Bhattacharya, Mahesh Chandra

Bhattacharya, Mahesh Chandra (1858-1944) writer, businessman and social worker. He was born in 1858 at village Bitghar in Nabinagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria district. His father Ishwar Das Torka Siddhanta was a pundit. His mother was Rammala Devi. Due to poverty he could not get institutional education; rather studied at home. He served as a teacher in Banga School for some time. He went to Kolkata in 1883 with an object of doing any business having a capital of only fifty-five taka. He started business on medicine in Kolkata. He was successful in the business because of honesty, devotion and labour.

Amidst his preoccupation and busy life in business, Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya used to engage himself in literary pursuit. His literary book Byabasayi (Businessman) was published in 1312 BS. He also wrote an autobiography titled Atmakatha.

Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya was although devoted of social welfare activities, in the memory of his father, he established Ishwar Pathshala in Comilla town in 1923. Besides, he established Rammala Hostel and Rammala Library at village Shaktola of Comilla town in 1920 and Rammala Library in 1936 in memory of his mother. By his initiative, Nibedita Girl's School and Nibedita Girls' Hostel were established in Comilla for fostering female education. In his own village, he established Shiksha Sangsad. He also established Iswhar Patshala Toll in Kashi. By his effort, Rammala Road and Rammala Post Office were established in 1935. In order to mitigate the scarcity of drinking water, he dug pond in his own village. While a pilgrim, he helped the famine stricken at Baidyanath. At that time, he used to serve 400/500 people with food daily. During the winter, he used to distribute clothes the poor. For the convenience of the travelers, he set up a passenger-hostel named by Kalighat Hostel at 21 Taliganj in 1935, where the passengers could stay for 4/5 days on gratis. He set up a Dharmasala after the name of his wife Harashundari Devi in Baransi.

Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya died on 10 February 1944. [Mohammad Kabirul Hasan]