The Cortier zamindars of Tangail have enriched our native history and tradition. They had an outstanding contribution to the anti-British movement. Tofail Hossain Tofasani’s research article is dedicated to you: –
Wazed Ali Khan Panni was the most zealous of the Cortier zamindars. He was imprisoned in 1921 for his anti-British independence movement despite being a zamindar and president of the Mymensingh District Congress and Khilafat Committee, vice-president of the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee and a member of the Executive Council of the All India Congress. His oil paintings, kept in the British Museum, are still remembered for his unwavering attitude and perseverance in the anti-British movement.
Wazed Ali Khan Panni was born on 14 November 181 in the famous zamindar family of Cortia.
The ‘Sadat College’ (1926) established by Cortier in the name of the grandfather founded by Chand Mia stands proudly in spreading education in Tangail i.e. greater Mymensingh. The famous Muslim Education Conference was held in Cortia (1910). On his initiative a Muslim education conference was held all over Bengal in Kortia and Rokeya Madrasa was established in the name of his wife (1926). Chand Mia upgraded his father’s secondary school to a school of higher English education and renamed it Hafez Mahmud Ali Institution (1901). He has also donated money to many educational institutions, magazines and books.
Wazed Ali Khan Panni was unique in giving. That is why he was called ‘Danbir’, ‘Second Mohsin’. He died on April 25, 1936 in Cortia.

Kortia Zamindari or Panni family is an ancient zamindar family of Tangail district. Sadat Ali Khan Panni of the Panni family of this zamindari started living in Kortia in the early seventeenth century and they became known as the zamindars of Kortia.

In the early nineteenth century, Sadat Ali Khan became embroiled in various lawsuits over the ownership of Panni property. With the help of Khwaja Alimullah, the zamindar of Dhaka, he recovered the ancestral property, but Khwaja Alimullah got the decree of usurpation by filing a counter case for breach of conditions. Sadat Ali Khan then bequeathed it to his wife Jamrudunnesa Khanam to protect the property. Later, however, a compromise was reached between the two parties. Sadat Ali Khan left 6 annas of the property to Khwaja Alimullah. Then Sadat Ali Khan and his wife Jamrudunnesa Khanam jointly wrote a deed in the year 1226 AD. In it, all the property is divided into two parts, one part is for family expenses and the other part is for waqf for religious and charitable purposes. Provision was made for the appointment of mutawalli to look after the waqf property. After the death of Sadat Ali Khan Panni, his son Hafez Mahmud Ali Khan Panni was Mutawalli. After the death of Mahmud Ali Khan Panni (1897), a dispute arose between his son Wazed Ali Khan Panni (Chand Mia) and his grandmother Jamrudunnesa Khanum over who would be Mutawalli. Eventually Wazed Ali Khan Panni won and managed the zamindari efficiently.

Wazed Ali Khan Panni (Chand Mia) was the most famous of the Kortia zamindarkul. He concentrated on providing all facilities to the tenants including expansion of zamindari. He established the Hafez Mahmud Ali Institution in Kortia in 1901. On his initiative the All Bengal Muslim Education Conference was held in Kortia in 1908. It was presided over by Nawab Sir Salimullah. In 1910, Chandmia organized the Muslim Education Conference at Kortia. He was vice-president of the Mymensingh District Congress and the Bengal Provincial Committee. He was imprisoned in 1921 in protest of some unjust measures taken by the British government. Sadat College (1928) established by Wazed Ali Khan Panni at Kortia is a unique college established by Muslims in East Bengal. In the same year he established Rokeya High Madrasa. He donated a large amount of property in 1926 for public works. In this waqf document, the annual net income excluding all expenses is assumed to be Rs. 60,000. From this money 20,000 rupees was left for the maintenance of one’s family and the rest of the money was donated to help schools, colleges, hospitals, mosques etc. He died in 1936.

Wazed Ali Khan’s father, Hafez Mahmud Ali Khan Panni, sponsored and sponsored by Munshi Naimuddin, published the newspaper Islamia from Kortia in 184. Books of Atiyar written by Rasik Lal Bose, Fatwa Alamgiri (translation), Maulana Naeem Uddin’s Jubdatul Masael etc. were published from Kortia Zamindar Bari Press. Hafez Mahmud Ali Khan established Mahmudia Madrasa and Secondary School in Panni Kortia.

Wazed Ali Khan’s grandson Khurram Khan Panni was the chief whip of the East Pakistan Provincial Council and an ambassador. Another grandson Humayun Khan Panni was the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Bangladesh. Wazed Ali Khan Panni (II), son of Khurram Khan Panni, was a Deputy Minister in the Government of Bangladesh.
The iron house of Kortia zamindar house, Rokeya Mahal, Dawood Mahal have survived as historical witnesses.
Sonia Panni, daughter of current Motawalli Wajid Ali Khan Panni and former Speaker Humayun Khan Panni of Kortia Waqf State, has been looking after all her father’s property.