An Outline of the Arakanese Rule in Southeast Bengal

During 16th and 17th Century AD

U Bodhinyana *

Arakan had been an independent kingdom for over four millennium and its relations with
Bengal was very intimate, specially Chittagong, the southeastern part of Bangladesh, which
derived its name in consequence of the victory over local chieftain by King Chula Taing Chandra
of Arakan in 953 AD 1 . The subordination of Chittagong to Arakan is corresponded to the
absence of supremacy of other royal claimants over the region. The statement of the Arakanese
chroniclers may, however, be taken as a proof of the Arakanese lordship over southeast Bengal.
Arakan, “in fact, a continuation of the Chittagong plain,” 2 was neither purely a Burmese
(Myanmar) nor an Indian territory till the 18th century AD the land that has been called Arakan
by the foreigners is known to its own people Rakhaing-pray and call themselves Rakhaing-tha.
The word rakkha means guardian, pray means land and tha meaning son. Hence, Rakhaing-pray
and Rakhaing-tha means ‘land of the guardian’ and ‘son of the guardian’. The Bengali on the
other hand refer them as Magh, the word adopted in the 17th century, to mean it with degrading
appellation. Neither the Arakanese nor any other Mongoloid brethren ever speak or write of
themselves as “Magh” as it has been alien to them. The European travelers and chroniclers refer
them as ‘Recon, Rakan, Arracan, Aracao, Orrakan, Arrakan, Arakan’. In colloquial Chittagong
dialect, the country is called ‘Rohang and Roshang’. All these various forms are closely related
to the original one ‘Rakhaing’ (or Rakhine) 3 .
Mung Saw Mwan alias Narameikhla, King of Arakan when expelled by the Burmans
from his Kingdom, Laungrat, found shelter in the court of Gaur for 22 years and was reinstalled
on his throne in 1430 AD. He thereupon built himself a new capital named Mrauk-U in 1433
AD, which for the next four centuries known as Mrauk-U dynasty, the last in the series of
dynastic rule. His successor Mung Khari alias Ali Khan (1434-1459 AD), established peace with
the eastern neighbour, the Burmese king, repossessed Penwa (Ramu, in Cox’s Bazar district).
Like his predecessor he and his successors continued to use Persian (Mohammedan) titles, no
long as a sign of vassaldom but as a token of their sovereignty over Chittagong 4 . Benefiting from
trade with Bengal and Malacca, Arakan became so prosperous and powerful that, his successor
Ba Saw Pru alias Kalim Shah (1459-1482 AD) occupied Chittagong in 1459 AD 5 .
This important port remained under Arakanese control with irregular incursion from
Tripura and Sultan of Bengal. However, from about 1580 AD till its subjugation by Shaista
Khan, in 1666 AD for nearly a century, Chittagong almost uninterruptedly was under Arakanese
rule, which is undoubtedly an important period marked by momentous events. During this
period, a company of eight sovereigns successively ruled Arakan along with southeast Bengal
(comprising the present districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati,
Khagrachari, Feni and Noakhali) with full despotic power.

• U Bodhinyana prior to his ordination as a Buddhist monk was known as Maung Than Aye
B. Com (Honours), M. Com is the founder General Secretary of Arakanese Research Society of Bangladesh and
presently its President. He can be reached at email: u_bodhinyana@yahoo.com . This paper was published in
Arakanese Research Journal Vol:I in 2001.
 In the mid 16th century the European ships made their appearance, as raiders, and the
Portuguese freebooters (feringhe) began to settle at Chittagong6 . Unlike the other races of Burma
(Myanmar), the Arakanese maintained sea-going craft and Chittagong bred a race of competent
seamen. The union with the Portuguese marked the high watermark in Arakanese history. The
thriving port of Chittagong was always held either by a second son or a brother or a faithful
clansman of the king, with an Arakanese garrison. Every year the king sent a hundred boats full
of troop, powder and ball, and then the garrison and boat sent in the previous years returned
home to (Mrauk-U capital of) Arakan 7 .
During the Arakanese rule Chittagong was divided into three divisions Diang,
Chakrashala and Penwa. Diang was the commercial centre with port and a strong naval base. The
fort, according to Talish’s narration 8 , connected all the hills, high or low encircling the Laldighi
tank. The residence of the Arakanese viceroy of Chittagong was situated within the fort. The
principal Buddhist temple was situated on the Rangmahal hill from where a large image of Lord
Buddha has recently been dug out 9 .
The paper tries to sketch out a brief account of Arakan focusing on its rule on southeast
Bengal from 1580 to 1666 AD.
Mung Phaloung or Sikander Shah (r.1571-1593 AD) was the 17th king of the Mrauk U
dynasty and youngest son of King Mung Ba Gree or Zabuk Shah (r.1531-1553 AD) the 13th king
of the line. Ralph Fitch, the British traveler who was at Chittagong in 1585 mentions Chittagong
along with Ramu as subject of Arakan 10 . The significant event during Mung Phaloung’s reign is
that in 1586 Arakanese army attacked Udoypur, capital of Tripura, from which they could never
regain power to challenge the supremacy over Chittagong. The king of Arakan himself led an
army to Dhaka and stationed two battalions at Jugdia and Alamdia 11 . During the initial years of
his occupation of Chittagong, Mung Phaloung appointed two Uzirs–one Jalal Khan in the
northern Chittagong and the other Adam Shah in the south. In Arakanese, the Chittagong
governor is called Saitagong-za and Saitagong-mung.
Ashun Sandamala Lankara 12 confirms appointment of Chittagong Uzir to one Jalil in
Arakanese era (AE) 936 (i.e.1574 AD) but did not mention about the governor. The reverend
author further reveals that as the western territory expanded the king created some new posts as
Anouk-barang, Murshidabad governor and Dhaka governor where he appointed Thadoe Mung
Saw Hla - king’s second son, Uttama Kyaw Khoung and Koung Nyet Thu respectively 13 . Some
historians mentioned Anouk-barang as Anaporan or Anik Farank while referring to the
Chittagong Governor. Anouk means west, barang means king so Anouk-barang means ‘western
king’ or ‘king of the western theatre’. Ashun Sandamala Lankara clearly says that this post was
created to enforce administration of tasay-hna-banga (twelve Bengals) including Chittagong.
Later, on the other hand, he used it as a title saying Anouk-barang Thadoe Mung Saw Hla was
made Saitagong-mro-za means Chittagong Town Governor 14 .
Mung Phaloung after taking full control of Chittagong minted two ‘Chittagong type’
silver trade coins with both sides in Arabic language with his Arabic regnal name “Sikandar
Shah” with Hijri date (AH) 983 (i.e.1574 AD) and 992 AH (i.e.1583 AD). These coins appear to
have been struck exclusively for trade in Chittagong as he had his ‘Arakanese type’ trilingual
coin, Arabic and Bengali on the obverse while Arakanese on the reverse side with Arabic name
“Sikandar Shah” having Arakanese date 933 (i.e. 1571 AD) 15 . A silver coin has been surfaced
with the title Anouk-barang of 953 AE (i.e. 1591 AD) the date taken as the first single Arakanese
administrator of Bengal with the appointment of Thadoe Mung Saw Hla as Anouk-barang. This
trilingual coin is with Kalima on the top and Sri Sri Ana/kaphara in Bengali on the obverse and
Mung-tara-gree-thadoe Anouk-barang with 953 AE on the reverse 16 .
Mung Raza Gree or Salim Shah (r.1593-1612 AD) succeeded his father’s throne in 1593
AD. In the early years of his reign, the governorship of Chittagong was vested on Maha Pinya
Kyaw a great scholar with a religious tune of mind 17 . It is said that Maha Pinya Kyaw is not a
real name but a title meaning ‘great scholar’. No coin of his is known so far. In 1599 AD the
Arakanese king joined the prince and viceroy of Toungoo in the latter’s attack against his first
cousin Nandabayin, king of Pegu. In this expedition the king of Arakan employed a flotilla from
Chittagong and Ganges delta. The Arakanese deported 3000 households – Burmans, Talaing and
Siamese of the wretched Pegu flok and returned with a white elephant and a daughter of the
fallen king. The event has been written by Michael W. Charney in his ‘The 1598-99 Siege and
the Expansion of Arakanese Imperial Power into Lower Burma’ 18 . The king of Arakan married
the princess while the prisoners brought from the expedition were settled at Urai-toung,
Thandway and along the river of Ngasaraing-choung.
On the return voyage the wise governor of Chittagong died and was buried, after
cremation, near the Hmawdun pagoda at Negrais. Minister Pinyawantha son of the deceased was
soon appointed the governor of Chittagong. Mung Raza Gree after his return from Pegu had
issued a trilingual (Arakanese, Arabic and Devanagari) coin with dotted border and dated 963
AE (i.e.1601 AD). Before this he had issued a coin in 955 AE and in 959 AE, 960 AE and 973
AE his successive governors had issued coins 19 .
For a short duration the reign of Mung Raza Gree extended from Dacca (Dhaka) and the
Sundarbans to Moulmein, a coast strip of a thousand miles in length and varying 150 to 20 miles
in depth 20 . Fr.Fernandes in his letter written from Dianga on 22nd December 1599 calls Dianga a
town (ville) in the Port of Chittagong. It was at about this time that it began to acquire some
importance. Besides Dianga could not be a City of Bengala as it really formed a part of the
Kingdom of Arakan. As the Portuguese who had establishes themselves in Chittagong extended
their activities to Dianga towards the end of the sixteenth century. The King of Arakan owed
these ports at this time and in the letters-patent granted to the Portuguese Fathers he styled
himself “the highest and the most powerful King of Arakan, of Tippera, of Chacomas and of
Bengala; Lord of the Kingdoms of Pegu etc.” Father Du Jarric without referring any name
mentioned that the Governor of Chittagong was uncle of the King of Arakan 21 .
The friendly relation between the Arakanese and the Portuguese later turned to a hostile
one and Kedar Rai, ruler of Sripur, was helpful while the king of Bakla assisted Portuguese. In
1607 AD the king offered to let the Dutch trade and build fortifications in return for help driving
out the Portuguese. In 1610 AD (Mung) Razagree had appointed his younger son, Mung Man
Gree or Min Mangri, as Viceroy of Chittagong. A son or a brother of the Arakanese kings was
usually posted to that charge and there was nothing usual in (Mung) Razagree’s choice except
that Min Mangri was not on good terms with the heir to the throne Min Khamoung his elder
brother 22 . Mung Man Gree was referred by Portuguese source as ‘Alamanja’ or ‘Alemao’.
The governor of Chittagong soon broke out into rebellion against his father and entered
into an alliance with Gonsalves Tibau, Portuguese pirate-king of Sandwip, who, thought, would
save him from his brother and to put him in his brother’s place. The governor who had a sister
was baptised by Father Rafael and led her to Sandwip where amid great rejoicings married to
Tibau’s son. Mung Raza Gree got furious and immediately sent an army against his rebellious
son under the Crown Prince Mung Khamoung who kept besieged Chittagong for four months.
As negotiations failed the Crown Prince made violent assault, the rebels surrendered at the death
of their leader. As long as Mung Man Gree was Viceroy, the pirate-king (Gonsalves Tibau) was
assured of a dominating position at the head of the Bay. With his death and the appointment of a
new Viceroy strictly under the control of the King of Arakan, his (Gonsalves) position was
threatened 23 .
According to Ashun Sandamala Lankara, soon after his accession, Mung Raza Gree
appointed his younger brother Thadoe Mung Saw Hla as the governor of Chittagong in 955 AE
(i.e.1593 AD) in addition to the job of Anauk-barang and posted at Chittagong. In 975 AE
Thadoe Mung Saw Hla as revolted against his brother, the King marched towards Chittagiong
and subdued it. The King then deputed the wise minister Maha Pinya Kyaw to the post of the
Lord of Chittagong, Thadaw Mung Digha to the post of Anauk-barang and stationed him at
Mauthuza (i.e.Murshidabad) to administer the twelve Bengals. Later Anauk-barang Mung Digha
was replaced by Mung Nyo while Kyee Nyo (son of Maha Pinya Kyaw) posted as governor of
Rangpru 24 . At the tragic death of Maha Pinya Kyaw the king appointed Mung Man Gree who
was later replaced by Chakkawaday as governor of Chittagong.
Soon after Mung Khamoung or Hussain Shah (r.1612-1622 AD) ascended his father’s
throne he started resolving the Portuguese affairs. Through the help given by the Dutch ships
harbour at Mrauk-U the Arakanese king gave a deathly blow to the already declining Portuguese
power in this region. After which the Portuguese ceased to be king’s rivals and became his
servents 25 .
In the western side the Mughals were getting stronger under the rule of Jahangir (r.1605-
1627) and thereby claimed the right of rule over Chittagong, which, in fact, was being ruled by
the Arakanese 26 . During Islam Khan’s governorship (1608-1612) the capital of Bengal was
transferred from Rajmahal to Dhaka. In the beginning of Qasim Khan’s governorship (1613-
1617) the Arakanese raid on the Mughal territory was intensified. Qasim’s campaign to take
possession of Chittagong ended in a complete failure.
There was another attempt of the Mughals under Ibrahim Khan (1617-1624), brother of
Empress Nur Jahan, to conquer Chittagong. But their strategies and low morale compelled them
to give up their hope for victory. The Mughuls got an exaggerated idea that Arakanese was an
impregnable country, its fleet was invincible, and its forces could not be overwhelmed 27 . Mung
Khamoung, emboldened by success, extended his territory in Bengal by occupying a part of what
is now the district of Bakergong (present Barisal division), and for a time the city of Dacca
(Dkaha) 28 . The king led an army to his vassaldom, Udoypur, the capital of Tippera in 1615 AD
and subdued the rebel leader Chakyamuni thereby propitiatory tribute assured 29 . Mung
Khamoung proved to be the greatest and most successful king and his name is still remembered
with pride and affection by the Arakanese people.
According to Harvey 30 , Meng Soe Pyu (1614-1629), would be brother or half-brother of
Princess Khin Ma Hnoung of Pegu was made governor of Chittagong. But most of the historians
are silent about the governor by this name. Nor one could trace in any of the Arakanese and
Burmese chronicles. However the Portuguese source depict different story, with different name,
about the so-called brother of the Pegu princes. No coins been surfaced during this period. The
controversy thus created needs further in-depth research and studies.
Thiri Thudhamma or Salim Shah (r.1622 – 1638 AD) was only twenty years old when
he ascended his father’s thorn in 1622. His younger brother holds the governorship of Chittagong
and he took strict means in dealing with the Portuguese freebooters 31 . They became so alarmed
that they sent Sebastio Manrique, an Augustinian friar of Oporto, to Mraunk-U, capital of
Arakan and intercede with the king that ‘the Portuguese are loyal to you’ 32 . During his stay of
six months in Arakanese capital, Manrique was shown the belongings received from the Pegu
expedition in 1599 and was greatly impressed by the white elephant. Nanda Bayin’s daughter
(Khin Ma Hnoung alias Thazoung Me-phara), who had been carried off (from Pegu, capital of
Henthawadi) to Mrohaung (Mrauk-U) and married to King Razagri, received him and related the
story of her sufferings with deep emotions 33 .
Manrique visited Mraunk-U for the second time in 1633. He stayed there for two years
and his books 34 tell of further adventures while at the capital of Arakan. He gave a strange
account of the king’s coronation in 1635, who deferred twelve years, because of a prophecy that
he would die within a year of it. Twelve vassal chiefs were crowned at the same time 35 . Thiri
Thudhamma enforced payment of tribute from Dhaka and in the eastern frontier raided
Moulmein and Pegu.
Arakan remain on the Dutch programme from 1623 as their ships were going there to buy
the Bengali slaves captured by the marauding feringhi (Portuguese), and the surplus rice that the
country produced as a result of the abundant slave labour available for cultivating the fields 36 .
But in 1631 the Dutch chief factor, reported that trade had been brought to a standstill by a
terrible famine and pestilence. The famine lasted till 1634 and during that period Chittagong was
also affected.
The 1000 AE (i.e. 1638 AD) is a crucial year in the history of Arakan as also for
Chittagong. Three years after king’s coronation the prophecy came true lately. The chief queen,
Nat Shun May, had a paramour, Kuthala, lord of Laung-gret who was expert in the deadliest
forms of black magic, joined in the murder of the king in 1638. A bilingual coin of Chittagong
governor has been surfaced with Hizri date 1038 (i.e. 1629 AD), ‘Sultan Chitagon’ in Arabic on
the obverse and ‘Saitagong-mung’ in Arakanese on the reverse. The date coincide with the
installation of Mung Re i.e. 1629 AD 37
Thri Thudhamma’s legitimate heir Mung Sani or Thadoe Mung Hla (1638 AD) ascended
his father’s throne at his tender age of eighteen. But on the 20th day of his accession he died.
Most historians are of the opinion that the dowager queen, Nat Shun May, mother of Mung Sani
desiring to have her paramour, her future king had the magic spell, caused with small-pox, upon
the new king ultimately died on the 20th day of his installation 38 .
Kuthala was 56 years old when he occupied the throne and took the title of Narapatigree
(r.1638 – 1645 AD). He was one of the great grandson of king Thazata, 11th king of Mrauk-U
dynasty. He soon enforce massacre of the kinsmen, nobles and artisans to control the affairs
unchallenged. He did not take the widow queen to the palace-citadel rather rehabilitated her at a
safe distance.
O’ Malley 39 referring to the Arakanese Chronicle, “During the troubled times, the son of
Sri Sudhama, Nga Tun Khin, made his escape from the town and lived in the wilderness; and
certain members of the royal family and nobles left for Kantha 40 , a place in Chittagong and
settled down there. Of the 1,00,000 guards who were stationed in Myohaung, 50,000 deserted the
king and left the capital, taking with them Nga Lut Roon, who was the priest, and settled down in
Kantha under Nga Tun Khin” 41 .
The governor of Chittagong during that period was one Mangat Rai or Mung Re, the
identity of whom has been in dispute among the scholars, was displeased over the change of his
master. Chittagong District Gazetteers 42 says, “Mangat Rai or Mukut Rai .........his father
Gaureswa Rai .........the ancestor lived at Tippera district. His family and supporters with 14
elephants and nearly 9000 men (both Arakanese and Talaing) fled to Jahangirnagar. Descendents
of Mukut Rai live in village Kadurkhil.” According to Arthur P.Phayre, “Makat Rai is apparently
a corruption of Meng Re, signifying – Bold Chief - a title held by the Arakanese governor of
Chittagong” 43 . But according to Dr. S.B.Qanungo, “Manek Rai or Mangat Rai, the murdered
Raja’s paternal uncle .......... did not recognise the usurper a king and declared independence in
his territory, ............. however, defeated (by the king) and was forced to flee to Dhaka” 44 .
According to Harvey 45 , Mung Re was the son of Meng Soa Pyu, who became governor
around 1629 AD, which was during the reign of Thiri Thudhamma. While settling down in
Dhaka he as a rebel king of Chittagong issued a trilingual coins on the obverse in Arabic
‘Muzaffar wasf (?) Amir’ and ‘Sri Sri Muz(affar)’ in Bengali and on the reverse ‘Saitagong
Mung Re Kyaw Htan’ in Arakanese without any date 46 . The force of the new king, Narapatigree,
crushed the uprising of Mung Re in 1638 AD. In the same year, the king appointed new governor
of Chittagong who issued a trilingual silver coin. On the obverse it bears the title ‘Firoz Shah’ in
Arabic and ‘Sri Chatigram Raj Piroj Shah’ in Bengali and on the reverse it bears the date 1000
AE (i.e.1638 AD) with the title ‘Saitagong Mung Siri Jaya Nawratha’ in Arakanese 47 . The
appointment of the governors of Chittagong to which Harvey 48 had hypothesised as being a
hereditary in nature, may flatly be refuted by adding the statement of Vasant Chowdhury,“It is
stated that Meng Re Prue was succeeded by his son Meng Hari Prue but it is unlikely that Meng
Re or Mangat Rai during his flight to the Mughal territory had left his son behind 49 . It is to be
regretted that such a historian like Harvey marred the value of his later works by hasty and
prejudiced judgement.
At the initial period of Narapatigree’s rule Dutch business got on extremely well. But in
1643 the king’s health broke and he lost control over affairs. Then an incident occurred which
caused the Dutch to close the factory once more. A frigate belonging to a Dutch free burgher,
bound for Chittagong with a valuable cargo of piece-goods, was decoyed into Mrohaung
harbour, its cargo confiscated and its captain and crew imprisoned. For eight years the factory
was empty, and the Dutch subjected Arakanese shipping to severe reprisals 50 .
Narapatigree’s son, Thadoe Mung Tara (r.1645–1652 AD) who succeeded him tried his
best to consolidate the kingdom. He even marched to the twelve Bengal to affirm its sovereignty
and territorial integrity 51 . His dependence on the Portuguese for the defense of Chittagong turned
the port town virtually to a haunt of the Portuguese freebooters 52 . During the reign of Thadoe
Mung Tara, the governor of Chittagong minted silver coins with the Arabic title ‘Nizam Shah’ in
Bengali on the obverse and ‘Mung Ray Thiha Thu’ in Arakanese on the reverse 53 .
Thadoe Mung Tara succeeded by his son, Sanda Thudhamma Raza (r.1652–1674 AD)
and during his reign the governor who was appointed to Chittagong was his cousin who issued
coins with Hijri era 1062 (i.e. 1653 AD) with inscription ‘Sultan/Chatagong/Mubaraz Shah’ in
Arabic and ‘Mung Ray Than Khaya’ in Arakanese. He is believed to be the last governor of
Chittagong under Arakanese rule in Chittagong 54 . The Dutch factory reopened in 1653 carried
on successfully until 1665 due to their internal political crisis.
During this period, Chittagong became a place of refuge for two royal exiles. One
Govinda Manikya, the Tippera king and the other was Prince Shah Shuja who was defeated in
his struggle for the Mughal throne, had to flee in 1660.
Maung San Shwe Bu 55 in his Report of the Honorary Archaeological Officer – for the
year ended 31st March 1921, narrated that the Bernier’s approaches nearest the truth citing
Bernier’s Travels in the Moghul Empire, “The author was actually present in India at the time at
which these stirring events happened. In spite of the peculiar facilities he had of obtaining first-
hand information on the subject he tells us that he is not at all sure of his facts since he heard
three of four totally different accounts of the fate of the Prince, from those even who were on the
spot. However, after carefully sifting all the available information he arrived at the correct
conclusion that the Prince, with his family and retainers went to Arakan where they were very
handsomely, received by King Sanda Thudhamma-raza. His eldest daughter Chand Bibi, as the
Arakanese called her, was given in marriage to the king. There after a time, being involved in an
unsuccessful rebellion Shujah fled to the hills. But he was quickly captured and put to death. His
two sons were decapitated and the female members of his family were shut in a room and left to
die of hunger. Such is substantially Bernier’s account; but at the same time he is cautious enough
to add that in respect of certain particulars he had heard a thousand different tales.”
The Dagh-Register of 1661 contains three lengthy letters from Gerrit van Voorburg, the
chief Dutch factor at Mrohaung, detailing all the news of Shah Shuja, which he could glean. His
story was that Shah Shuja brought from Bengali to Diang, a port on the river opposite to
Chittagong on (board) the King of Arakan’s armada (fleet). He arrived there on 3rd June 1660.
From thence he arrived to the capital on the 26th August (1660) 56 . D.G.E.Hall summarised the
sad event to thus, “on 7 February 1661 Shah Shuja’s residence was attacked and there was
another massacre. Shah Shuja was never seen again 57 . Who, according to Gerrit van Voorburg,
“intended to escape from the King’s palace and conquer the kingdom of Arakan for himself” 58 .
The following description carries a concise and vivid accounts of the war of succession
fought among the sons of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan after he fell ill in September 1657.
Aurangzeb in his quest for the throne, first defeated the Emperor’s troop in the battle of Dharmat
(near Ujjain) on April 15, 1658 and Dara Shukor’s (eldest brother) at Samugarh (near Agra) on
May 27, 1658, captured Agra on June 8, 1658 and arrested his father, crushed opposition by
Murad (youngest brother) subsequently had him executed, captured Delhi and Crowned himself
Emperor on July 21, 1658. Later, on January 5, 1659, he defeated Shuja (second elder brother) at
Khajwah (near Allahabad) after which Shuja ran away to Arakan (where he is presumed to be
died). Later, Aurangzeb had his eldest brother, and other relatives opposed him, executed and
made secure the throne for himself. Shah Jahan died on January 22, 1666 59 .
Aurangzeb himself would have executed Shuja but did not like outsiders doing it, ordered
Shaista Khan, viceroy of Bengal, to invade Arakan, who mounted his fleet took Sandwip by
November 1665 from Dilawar Khan an eighty-year-old ruler of the island. Dilwar and his son
Sharif were wounded and captured where Dilawar breath his last in Jahangirnagar. The captured
of the island paved the way for the Mughal invasion of Chittagong-Arakan.
Crossing the Feni river at Jagdia on 14th January 1666 AD, the Mughals entered the
Arakanese territory 60 . At the crucial moment the Portuguese stationed of Diang broke off from
the Arakanese, and changed sides with the Mughals, which gave the invaders an upper hand to
attack fleet at Kathalia channel and Karnafully river. On the 24th January the fort of Chittagong
was besieged and capitulated on 26th January 1666 as Arakanese abandoned the city and
endeavoured to escape. Munawwar Khan (grandson of Isa Khan) in search of plunder burnt
down most of the homes in the town by reckless fire 61 . About two thousand were made prisoners
and sold as slaves 62 . According to Alamgirnamah, “The governor of Chittagong, who was the
son of the Arracan king’s uncle, was taken prisoner with one son and some other relatives and
nearly 350 men of the tribe” 63 . It as a decisive blow to the prosperity of the Arakanese, and with
it their century of greatness came to an end. Since that time the Arakanese have never held any
of the country north of Rumu 64 .
Chittagong was renamed Islamabad and Buzurg Ummed Khan was appointed the first
Mughal faujdar. They were required to defend the frontier and if possible to extend it southward
at the cost of the Arakanese held territory. As the effectively administered Mughal territory
extended southward up to modern Satkania U.Z(upa-zila i.e sub-district) so almost all the tarafs
are situated within this limit. Tarafs are most numerous in Patiya, Raozan, Rangunia, Hathazari,
Satkania, Nizampur, Bhatiyari, Kumira, Kotwali and Phatikchari U.Zs 65 . No tarafs are located in
Teknak, Ukhia, Ramu, Moheshkhali, Kutubdia and Chakaria U.Zs as they remained almost
wholly beyond the pale of Mughal dominion 66 .
The tradition of literary activities in Chittagong was strengthened during the Arakanese
rulers as Bangali literature attained further development 67 . The noteworthy Bangali poets work
under the aegis of the Arakanese rulers were Qazi Daulat, court-poet Alaol, Kabi Madan,
Quorish Magan, Abdul Karim, Shamsher Ali, Abul Hossain and others whose work kept the
Bengali literature alive through encouraging support by the enlightened rulers of Arakan and
their influential courtiers. It is interesting to note that the history of Bengali literature which was
cultivated by the Hindu poets under the patronisation of the Muslim rulers in its sixteenth
century was in the succeeding century the Muslim poets came to the forefront in the
development of Bengali literature under the patronisation of the non-Bengali and non-Muslim
rulers in an alien country.

======== END =======

Notes and references:

1
Banerjee, A.C. 1964. The Eastern Frontiers of British India. A.Mukherjee & Co.Pvt. Ltd. Calcutta. .
38 p.
2
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Kantha: Arakanese call Karnafuly river as Kantha river. Some old Arakanese people of Chandraghuna
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Qanungo, S.B. op.cit. 295 p & 196 p.
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BDG – Ctg. op.cit. 81 p.
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Phayre, A.P. op.cit. 178 p.
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Hall, D.G.E. Studies in Dutch Relations with Arakan. Part iii, Shah Shuja and the Dutch Withdrawal
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Hall, D.G.E. JBRS. Vol:xxvi. op.cit 90 p.
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