Explore the hidden history of the Sundarbans reclamation under British rule. Uncover how the East India Company’s quest for revenue and control clashed with the powerful nexus of local Zamindars and notorious dacoits in colonial Bengal.

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The reclamation of the Sundarbans during the British Raj was not merely an environmental or economic venture; it was a complex process where the East India Company’s policies, local crime, and the interests of the powerful Zamindar class were intricately intertwined. To understand why British officials like Claude Russell or Tilman Henckel sought to convert this vast jungle into arable land, it is essential to grasp the socio-economic and security landscape of colonial Bengal. Analyzing the vested interests of native Zamindars and Talukdars in the Sundarbans reveals the full picture behind this British initiative.

The Official Rationale vs. The Economic Reality

Mr. F.D. Ascoli, Secretary to the Board of Revenue of Bengal, cited the improvement of public health around Calcutta and the destruction of sanctuaries for wildlife, smugglers, and pirates as the primary objectives for the Sundarbans reclamation. According to him, revenue generation was a secondary, less significant concern.

However, this claim seems to be only partially true. The Company officials’ keen interest in the salt trade and the potential for immense revenue from paddy cultivation in Jessore-Khulna, Bakarganj, and the 24 Parganas indicate that financial gain was far from a minor motive. The reclamation project led by Mr. Henckel on the banks of the Raimangal and Kalindi rivers between 1783-89 also included proposals for significant revenue for the Company, proving that the economic driver was central to the history of Sundarbans colonization.

The Menace of Dacoits: A Catalyst for Reclamation

One of the foremost reasons for the Sundarbans land reclamation was the escalating menace of dacoits (bandits) and pirates. W.K. Firminger’s Fifth Report provides detailed accounts of these criminal activities during the new phase of Sundarbans reclamation in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. A report from 1802 showed that dacoity and piracy had reached alarming levels in the regions bordering the Sundarbans.

The most disturbing aspect was the clear collusion between these criminals and local Zamindars of Bengal and their employees. The Company had strong reasons to believe that Zamindars not only encouraged and sheltered dacoits but also took a share of their loot. This created a severe law and order problem that threatened the Company’s trade routes and authority.

Ratnalekha Ray’s Change in Bengal Agrarian Society details the story of a notorious dacoit named Ainuddin Shikdar, who himself held land rights in the Sundarbans. During Henckel’s time, the terror of the Sundarbans was a dacoit named Hira Sardar. The deep-rooted local influence of these criminals, often with connections inside police stations, made it clear that simply policing the area was not enough. The entire ecosystem had to be changed.

The Complex Web of Zamindar Interests

The conflict between the Zamindars and the Company was not limited to border disputes; it extended to their direct involvement in plunder and dacoity. Before the British, a new Hindu Zamindar class had emerged under the Nawabs, with families like the Roychowdhurys of Taki and the Roys of Nadia establishing deep interests in the Sundarbans.

Their power was tied to the region’s natural resources: salt, timber, paddy, honey, wax, and oyster shells. Many Zamindars were involved in the illegal salt trade, directly challenging the Company’s monopoly. As the Company sought to formalize land reclamation and revenue collection, it inevitably clashed with these established, informal power structures. The Zamindars saw the British reclamation efforts as a direct threat to their economic and political autonomy.

Conclusion: A Story of Power, Profit, and Control

The British reclamation of the Sundarbans was driven by a dual agenda:

1. Securing Trade and Establishing Order: To make the vital waterways connecting Calcutta to eastern Bengal safe from pirates and dacoits.
2. Maximizing Revenue: To convert “unproductive” jungle into taxable agricultural land and control valuable resources like salt and timber.

This initiative, however, was not a simple administrative task. It was a direct confrontation with the deeply entrenched interests of the local Zamindars, who used the vast, untamed mangroves to their advantage. The history of the Sundarbans is, therefore, a compelling narrative of how colonial ambitions for power and profit reshaped a unique landscape and clashed with the complex social hierarchies of Bengal.