About Karimganj
Early period
The early history of present district of Karimganj, Assam, is hazy and
obscure. With available source materials and evidences, it is difficult
to construct a chronologically comprehensive account of early history
of the region. Only a broad outline, with major gaps, can be attempted.
From the Nidhanpur copper inscriptions issued by King Bhaskarbarman, it
is learnt that the region has been within the Kamrupa Kingdom for about
a hundred years since A.D. sixth century. The Aryanisation of the region
under the leadership of the pioneer immigrant Brahmins with plough-based
agriculture as economic basis had its beginning during this period. From
the Kalapur copper plates issued by Samata Marundanatha, it is learnt
that in the 7th Century A.D., this region, along with foothills of North
Cachar Hills had passed on to the Samatata Kingdom of the Eastern Bengal.
Of ourse, there is no direct evidence to prove it. In the 10th Century
A.D., King Srichandra of the renowned Chandra Dynasty of Eastern Bengal
incorporated the entire region within his Vanga Kingdom. During this period,
the Chandrapura Matha or monastery, situated at Panchakhanda (8 miles
From Karimganj town, now in Bangladesh), became a very reputed centre
of learning. According to the renowned historian D.C. Sarkar, the Chandrapura
Matha was the greatest centre of Hindu-learning in the entire Eastern
India of the early period. From two Bhatera inscriptions of Govindakeshava
Deva and Ishana Deva, it is learnt that there was an independent Srihatta
Rajya in the 12th Century within which the entire Karimganj District along
with a major portion of the Cachar plains were incorporated.
Middle Age
When Hazarat Shah Jalal, a warrior Muslim Saint from Yemen, conquered
Sylhet in 1328 A.D., Srihatta, along with a major portion of Karimganj
district passed on to the Bengal Sultanate. A portion of Karimganj district
comprising the present thana area of Patherkandi was under the control
of the Tripura King at that period. However, during the reign of Hussain
Shah (1483-1519), this region - at that time known as Pratapgarh - also
came under the Sultanate. We have two inscriptions - one of Hussain Shah,
and another of his son Mahmud Shah, found respectively at Kaliganj and
Suprakandi, to show that Bengal Sultanate had complete sway over this
entire region. The region, along with other parts of Sylhet, was incorporated
within the Mughal Empire in 1576 during the reign of Akbar. According
to Ain-I-Akbari, most of the areas of the district were placed under the
Pratapgarh Revenue Mahal of the Silhat Sarkar of the Mughals. The district
continued to be part of the Silhat Sarkar and Bangla Suba of the Mughals.
British Era and Freedom Movement
In 1765, the diwani of the Bangla Suba was taken over by the British East
India Company and the District of Sylhet, of which Karimganj was a part,
passed on to the British. However, upto 1786, the British could not establish
their hegemony over the entire region. A local Zamindar, Radharam, brought
under his administrative control, a vast region of Southern Karimganj,
and local people started calling him Nawab Radharam. His blatant defiance
of British authority brought the matters to a head, but Radharam could
survive two successive expeditions of the British contingents. Ultimately,
a reinforced contingent succeeded in capturing him after defeating his
native force. While he was being carried to Sylhet by the Company soldiers,
Radharam reportedly committed suicide. It is only with his fall in 1786
that the British could establish their complete authority in the region
around Karimganj.
In November 1857, three companies of the 34th Native Infantry stationed
at Chittagong mutinied and they subsequently emerged in the south-east
of the Sylhet District. At Latu village of present Karimganj district,
these rebel soldiers encountered a contingent of the Sylhet Light Infantry
under the command of Major Byng. The sepoys were defeated, but Major Byng
was killed. At Malegar hillock of Latu village, the graves of the fallen
rebels are still venerated by the local peple.
The Sub-division of Karimganj under the Sylhet District was created in 1878 with Karimganj town as its headquarters. The sub-division played an important role in the freedom movement. The famous Chargola exodus, one of the earliest organised labour movements of the country, had its origin in the Chargola valley tea-belt of Karimganj sub-division.
Partition & post-partition period
At the time of partition of the country, in 1947, the district of Sylhet
was transferred to East Pakistan barring three-and-half thana areas (Ratabari,
Patherkandi, Badarpur and half of Karimganj thana) of the Karimganj sub-division.
This truncated Karimganj sub-division was incorporated in the Cachar District
of Assam as a full-fledged sub-division. This sub-division was upgraded
to a district on the 1st of July, 1983, vide Govt. Notification no. GAG15/83/1
dated June 14, 1983.
If you want to know more about Karimganj, please visit official website
of karimganj www.karimganj.nic.in
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