Author:

Chandan Das
Research scholar
Department of History
University of North Bengal
Darjeeling,West Bengal,India

Email: myselfcdas@gmail.com

Abstract:: The economy of colonial North Bengal was primarily based on agriculture. Naturally, the trade,
commerce and industries of this region were also agriculture-centric. The main occupations of the local
inhabitants of colonial North Bengal were agriculture, and they were never interested in trade and
industrial activities. This vacuum in the trading sphere of this region was therefore filled by many
emigrants Bengalee and non-Bengalee traders from other parts. In this connection, the Saha, Tili, Kundu,
Satier were the significant Bengalee trading communities that emerged in colonial North Bengal. These
Bengalee trading communities were well engaged with trade, commerce and industrial production in this
region during colonial period. The participation of Bengalee traders in significant businesses like rice,
jute, timber and the tea plantation industry in colonial North Bengal was remarkable. In the present
study, an emphasis has been given to providing a bright picture on the trading scenario of the settler
Bengalee traders in colonial North Bengal.

Key Words::Bengalee, Entrepreneur, Merchant, North Bengal, Timber, Trader etc.