Kirteepassa Zamindar Family

Kirteepassa Zamindar Family Baidya Zamindar of Zhalokathi district. Their ancestors came from Porgacha village of Bikrampur pargana. Durgadas Sen was the founder of this Zamindari. Ramjibon was the son of Durgadas and Ramgopal and Rameswar was two sons of Ramjibon. Rajkrishna Sen of this family worked under the Mughals in Dhaka. Later Rajkrishna's three sons Krishnaram, Bishnuram and Raghunath, worked under Joynarayan, zamindar of Selimabad pargana (Rayerkathi). Raghunath Sen became the head diwan of Rayerkathi by his own credentials and received the title of 'Majumdar' from the Mughal government. For the intellect role of Krishnaram, Selimabad Zamindari could secured from an auction for the collection of revenues in due time. During the reign of Nawajis Muhammad, the naib-nazim of Dhaka. For the reason Raja Joynarayan created a big new talluk (zamintadi) named Kirteepassa, and handed over to him as a reward. With the patronisation of Joynarayan, zaminder of Rayerkathi the Sena family of Kirteepassa became a large zamindar family by the eighteen century. Among the zamindars of Kirteepassa, Kashiram received three ani, Krishnaram and Rajaram received six ani and Balaram Sen received four ani proprietary ownership of the zamindari. Later, Bishnuram Sen, Balaram Sen and Kashiram Sen bought zamindari of Selimabad pargana by their own names.

Zamindars of Kirteepassa, received the title of 'Majumdar' and after the parmanent settlement in 1793 received the title Chawdhury for their own credentials. Dissension in the family occurred for the ownership right of the zamindari in 1244BS during the time of Rajkumar Sen, a scion of the family. Although sub-judge from Barisal had settled down the dissension. Proshonnyakumar Roychowdhuri, after the death of his father Rajkumar, became the next zamindar. But though he was an immature the zamindari went under the Court of Wards by the order of Barisal districtt magistrate and Mr. Rally received the charge of the infant zamindar as his guardian. Later the Kirteepassa zamindari divided in to two parts named Boro Hissha (large share) and Chhoto Hissha (small share).

Proshonnyakumar Roychowdhuri established a Middle English School in 1871 and in 1872 set up a charitable hospital and a library at Kirteepassa. He was cordially invited as an honourable personality from Kirteeoassa while Governor General and Viceroy of India lord northbrook (1826-1904) visited Dhaka in 1876. When Prince of Wales visited Kolkata in 1877, Proshonnyakumar was also presented at his court. He was the member of Calcutta Zoological Garden, Royal Asiatic Society, Zamindary Panchayet and British Indian Association. His son Rohinikumar Roychowdhuri earned reputation as a novelist and historian. Bakla (History of Barisal) and Amar Purbapurus (My Ancestors) are the two mentionable books written by' Rohinikumar Roychowdhuri. Soshikumar Roychowdhuri, a scion of the family was a musician. Besides, Professor Tapan Kumar Roychowdhuri, a scion of the family is now a famous historian and author.

After the partition in 1947, most of the members of the family left their territory. The history of Kirteepassa zamindary came to an end by the implementation of east bengal state acquisition and tenancy act in 1950. Their' predecessors received compensation of amount 50 thousand taka from the then government. [Delwar Hasan]