The Aligarh Old Boys’ Association of Bangladesh originally styled as, Aligarh Old Boys’ Association of East Pakistan was organized in 1948 by the ex-students of the Muslim University of Aligarh, India, the abode of universal brotherhood and international amity.

The prime purpose of the Association was to promote an ethical spirit of unity among the Muslims of diverse origin, language and culture in East Pakistan by fostering homogeneous heritage of universal Islamic tradition.

To attain the desired end, a permanent office and a spacious space for as semblance were immediate essentials.

The Association was registered in 1960, and a spacious space at 146, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka was also managed to be allotted on payment of easy installments.

By 1966, the enlisted Members, consisting of honorable judges, lawyers, doctors, professors, engineers high officials, business magnets and industrialists exceeded more than six hundred. The vast majority of the enlisted members were migrants from India.

To perpetuate the cherished ideals, establishment of an University in the pattern of Muslim University of Aligarh, was also felt indispensable.

Field Martial Aiub Khan an ex-student of Muslim University, Aligarh and the then President of Pakistan on his visit to East Pakistan, promised to extend all necessary help in the matter of construction of an ambitious structure on the lease-hold at 146, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka.

His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan on his August visit in East Pakistan in December 1964 on the occasion to lay the foundation stone of the said building was also graciously pleased to promise to extend all financial helps to build and to run the said University.

But ultimately they all proved to be mere ‘mouth-made-vows.’

As a result the activities of the Association continued to remain as a “cafe”of fests and festivals.

On the issue of state language and the regional self-determination, the political atmosphere in East Pakistan by 1966, grew grave, rendering the future fate of the migrants almost uncertain causing them indifferent in all affairs of the Association.

By the middle 1971 almost all the non-Bengali members of the Association left Bangladesh.

On the advent of liberation of Bangladesh in December 1971, the residue meager Bangalee members discovered the Association on the verge of total sinking. The lease-hold confiscated for want of payment of lease instalments and default of erection of mandatory multi-storied building; the cash capital of the Association in hand as well as in Bank was reduced to ‘NIL’.

At this critical juncture, with all pangs and agonies, a few ardent and dedicated heroes of liberation war like Gen. M.A.G. Osmani, Capt. Munsur Ali, hon’ble Justice Ruhul Islam and a few others took the tremendous task to save and salvage the wrecks and ruins of the sinking vessel. To suit the changed political situation the article of the Association was amended with ideals of equal opportunity to all and universal brotherhood.

Under the influence of the affluent the then D.I.T. not only physically ousted the care-taker of the Association from the lease hold, but also proceeded to prepare process to transfer the lease hold to persons of their preference.

But due to interference of Gen. Osmani and Capt. Munsur Ali the influential Minister of the then Mujib Government the D.I.T. agreed to restore the lease hold in favour of the Association on payment of total arrear lease installments at a time and on construction of a multistoried building on the lease hold as early as possible.

The original subscription for membership was Tk. 1/= (one) per month which was subsequently raised to Tk. 25/= (twenty five) per annum. To raise the minimum fund to restore the possession of the land by paying the arrears due to D.I.T. an amount of Tk.1000/= (one thousand) was hurriedly introduced as subscription of life membership of the Association and all the members were earnestly requested to pay as much as possible as subscription and also as donation.

In response Khaja Hasan Ashkari Tk.3,610/-, Advocate Habibur Rahman Tk.2,500/-, Gen. M.A.G. Osmani, Justice Ruhul Islam, Engr. Waziuddin, Engr. Wahiduddin, Engr. M.A. Khan, Engr. M.A. Zaman, Engr. M.A. Sattar and Engr. Salar Khan Tk.2,000/- each, Mr. S. Alam Tk.500/- and Mr. M.A. Razzak Tk.250/-.

The entire arrear of D.I.T. is paid and the land restored.

On restoration of the lease hold the Association decided to erect and ambitious 21 storied high rise building on the lease hold on attaining financial solvency of the people of the recent war-devestated economy of Bangladesh.

With the unfortunate unholy assassination of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the fall of friendly Government of Gen. Osmani and Capt. Munsur Ali, the D.I.T. suddenly turned hostile and served another notice for the construction of the mandatory multistoried building within 1976 without fail and in default confiscation of the land. Thus the Association with no fund at hand was suddenly thrown into deep distress.

Prior to recent Amendment of the articles the President of the association use to be the oldest member for life, as such naturally feeble and infirm.

To face firmly the present heavy odds the AGM by unanimous resolutions endowed all the powers and privileges of the President on hon’ble Justice Ruhul Islam the then Vice-President and all the powers and privileges of the General Secretary on Advocate Habibur Rahman the then Joint Secretary of the Association.

The Association dropped the previous ambitious plan and decided to construct a smaller four storied building on the western smaller portion of the lease hold.

Even then at the moment the Association had no cash in hand; financial assistance from house building finance corporation was not available as the lease hold was in a commercial area ; commercial bank were not willing to advance in the absence of cach capital and source of income, any assistance from the then government could not be expected as that was not only hostile to the previous friendly government of Gen. Osmani and Capt. Mansur Ali but which also help and hailed the assassination of Capt. Monsur Ali along with others.

To fulfill mandatory formidable formalities when the Association earnest endeavor frantically was in search of source, one of the respected members of the Association, Mr. Hannan Chowdhory the then District Judge of Dhaka voluntarily advanced the entire money for the construction of the ground floor of the said four storied building ; and another respectable member Mr. Habibur Rahman, advocate supreme court advanced the same for the construction of the 1st floor of that building ; both were without interest and for unlimited time.

Thus the dishonest design of the D.I.T. was not only with dire defeat, but with the income of these 2 floors, the remaining 2nd and 3rd floor were constructed in no time. Immediately with the construction of the said four storied building, the association plunged into their long cherished social welfare charitable activities in the form of scholarship to poor meritorious students; lump grants to have-nots; and free medical service with free medicine to those who have less. Soon after to feed their ultimate English medium college and university in the pattern of Muslim University, Aligarh, a kindergarten English medium school in the name and style “Aligarh Model Academy” was started first at Kallyanpur then at Sir Syed Road, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, which when in full swing in progress prosperity and repute had to be closed in compliance of a degree from a learned court of justice.

At this stage to attain solvency sufficient to establish an academy in the pattern of Muslim University, Aligarh, the association again decided to construct a 14th storied high rise building of the major vacant portion of the land. And accordingly under the direct supervision of Engr. M.A. Khan a plan was prepared and got approved by Rajuk.

But the unscrupulous business bunglers did not lay invest. They motivated Rajuk to serve another short notice for the construction of a multi-storied building in the very short time.

The association again had drop it’s high ambition revised a plan for 7 storied building under the supervision of Engr. M.A. Khan.

To finance construction of the said building quotations were invited. The minimum demand for the 1st and 2nd floors were take 86,00,000/- (eighty six lacs) the major portion of which was to be paid in advance.

The association had only 22 lacs in hand at that time. After a few others a construction sub-committee was formed with Advocate Habibur Rahman at chairman and Prof. Dr. Kawthar Mustafa and Rtd. District Judge Mr. Abdur Razzak as members ; Engr. M.A. Khan was appointed as consultant.

With only 22 lacs of taka as incidental expenditure on labour payments, the construction committee managed to procure the major portion of the building materials on credit.

Immediately with the construction of the external structure of the 3 floors quotations for donations for 16 shops were invited ; and enormous amount of Tk.1.96 crore were collected with which not only the debts were repaid but construction of the rest was completed in n time.

A few tenants of the association after organizing a Society claimed the 1st and 2nd floors to be allotted to the members of that society only at a smaller amount of donation and rate of rent fixed by them.

The association allotted the 1st floor as a higher amount of donation and rate of rent by way of open competition.

To retaliate the said association filed a suit challenging the title of the association on the asst and properties of the said ; and also filed another money suit for Tk.50 crore as compensation for damage.

Being realized of the bleak fates of the said suits the members of the said society in secret criminal conspiracy and collaboration got registration of the association cancelled; and applied to the Govt. for transfer of the asset, properties of the association in favour of their another concocted association styled as “Society for Development of Noble Qualities” – and simultaneous secretly fling another suit procured and order from the learned court directly the district commissioned, Dhaka to take the possession of all the asset and properties of the association.

On information in the absence of Advocate Habibur Rahaman the then President of the association the General Secretary Prof. Dr. Kawthar Mustafa in close assistance from Barrister Raghib Rauf Chowdhury and young member of the association filed writ before the honorable High Court and got on instant stay order from their LORD HIPS ; subsequently the Govt. was also moved to restore the registration and punished the culprit.

On the expiry of tenure of office of Adocate Habibur Rahaman and Prof. Dr. Kawthar Mustafa on President and General Secretary respectively. Engr..N. Nabi and Prof. Dr. Md. Ibrahim were elected as President and General Secretary respectively.

Being frustrated by the stay order from the high court to cause financial difficulties and damage to charitable activities the member of the said society suddenly stop payment of rents and openly expressed to take other steps against the association unless the entire 2nd floor is allotted to them at the amount of donation and rate of rent fixed by them.

The then peace loving President and General Secretary to avoid long and lingering litigation and continued hostility, pending final disposal of the writ and restoration of the registration were forced to conclude a compromise by allotting all the shops of the said 2nd floor to the member of the said society as desired by them.

May Allah bless the business of the association.

On the expiry of the tenure of office said Engr. M.N. Nabi and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim the association elected Prof. Dr. Shamsul Huda Chowdhury and Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman a President and General Secretary f the association respectively.

Immediately with assumption of the office the most ardent and dedicated General Secretary along with several steps for the improvement of the association in ernest endeavour manage to purchase 90 decimals of land on the highway by the scat of Dhaka for the establishment of the long cherished academy in the pattern of Aligarh.

The boundary wall had been completed and a free medical service had been established on the premises and determined steps been taken to construct pacca structures to start with an English Medium College as early as possible.

May Allah help the association.