PLAN OF OONTENTSr C h a p t e r . P a g e I—P h y s ic a l A s p e c t s ... ... ... 1—17 II.—H is t o b y ... ... ... ... 18—54 III.—T h e P e o p l e ... ... .... 55—70 IV.—P u b l ic H e a l t h ... ... ... 71—$i *V.—“E c o n o m ic . C o n d it io n o f t h e P e o p l e ... 8 2 — 88 VI.—Ag r ic u l t u r e ... ... ... 89—103 VII—T r a d e a n d I n d u s t r ie s ... ... ... 104—126 VIII.—N a t u r a l C a l a m it ie s ... ... 127—131 IX.—M e a n s o f C ommunication ... ... 132—135' X.—G e n b r a l A dministration ... ... 136—146 X I .— I»a n d R e v e n u e A dministbation ... ... 147—154 XII.—L o c a l S e l f -*g o v e r n m e n t ... ... 155—158 XIII.—E d u c a t io n ... ... ... 159—169 XIV.—G a z e t t e e r ... ... ... ... r70—192 I n d e x ... ... ... •... 193—195 PREFACE. The history chapter of this Gazetteer was written by Mr. J. T. Rankin, I.C.S. Exigencies of space necessitated its compression but'to him entirely is due whatever merit it possesses. I desire to acknowledge with gratitflde the assistance rendered by C«lonel Hall, I.M.S., who examined the chapter on Public Health: Nawab Khwaja Muhammad ^ Yusuf, Chairman of the Dacca Municipality, Khan Bahadur Saiyid Aulad Husain, Babu Shoslii Bhusan Mitra, late District Engineer, and the staff t>f the Collectorate. B. C. ALLEN. TABLE 01) CONTKWTS. CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL ASPECTS. P ao% G e n e r a l D e s c r ip t io n .* Origin o£ name—Boundaries—Natural divisions —S c e n e r y . The Madhupur jungle—Hills—Ri v e r S y ste m . The Padma—The Dhaleswari—The Buri Ganga—The Ichhamati. The Lakshya—The Meghna—Islands—G e o lo g y . F a u n a . Birds — Fisheries—Cl im a t e . Prevailing w inds—Rainfall ... ... J.—17 CHAPTER II. HISTORY. E a r l y H ist o r y . Buddhist tradition—Overthrow of Buddhism—The Sen kings—Ballal Sen—Fall of the Sen kings—Early Muhammadan period—Bahadur Khan—Fakhr-ud-din—Dynasty of Haji Ilyas— Sikandar Shah—Ghiyas-ud-din—Raja Kans and his descendants— Nasir Shah—Husain Shah—Administration of Sher# Shah—The twelve Bhuiyas—Isa Khan—Further opposition to Mughals-rThe •Portuguese—Ralph Fitch’s account of Dacca—Thi? N awabs of Dacca I slam Khan Kasim Khan -Ibrahim Khan Mahabat Khan— Wukarram Khan—Mirza Hidayatullah—Kasim Khan—Azim Khan— Islam Khar^ Mashadi—Shah Shuja—Mir Jumla—Shaista Khlin— Murshid Kuli Jafar Khan—Dacca under Deputies - The last Nawabs— Extinction of family of Naib Nazim—Th e E n g l is h fa c t o r y at D acca. Seizure of factory'in 1688—Military establishment of the factory— Establishment at factory - Private trade—Seizure o? factory ‘ in 1756—Capture ol factory Tin 1763—Site of factory—The Provincial Council—The Dutch—The French—The Portuguese—Dacca undy British rule—Dacca during the Mutiny—Dacca after the partition ... 18—54 CHAPTER ill.' THE PEOPLE. E a r ly est im a t e s op t h e p o p u l a t io n . The censuse&.of 1872, 1881,1891 —The census of 190\—The census "of 1911—Density—Migration— Towns—Villages—Marriage—Amusements-Sex and Age—Language —Newspapers—RnLiQiONS. Muhamxnadans—Muhammadan castes— Muhammadan shrines—Hindu fesfiyals-~Hind,u shrines—Hindu castes—Hindu on^ens and superstitions—Christianity . The *Romnn Catholics—Protestant missions—The Sfkhs ... ... ... 55—70 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PUBLIC Hi^LTH. 1’ape Vita l st a t ist ic s . Healthiness of district—Fever—Cholera—Dysentery an d diarrhoea—Small pox—Plague—Other diseases--MEDicAL i n s t i - TUTiONS--The Mitford Hospital—The Victoria Hospital at Narayan­ ganj—Dispensaries—Lunatic Asylum—Sanitary condition of Dacca— Narayanganj—Sanitation in the interior 7 1 -8 1 CHAPTER V. ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. S ocial organisation of t h e p e o p l e . Rents : different classes of laud —Rents Other cesses—Prices—Wages—Dwellings—Dress—Jewel­ lery—Economic condition of the people 8 2 -8 8 CHAPTER VI. AGRICULTURE. G e n e r a l c o n d it io n s. Soils—Rainfall—Population supported by agri­ culture—Irrigation—Rice—Boro paddy—Aus—Aman ; long stemmed aman—Transplanted aman or sail—Wild paddy—Accidents of fliltivation —Wheat and barley—Millet—Sugarcane —Oilseeds— Pulses—Fibres—Jute—Grass and fuel crops—Vegetables and garden crops—Dye crops—Extension of cultivation—Improved methods of cultivation—Manures—Cattle 89v-103 CHAPTER VII. JADE AND INDUSTRIES. E a r l y t r a d e o f Dacca. Dutch and English factories—The French factory—Trade in cloth in the days of the Mughals—Decline of trade in cotton goods—Indfgo—Trade in 1839—Trade at the present day— Tr*de routes and centres —The jute trade—The hide trade—Weaving— Embroidery—Gold and silver smith’s work—Shell-carving—Other industries—Weights and measures ... 104— 126 CHiSPTER VIII. NATURAL CALAMITIES. The fam ine of 1769-70—The famine of 1784—The famine of 1787-88 -*The scarcity of 1906—The tornado of 1888—The tornado of 1902—Earth­ quakes * ... 127—131 CHAPTER IX. MEANS Oli1 COMMUNICATION. *Wailwajts. „ The waterw ays —Hoads —Postal service—Ferries 132—135 * CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. P a g e S t a f f a n d administrative subdivisions . Early system of administra­ tion—Changes in district boundaries—R e v e n u e —Excise—Stamps— Cesses —Income-tax—Registration—Civil justitee—Criminal justice— Crim«-^-Police—Jails ... ... ...136-146 ... * ... CHAPTER XI. LAND REVENUE. L and r e v e n u e sy ste m in days o f n a t iv e r u l e . Abwabs—Sayer—Land revenue under the Company — Position of tli-s zamindars —Different classes of estates—Permanently settled estates—Temporarily settled estates—Estates held in direct management-Subordinate tenures — Tenants 147-154 CHAPTER XII. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT. D ist r ic t Bo ards. L ocal Boar ds. M unicipalities . D8cca—Narayan­ ganj ... ... ... •. 155 —J 58 CHAPTER XIII. EDUCATION. ES r l y h is t o r y o f e d u c a t io n . Education on European methods— Progress of education—Distribution of literates—Co l l e g ia t e .e d u c a ­ t io n . The Dacca College—The Jagannath College—High or Entrance schools—Middle schools - Primary schools—Instruction in teaching * — Special instruction—The Dacca Medical school—Muhammadan education—Female education—European and special schools—Admin- istAtoive staff ... 159—169 CHAPTER XIY» GAZETTEER. 170-192 GAZETTEER OF THE DACCA DISTRICT. CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL ASPECTS. The district of Dacca is situated- between 23° -14' and 24° 2 0 ' north and 89° 45' and 90? 59' east Jbout.the centre of the Pro-, vince of Eastern Bengal. It covers an area of 3,250 square miles* and in 1911 contained a population of 2,960,402. The principal town, D*acca, is situated in 23° 43' north and 90° 24' east on the north bank of the Buri Ganga river, and is not only the head­ quarters of the division that bears its name, but was for a time the capital of the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. Several explanations have been offered of th ^ origin of the Origin of aame Dacca (Dhaka). Some derive it from the name of a name, tree (Butea frondosh), others connect it with the goddess Dhakes- wari (lit. the concealed goddess) whose shrine is situated in the, western part of ^)acc'a city. The famous Ballal Sen is said to have been tlje son of one of the wives of Adisura by flhe river Brahmaputra who visited his mother in the guise of a Brahman. TTb* woman and her chilcf were banished to the jungle lying north of the Buri Ganga river, and here Ballal Sen discovered an image of Durga'for whom, on his succession to his "father’s throne, he built a temple, the goddess taking the name of Dhakeswari i*i> consequence of the seclusion of the site4 A third account' derives the name Dacca from dhak the Bengali for a drum. It is stated that ii% J.608 A.D. when Alauddin Islam Khan thought it expedient to move his capital eastwards from Rajmahal, he anchored on the Buri Ganga at the spot where Dacca now stands. Impressed by the advantages of th£ site he determined to make the place the head-quarters of the Province and fixed the * This area is calculated from a survey made in 1859-1866., fJince tha^; date there have been considerable modifications in the boundaries of the district due to fluvial action. An unusually large proportion of the total atea is permanently under water, and until a new survey has been completed it would be difficult to give even an approximate estimate of the numb'ar of square miles of land.