Shamsher Gazi

Shamsher Gazi was known as 'Bhatir Bagh' (Tiger of bhati) during 1740's. He was born in an ordinary peasant family Shamsher Gazi became the ruler of the entire Chakla Raushanabad which was spread over the south of Comilla and the north of the Noakhali districts. Gradually he brought the whole of the Comilla district under his control. Later he conquered Nizampur Pargana, thus making himself the uncrowned king of the region between the Meghna, the Muhuri and the Manuganga rivers.

From his very boyhood, Shamser Gazi was intelligent and brave. chakla Raushanabad was at that time under the jurisdiction of the state of Tripura. Its zamindar was Nasir Mahmud. Nasir Mahmud brought Shamser up with love and care. Young Shamser was ambitious. Towards the beginning of the British Raj, zamindari oppression had made the life of the peasants and farmers miserable. Shamsher Gazi was wise, efficient, kind and a bountiful ruler. He granted rent exemption to poor peasants, managed the economy well and this led to the reduction of the prices of essential commodities. He granted freeholds to many Hindus and Muslims. He dug numerous ponds and built many schools in and outside his capital Jagannath Sonapur. Of the ponds he dug, 'Kaiyar Sagar' was the largest.

Krishna Manikya, the king of Tripura sent two expeditions of the powerful Kuki armies against Shamser Gazi. Both failed before Shamser's extraordinary military acumen and heroism. Shamser Gazi conquered Udaypur, the capital of Tripura. The king fled to Agartala and sought the protection of Nawab mir qasim. Shamsher Gazi was killed in 1760 when he responded to a false invitation for a dialogue with the nawab. Thus Krishna Mainkya was able to regain his lost Kingdom. [Ali Nawaz]