The British administration and its impact on the bodos of Goalpara district: A study

The Goalpara District was erected as a separate district in 1822.it is now further sub-divided into three districts viz Goalpara, Dhubri and Kokrajhar. During historical periods it came under the rules of many dynastic rulers. In the early period, the Kamrupa Kings ruled over this strip of land and then came Khen Kings who were again dethroned by Mahammedan ruler Hussain Shah of Bengal. It passed under the powerful Koch Kingdom established by Biswa Simha and in the declining days of the Koch Kings again Mahammedan rulers of Bengal occupied the portion of it while the Northern part remained under the rule of the Dev Raja of Punakha (Bhutan) till 1864–65. The southern portion of this district came under the British East India Company as early as 1765 by the treaty of Allahabad which granted the Company, the Dewani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. In the midst, it suffered many times from the onslaught of Mahammedan invasions. Its majority inhabitants are the Bodos, Rajbangsis and the Garos and other minor Bengali traders and Marwari merchants settled in the towns of Dhubri, Goalpara, Bilasipara etc. It remained backward since historical periods for which rulers are to be blamed. In recent past, the Zamindars and the British Authority simply used it as supplier of rich natural resources and the revenue thereof. They did nothing to improve this district by establishing industries and did not create avenues for the promotions of education for its populations. Since, the Bodos and the Rajbangsis are the majority population of this district, they are the most sufferers and remained ever backward till today. By this research article attempt has been made to find out the root cause of the backwardness of this district and its aboriginal people.