Shaista Khan was appointed the Subahdar of Bengal upon the death of Mir Jumla II in 1663. Upon his arrival, he was faced with putting down the Arakanese pirates. He took military and diplomatic preparations to launch a decisive campaign against Chittagong which was the mainstay of Arakanese Kingdom. In 1665 before launching the Chittagong Campaign Shaista Khan called upon Dilawar Khan of Sandwip to report at Bhulua and render assistance in the proposed campaign.

Dilawar Khan had been ruling Sandwip for almost 50 years. He was popularly known as Dilal Raja. Dilawar Khan took control of Swandip shortly after Gonzales had been ousted as vassal of the Arakan King. He had served as a naval commander under the Mughal Governor Ibrahim Khan ( 1618-22 AD). He played the Mughal Governor against the Arakan King. He fortified Sandwip in  such a way that it was difficult for outsiders to capture it. He also thwarted  Arakan King’s attempt at capturing Sandwip and routed a flotilla sent by the King. Although he swore formal allegiance to the Mughals he ruled the region independently.

When Dilawar Khan was asked for assistance by Shiasta Khan he verbally agreed to help but remained indifferent to the governor’s orders. Shaista Khan ordered his Naval Commander Abul Husssain to attack Sandwip. Abul Hussain launched his expedition on November 9, 1665. He demolished the forts at the creek of Sandwip. In an engagement with the Mughal force Dilawar Khan was wounded and fled. However, Abul Hossain didn’t dare to pursue Dilawar further. The Mughal Navy was reinforced by the addition of 141 boats and 1500 musketeers. Abul Hussain renewed attack on Sandwip on November 18, 1665. Dilawar who was about eighty years old at that time put up a vigorous resistance. However, the Mughal force was too strong for them to withstand. Dilawar and his son Sharif were wounded and captured. Dilawar and 92 of his relations and followers were sent in custody in charge of Munawwar Khan to Jahangirnagar (Dhaka) where Dilawar breathed his last after virtually ruling Sandwip for nearly fifty years. The capture of Sandwip paved the way for the Mughal invasion of Chittagong. Abdul Karim, brother of Rashid Khan, the faujdar of Chittagong ( 1672-73), was placed in charge of Sandwip.

Source: Chittagong District Gazetteer, General Editor SNH Rizvi, Dhaka 1970, pp 82-84

Banner image: Portrait of Shaista Khan.