Effects of Immigration and Socio-Economic Status of Peasantry in the late 19th and early 20th century: A Case Study of Bijni Raj Estate.

Migration from one place to another is a human nature. People since ancient period of time had immigrated towards different parts of the world. During the colonial period the Bengali farmers had emigrated towards the Bijni Raj Estate in particular and Goalpara district as a whole. Bijni Raj Estate was actually the largest zamindary estate of undivided Goalpara which cover the maximum area of Goalpara district. The Bengali immigrants were mostly agriculturist and they were encouraged by the colonial regime, the zamindars and the moneylenders to clear the wasteland and the jungle for cultivation. These emigrants had migrated from East Bengal to a large extent and started cultivation with their hard working nature and cultivation techniques. Thus the land hungry and hard working immigrant cultivators of East Bengal pushed out the indigenous Koch, Kachari, Mech and Rajbangshi peasants from the agricultural work. The present study is an attempt to discuss about the background prepared for the immigration of Bengali farmers and their impact on Socio-Economic life of the indigenous peasantry of Bijni Raj Estate.