# Revolt of Rajab Ali

Part of a series on the :
History of Bangladesh :
Etymology
Timeline
Traditional
Urheimat :
Ancient Neolithic 7600 - 3300 BCE Bronze Age 3300 – 1200 BCE     Pundra kingdom c.1280 – c. 300 BCE Iron Age 1200 – 200 BCE Vanga kingdom c.1100 – c. 340 BCE      House of Vijaya 543 BCE - 66 CE Northern Culture 700 – 200 BCE Gangaridai c. 350 – c. 300 BCE Nanda Dynasty c. 345 BCE– c. 322 BCE Mauryan Empire 325 – 185 BCE Samatata kingdom c. 232 BCE – 800 AD Shunga and Kushan c. 185 BCE – c. 75 CE Southwestern Silk Road c. 114 BCE – c. 1450 CE Indo-Roman trade relations c. 30 BCE – c. 600 CE Gupta Empire 240 – 550 CE Kamarupa kingdom 350 – 1140 CE :
Medieval Jaintia Kingdom 500 – 1835 CE Gauda Kingdom 590 – 626 CE Laur kingdom 600 - 1565 CE Harikela kingdom 600 - 650 CE Gour Kingdom 600 – 1303 CE Khadga dynasty 650 – 750 CE Bhadra dynasty c. 700s CE Pala Empire 750 – 1100 CE Chandra dynasty 900 – 1050 CE Sena dynasty 1070 – 1320 CE Deva dynasty 1100 – 1250 CE Ghurid Conquest 1202 CE Khaljis of Bengal 1204 - 1231 CE Taraf Kingdom c. 1200s – c. 1600s CE Bhulua Kingdom 1203 – 1600s CE Delhi Sultanate 1204 – 1338 CE     Mamluk Dynasty 1206 – 1290 CE     Khalji Dynasty 1290 – 1320 CE     Tugluq Dynasty 1320 – 1338,1342 CECity State Sultanates     Sonargaon 1338 – 1352 CE     Lakhnauti/Gauda 1342 – 1352 CE     Satagon/Saptagram 1342 – 1352 CE Twipra Kingdom c. 1400 – 1949 CE Bengal Sultanate 1352 – 1576 CE     Ilyas Shahi dynasty 1342 – 1487 CE     House of Ganesha 1414 – 1436 CE     Habshi dynasty 1487 – 1494 CE     Hussein Shahi 1494 – 1538 CE     Suri Interruption 1539 – 1554 CE     Muhammad Shahi 1554 – 1564 CE     Karrani dynasty 1564 – 1576 CE Pratapgarh Kingdom 1489 – 1700s CE :
Early Modern Koch Kingdom 1515 – 1956 CE Suri Dynasty 1540 – 1556 CE Twelve Bhuyans 1550 – 1620 CE Porto Grande de Bengala 1528 – 1666 CE Kingdom of Mrauk U 1530 – 1666 CE Mughal Empire 1576 – 1717 CE     Bengal Subah 1576 – 1717 CE     Rajshahi Raj c. 1700s - 1950 CE     Zamindars 1700s - 1900s CE Pratapaditya Kingdom 1602 – 1611 CE Sitaram Ray Kingdom 1688 – 1714 CE Nawabs of Bengal 1717 – 1757 CE     Maratha Invasions 1742 - 1751 CE     Siege of Calcutta 1756 CE Shamsher Gazi's Kingdom 1748 – 1760 CE Company Raj 1757 – 1858 CE     Bengal famine of 1770 1770 CE     Bengal Renaissance 1772 - 1913 CE     Faraizi Movement 1818 – 1884 CE     The Great Rebellion 1857 – 1858 CE Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya 1830 – 1831 CE     Titumir's rebellion 1830s CE British Raj 1858 – 1947 CE     Partition of Bengal 1905 CE     Bengal and Assam 1905 - 1912 CE     Bengal Famine 1943 CE     Bengali Prime Minister 1937 - 1947 CE     Noakhali riots 1946 CE :
Modern East Bengal 1947 – 1955 CE     Partition of Bengal (1947) 1947 CE     East Bengali refugees 1947 CE     Bengali Language Movement 1948 – 1956 CE East Pakistan 1955 – 1971 CE     1964 East Pakistan riots 1964 CE     Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 1965 CE     Six Point Movement 1966 CE     East Pakistan Uprising 1969 CE     Pakistani general election 1970 CE     Non-cooperation 1971 CE Bangladesh Liberation War 1971 CE     Independence Declaration 1971 CE     Provisional Government 1971 – 1972 CE     Bangladesh Genocide 1971 CE     Surrender of Pakistan 1971 CE :
Contemporary Bangladesh famine 1974 CE Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League 1975 CE Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 1975 CE Jail Killing Day 1975 CEMilitary rule 1975 – 1990 CE Military coups in Bangladesh 1975 - 2011 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict 1977 - 1997 CE Mass Uprising 1990 CETransition to democracy 1991 – 2008 CE Caretaker government of Bangladesh 1996 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 1997 CE Bangladeshi political crisis 2006–2008 CEHasina era 2009–2024 CE Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh 2008 CE Bangladesh Rifles revolt 2009 CE Shapla Square protests 2013 CE Bangladesh quota reform movement 2013 CE International Crimes Tribunal 2009 CE 2015 Bangladeshi political crisis 2015 CE 2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests 2018 CE 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement 2018 CE 2021 Bangladesh Communal Violence 2021 CE Smart Bangladesh Bangladesh protests (2022–2024) 2022- 2024 CE July Revolution 2024 CEAftermath of July Revolution 2024–present CE Yunus ministry :
Related articles
Timeline of Bangladeshi history
Bangladeshi art
Bengali literature :
Bangladesh portal :
vte :
Rajab Ali Khan (Bengali: রজব আলী খাঁন), also known as Havildar Rajab Ali, was a soldier of the Bengal Regiment who defected during the Sepoy Revolt of 1857. He commanded the rebels at Chittagong and was chased by British forces as far as Sylhet and Manipur.

## Description

The identity of Havildar Rajab Ali is quite unclear. Many historians and researchers consider him to be a resident of Sandwip, an island off the coast of Chittagong. At a young age, he joined the Bengal Regiment as a sepoy and was later promoted to a 4th Company Havildar. The 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry had 120 havildars only. At that time, he was living at the Parade Ground army camp near Pahartali, which was under the charge of Captain PHK Dewaal.

## Rebellion

On 12 November 1857, four hundred sepoys of the 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry called for rebellion against the British East India Company. Among the sepoys of Chittagong, the sepoys of Barrackpore were also present. It is thought that it was the latter who arrived in Chittagong to spread the revolt. The sepoys attacked the armoury and treasury, collecting weapons and equipment. After attacking the British jail, they freed all the prisoners. Rajab Ali Khan commanded the 2nd, 3rd and 4th regiments along with sepoy Jamal Khan. At that time, many officers faced casualties. In panic, the British soldiers took shelter in the ships at sea. Chittagong was independent of British rule for thirty hours. After attacking the barracks, the rebels left Chittagong with elephants, ammunition and other necessary supplies though at one point they did become weak due to lack of supplies.
The rebels decided to take refuge in a safe area of independent Tripura. Havildar Rajab Ali Khan took over the management of the rebel sepoys. A report by Captain PHK Dewaal of the Bengal Regiment quoted local sources as saying that Rajab Ali had crossed the Feni River with the rebel forces towards the Tripura border. But before that, the British commissioner of Chittagong sent a message to the Maharaja of Tripura Ishan Chandra Manikya to repel the rebel sepoys. The king of Tripura joined hands with the British and made preparations to stop the rebels. The rebels reached the gateway of independent Tripura on 2 December via Sitakunda. They saw that many armed soldiers were waiting there to stop them. The rebels were forced to move towards the hilly areas of British Tripura (Comilla), though the army of Tripura chased them.
The rebels then crossed the inaccessible road and reached Sylhet near the British protectorate of Manipur. Major Baing of the Sylhet Light Infantry in the border area attacked the rebels there. In a fierce battle Major Baing was killed and the British forces under him were defeated. Even then the British and the local forces fought side by side. Many people died on their side in a few battles. Survivors of the attack eventually had to seek refuge in the nearby mountains.

## Defeat

Finally, on 9 January 1858, Rajab Ali Khan fought his last battle against British forces at Malgram in Karimganj. His forces had crossed the hills near the Kachari Kingdom and took up position at Sabashpur near Mohanpur Tea Garden. The British forces were notified of this through the local zamindars and launched a surprise attack led by Lieutenant Ross. Rajab Ali Khan fought with a small number of his troops but was defeated in the face of heavy casualties. 70 sepoys were killed in the battle and many more were injured. Along with Rajab Ali Khan, three or four survived by the end of the battle. In the face of continued pursuit by British forces, they went into hiding hid in the deep hilly forests near Manipur. The final report of the British forces said that they could not be found. Havildar Rajab Ali Khan's life came to an end in the public eye.