল খাঁন | |
| 1460s | |
| Governor of Bakla | |
| Monarch | Barbak Shah I |
| Personal | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Teachers | Khan Jahan Ali |
| Muslim leader | |
| Based in | Jessore Gournadi Qasba |
Background
editIt is said that Khan was an Arabian merchant and a follower of Khan Jahan Ali, a Muslim preacher and the Khan-i-Azam of Khalifatabad (present-day Khulna Division, Bangladesh).[3] Ali is credited for the architectural development of Khalifatabad, where he also contributed to propagating Islam through the construction of various mosques in the region which acted as important community centres.[4] Ali later instructed a group of his followers under the leadership of Wazil Khan to spread out. Wazil Khan then led the group by boat from Sheikherghat, Jessore to Gournadi in Chandradwip (Barisal) where they settled.[5]
Career
editKhan served as an officer under Sultan Ruknuddin Barbak Shah (r. 1459–1474), the Sultan of Bengal of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty. He was stationed in the Bakla region (present-day Barisal, Bangladesh). In 870 AH (1465–1466 CE), he established a shahi mosque in present-day Mirzaganj, Patuakhali.[6] The mosque is thought to be the earliest mosque and brick-structure in the region.[7]
See also
edit- Sabi Khan, 17th-century Mughal governor of Bakla
- Mirza Agha Baqer
References
edit- ^ Ujjal, Ghulam Ashraf Khan (11 July 2015). অনন্য স্থাপত্যশৈলীর প্রাচীন মসজিদ. Samakal (in Bengali).
- ^ Bangladesh Directory. Times Publications. 1998.
- ^ Bulbul, Saiful Ahsan (2012). "মসজিদবাড়ির মসজিদ, মির্জাগঞ্জ" [The mosque of Masjidbari, Mirzaganj]. বৃহত্তর বরিশালের ঐতিহাসিক নিদর্শন [Historic signs of Greater Barisal] (in Bengali). Dhaka: Gotidhara.
- ^ CyArk. Potts, Andrew (ed.). "Who Was Khan Jahan Ali?". Google Arts and Culture. ICOMOS Working Group on Cultural Heritage and Climate Change.
- ^ Amin, Ruhul. "খানজাহান আলী ও বিদ্যানন্দকাটী খানজাহান দীঘি". Panjia College (in Bengali).
- ^ Khan, Ahmad Nabi (2003). Islamic Architecture in South Asia: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh. Oxford University Press. p. 124. ISBN 9780195790658.
- ^ Ahmad Hasan Dani (1957). "Analysis of the Inscriptions". Asiatic Society Of Pakistan Vol-ii.