Khawāja Uthmān Khān Lōhānī (Bengali: খাজা উসমান খাঁন লোহানী), popularly known as Khwaja Usman, was a Pashtun chieftain and warrior based in northeastern Bengal.
[6] Collectively known as the Eastern Afghan Confederates, Usman's belonged to an influential community which gave allegiance to the Delhi and Bengal Sultanates and opposed Mughal rule.
[8] The defeat of the Sultanates led to the emergence of the Baro-Bhuyans of Bengal; a collection of independent chieftains who would unite in alliance to resist Mughal invasion.
The governor of Bihar at the time, Man Singh I, defeated Nasir Lohani two years later due to his betrayal of the Mughal Empire.
Khwaja Isa Khan Lohani succeeded Qutlu as the leader of the Eastern Afghan Confederates and reigned for five years.
After the death of Emperor Akbar in 1605, Usman was able to rebuild and develop Bokainagar Fort into a powerful military base consisting of 20,000 soldiers.
[14] Usman also established two other forts in Hasanpur and Yarasindur and took advantage of the Brahmaputra River to separate himself from the Mughal territory in the west.
[3] He crossed the Brahmaputra in winter 1607 where he defeated the Mughal thanadars of Alapsingh,[note 1] Sajawal Khan and Baz Bahadur Qalmaq.
[16] This news came to Man Singh I, who immediately set off from Dacca and a day later battled Usman on the banks of the Banar River.
Other than Musa Khan, the other rebels were made to join the Mughal force travelling to Bokainagar to defeat Usman; who had now become the main target of the Empire.
The Mughals attained a victory by making use of the cannons at their fort and Usman's forces were heavily defeated; fleeing back to Bokainagar for safety.
However, Anwar Khan of Baniachong had hopelessly surrendered in battle against Raja Satrajit of Bhusna; later being imprisoned and made blind.
Usman gifted the valleys near Pargana Satgaon to the Hindu Om family, who had aided him in defeating Subid Narayan.
[23] In a campaign led by Haji Shamsuddin Baghdadi and the three brothers, Mirza Saqi, Baqi and Pattani, the Eastern Afghan Confederates at Taraf were defeated in a battle compared by the Baharistan-i-Ghaibi to the Day of Resurrection.
Defeated in a fourth assault, the Afghans fled to Khwaja Usman at Uhar leading to the Mughal annexation of Taraf.
Usman replied to this message saying that he would like to make peace as long as he can tranquilly rule in Uhar, a place not yet conquered by the Mughal Empire.
[27] When Shajaat Khan heard of this, he positioned an artillery battery fastened to the areca catechu trees that were opposite of Usman's marsh.
Iftikhar Khan Turkmen approached Shajaat and pleaded him to once more send a peace message to Usman, who was a fellow Muslim.
Usman was offered a chance to become a mansabdar of 5000 and be completely pardoned, if he personally submits himself to Emperor Jahangir, sends them all his tuskers and one of his sons or brothers as hostage in addition to paying them rent.
The Mughals were close to securing an swift victory but Mirza Bey Aymaq had mistakenly exclaimed that Usman's army were on the right side.
Some of Usman's infantry crossed to the Mughal side of the marsh and they were met by Shaykh Achha, Sabit Khan and Mustafa.
[7] Usman's family and the Sarhangs brought his dead body back to Uhar and buried it at an unmarked spot between two hills.
The illegal occupiers had built shops and planted trees in the governmental territory but were not prosecuted due to their close links with the Awami League - Bangladesh's ruling political party.
30% of the land, including Usman's fort, was said to have been illegally occupied by local Awami League member Jamshed Miah.
Located in the western part of Usman's estate, the tomb was restored by the Bir Pathan Khwaja Osman Khan Memorial Implementation Council.
Many notable individuals were present at the inauguration such as Usman's descendant Mawlana Ghazi Muhammad Sirajul Islam Suruki Lohani who was the President of the named Council.
Others present were Shuaybur Rahman (a successor of Fultoli) and Shaykh Muhammad Misir Mian (a noted freedom fighter).