Ghatal sub division

This Sub Division was a part of ancient Tamralipta kingdom. Although the ancient history of this region is still a mystery, much information has been found about the medieval history of this region. Todar Mal, finance minister of Mughal emperor Akbar divided Bengal into nineteen ‘Sarkar’s  for revenue calculation. Some parts of this Sarkar appeared as Ghatal Sub Division. At first, all parts of present Ghatal Sub Division was in Burdwan district. In 1795, areas of Chandrakona and Ghatal Police Station were added to Hooghly district. In 1872, areas of Ghatal & Chandrakona Police Station were isolated from Hooghly district and added to Midnapur district & formed Garhbeta Sub Division. In 1876, the Head Quarter of this Sub Division was transferred to Ghatal and renamed as Ghatal Sub division.  The road that went through this region to Orissa (present Odisha), was known as Badshahi Road. This Road was used for Mughal- Pathan war. Many rulers ruled this region. Among them, ‘Bhan’ kingdom of Chandrakona was very famous kingdom. Many temples, roads, markets in Chandrakona were built by the ‘Bhan’ kings. The name of the heroic king Shobha Singha of Barada is also particularly noteworthy. Also the ‘Chuar Revolution’ had an effect in Ghatal Sub Division.  

In the early eighteenth century, French, Dutch and British merchants established their Cotton & Silk factories in various places like Chandrakona, Khirpai, Radhanagar in Ghatal Sub Division. They built a factory in Ghatal town also, which is known as ‘Kuthibazar’ now. The manager of a factory at Radhanagar, Mr. Turnbull built the road from Ghatal to Ramgarh via Chandrakona Road.

In the nineteenth century, British established ‘Neel Kuthi’s (Indigo Factory) in various parts of Bengal and the Head Quarter of these ‘Neel Kuthi’s was in Chhatraganja, Chandrakona. The most notable incident in this nineteenth century in Ghatal sub Division was the birth of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He was born at Birsingha village under Ghatal Sub division in the year 1820. 

The contribution of Ghatal Sub division in the National Movement of India in mentionable also. Jogesh Chandra Roy and Biharilal Singha of Ghatal Sub Division joined the 1st session of Indian National Congress in 1885 in Bombay.Two branches of ‘Anusilan Samity’ were in Kushpata in Ghatal & Ramjibanpur. Many notable persons of this Sub Division were contributed in ‘Swadeshi’ Movement, Civil Disobedient Movement & Quit India Movement. 

In the post independence age, 1st institution of higher education in Ghatal Sub Division was established in Birsingha in 1948. 1st Parliamentary Election was held in 1952 and Prof. Nikunja Bihari Choudhury was elected as MP from Ghatal. He formed Man Singha Committee for flood prevention plan in Ghatal and the committee prepared Ghatal Master Plan. In 1960, ‘Vidyasagar Setu’ was built on the river Silaboti in Ghatal and in the very next year Rabindra Satabarsiki Mahavidyalaya was established in Ghatal on the occasion of  100th Birth Anniversary of World famous poet Rabindranath Tagore.