On behalf of the Dhaka Nawab Family members and the community Helpline Charitable Foundation has presented a plaque to K.M.Halim. This award ceremony was held at Topo Kapi restaurant during the 2nd annual meeting of the Helpline. This award was given to him in recognition of his selfless & dedicated lifetime service to the family.
K.M. Halim was born in Dhaka in a religious family. His father K.M. Salim was a poet and a life member of the Moulvi Abdullah Welfare Trust. He was inspired by his grand father K Soleman Quader & K Humayun Quader (political activist), uncle K.M.Alim (sportsman), and brother in law K.Khairuddin (politician). In his long career among other he worked as the manager of a tea estate in Sylhet.
Young Mr. Halim drew everyone’s attention when he criticized the compromise deed of the Trust. He could foresee the death of hockey in Nawabbbari’s youth due to the annexation of the Bara Chakkar by the Nawab Estate.
The first public office K.M.Halim aimed for was the post of a BD member (Ayub Khan’s basic democracy) but ultimately stepped down in favor of his brother in law KK.
Right after the liberation war, when the family was in disarray K.M.Halim stepped forward. Arms were abundant and the law & order had deteriorated considerably in the newly liberated country. In order to protect the family members he proposed building three gates enclosing Nawabbari. With the financial support of his father in law K.M.Musharraf, three gates (one near the Nawabbbari mosque, one near Badamtali and the last one near Dariya Kenaar- Khankah of Syed K Najmuddin) were built. He took a leading role in building Shaheed Minar near Maktab.
K.M.Halim was elected the Dhaka city committee member of the President Khondokar Mustaque’s Democratic League. He worked hard to organize BNP (Bangladesh nationalist Party) at the Thana and the City level during the early years of President Zia’s regime. K.M.Halim was a nominated Commissioner of ward no 51 (Nawabbari/Shakhari Bazar, Patuatuli, Hockers Market area) during the rule of Preident H.M.Ershad. Under his stewardship Ahsanullah Road and all the by lanes of the Nawabbari area were excavated and reconstructed. The outdated street lamps were replaced by fluorescent bulbs. For the same constituency he fought but lost the ward commissioner election twice-once against Dr. Moazzem and once against Jagannath University student leader Abul Bashar. Mr.Halim did not let the leadership of the Nawab Family in the political arena slip unchallenged.
He kept himself involved with many social organizations notably DHAKA SAMITY. He was elected a member of the Moulvi Abdullah Welfare Trust and served as the Secretary for a decade. He had bought many historical artifacts from the Nawab Estate auction and also collected few through personal initiative. These priceless saved items were later donated to the Ahsan Manzil museum. He helped translate historical diaries of Khwaja Moudud and Khwaja Shamsul Huq. He represented the family in numerous interviews and seminars. As the Motawalli of Rasul Baksh Waqf Estate he has transformed the Begum Bazar graveyard into a truly peaceful resting place.
Anas Khwaja
