Sanjeev Kumar Dey

(Research Article) Salt trade in the Chittagong Division

Research Author : Sanjeev Kumar Dey

Sanjeev Kumar Dey Associate Professor,Government Kamalanagar College,Affiliated to Mizoram University (A Central University), Aizawl, Mizoram

Since long time salt has been an apple of cord in between the Indians and the colonial rule. British imposed restrictions to stop the Indians consume salt, the most valuable item in food. Nevertheless it was Mahatma Gandhi who launched the Dandi March to break the British made salt law. On the other part in Chittagong there was a huge transportation of salt through the Chittagong port which speaks itself of its importance, it was also used as medicine. Trade on salt was lucrative to the colonizers and this led to huge trade in the port.

Keywords: salt, Chittagong, import, export, colonizer

Introduction

An important item quite prominent and available in some regions of Chittagong Division was salt. Edward John Waring recorded some of the bazaar medicine including rock Salt used by the natives and the Europeans in the latter part of the nineteenth century. In view of this salt turned out to be one of the most vital medicines during those days. It was used for the cure of diseases, sometimes mixing with other herbal plants. Salt also served in many instances to get rid of diseases and this is why the understanding of salt in terms of colonial rules and regulations is important. Salt was also a common item of consumption to the natives and was definitely part and parcel of the daily life of the natives. British government forbid Salt-making in 1862 and because of this imported from Liverpool (Hunter: 189) became necessary. This was a turning point when salt was made to buy in the southeast of Asia from Europe i.e. supply from the civilized world to the uncivilized world and this was undertaken for profit motive.

Statement of the problem:

The study covers period from 1872 to 1898 mostly river-borne traffic on salt is used to understand the motive of the colonizer and their trade on salt. Salt has been an important item of consumption and the politics involved in the salt trade is in fact a matter of study. The idea of salt trade and the gains and politics involved in the system generated for exploitation of the indigenous people turn out to be an important item of study.

Study Area

For the study area the region of Chittagong division is taken as a matter of study. Chittagong lies in the southeastern region of undivided India and now in the present scenario it became a part of Bangladesh. This region including the southeast Asia mattered a lot to the colonizers whether it was British, Portuguese, Dutch, or French. The strategic position of this region and its corridor to the other regions like Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries, make it very important. The Chittagong port has been a gateway to these strategic regions full of spices and other items which were time to time transported to the civilized world.

Methodology

Archival record of West Bengal and Assam is immensely used to frame this paper. The primary document sources is the backbone of the study. The study is qualitative in nature and lead to eye opening facts of the colonial regime. Salt is an important item used to make food delicious was gradually controlled and finally exploited by the so called civilized people for their own benefit. Furthermore, there was import and export trade on salt from Calcutta to Chittagong division and from Chittagong division to Calcutta form time to time.

Salt in Chittagong Division

It was certainly not that the natives of Chittagong Division were unaware on the technique of the production of salt. It was Dr. Francis Buchanan who mentioned in his diary about salt production in several parts of Chittagong Division of the province of Bengal. He mentioned that the district was very fertile and that Meenday and Santasheela (Coastal villages between Bulua and Noakhali, now washed away) were the places of salt making and the salt produced here was sold by the East India Company and that it was not very pure and in general it contains earth of about 5 percent of its whole weight. The natives at Jogdya (Village at the mouth of the Little Feni river, now washed away by the sea) make salt and use the leaves of the Hogla and Cog as fuel. While passing the little Fenny, the Dandara, and great Fenny (The Little Feni river, a stream in pargana Dandara to its east, and the Feni river which forms the boundary with the district of Chittagong) Buchanan also observed salt making at great Fenny and at the Gooroobatta creek. He stated that the poor people make salt by soaking straw in sea water and then burning it.

Salt-making enactment of 1862 eventually increases in salt supply to natives of Chittagong Division from Liverpool. Increase is also perceptible in the quantity and value of the staple imports during the year 1872-73 as compared with 1871-72. The staple imports consist of Liverpool salt and earth oil from British Burmah. It appears that 9,457 tons of Liverpool salt, valued at Rs. 12,87,217, were imported in 187273, against 5,577 tons, valued at Rs. 7,59,100, in 1871-72; and that 1,953 tons of earth-oil, valued at Rs. 2,79,968, were imported in 1872-73, against 1,525 tons, valued at Rs. 2,08,217, in 187172.

Fifteen vessels arrived at the port direct from Europe, laden with Liverpool salt, in 1872-73, against eight vessels in 1871-72; and the tonnage of these vessels amounted to 8,717 in the last year, against 4,593 in the preceding year. The marked improvement in the rice trade attracts an increased number of boats from neighboring districts, and these boats generally return to their respective districts with a cargo of salt. It is thus that a large quantity of salt finds its way to adjoining districts than heretofore, and this circumstance tends to develop the salt traffic of the port. European vessels direct from Europe were all salt-laden, and exhibit an increase of 7 vessels, or 4,124 tons.

Salt imports from Liverpools for the years 1871-72 in quantity was 1,51,820 mounds, and 5,577 tons and valued Rs. 7,59,100 whereas in 1872-73 it was 2,57,443 mounds, 9,457 tons and valued Rs. 12,87,217 Liverpool salt import was 12,87,217 rupees worth in 1872-73 increased in value at Rs. 5,28,117 since 187172. Salt imported into from Calcutta to Chittagong division in 1894-95 was 1,85,902 and in 1895-96 was 1,56,520 . The difference in the quantity of salt imported from Calcutta to Chittagong division was 29,382, the table shows that the import decreased considerably from 1894-95 to 1895-96. The quantities of salt carried to Chittagong division from Calcutta in 1893-94 was 1,31,400 mounds, in 1894-95 it was 1,85,902 mounds, and in 1895-96 it was 1,56,520 mounds. It shows that there was a hike in import of salt from Calcutta to Chittagong division since 1893-1894 to 18941895 which was of about 54,502 but the import decreased considerably by 29,382 since 1894-95 to 1895-1896.

Import of salt into Chittagong in 1893-94 by coasting and foreign vessels was 3,62,083 mounds which valued Rs. 3,45,456, in 1894-95 by coasting and foreign vessels was 2,79,082 mounds which valued Rs.

2,64,377, and in 1895-96 by coasting and foreign vessels was 3,69,296 mounds which valued Rs. 2,71,536. In terms of export of salt from Chittagong in 1893-94 by country boats it was 2,06,818 mounds which valued Rs. 6,72,158 and by coasting and foreign vessels was 98,681 mounds which valued Rs. 1,40,577 the total quantity of mounds stood at 3,05,499 and valued Rs. 8,12,735. In 1894-95 by country boats it was 2,51,935 mounds which valued Rs. 7,87,297 and by coasting and foreign vessels was 42,739 mounds which valued Rs. 71,100 the total quantity of mounds stood at 2,94,674 and valued Rs. 8,58,397. In 1895-96 the quantity of mounds exported by country boats was 2,79,532 which valued Rs. 8,73,537 and by coasting and foreign vessels was 71,649 mounds which valued Rs. 71,743 the total quantity of mounds exported was 3,51,181 and valued Rs. 8,95,280. It shows the amount of salt imported to and exported from Chittagong. It is seen that the amount of salt imported exceeds exports both in terms of quantity and value. Due to the unavailability of record with Assam State Archives imports of salt by country boats is not known. However, exports by country boats was highest in 1895-96. In case of imports by coasting and foreign vessels was highest in 1895-96 but in case of export it was highest in 1893-94. Nevertheless, the total of imports and export of salt by country boats and coasting and foreign vessels was highest in 1895-96. Export of salt from Calcutta to Chittagong division in 1895-96 was 1,56,520 mounds, in 1896-97 was 1,36,330 mounds, and in 1897-98 it was 1,15,259 mounds. Highest mounds of salt was exported from Calcutta to Chittagong was in 1895-96 and the least was recorded in 1897-98. Total traffic of salt imported into Chittagong during the year 1895çàæßÙæ âæçãUçˆØ·¤è अटबर-िदसबर 2022103

96, by coasting and foreign vessels was 3,69,296 mounds which valued Rs. 2,71,536 in 1896-97 imports by coasting and foreign vessels was 56,622 mounds which valued Rs. 78,395, and imports in 1897-98 was 6,57,662 mounds which valued Rs. 6,59,313. In terms of export in 1895-96 by country boats it was 2,79,532 mounds which valued Rs. 8,73,537, and by coasting and foreign vessels it was 71,649 mounds which valued Rs. 71,743 the total quantity of mounds imported in this year was 3,51,181 and valued Rs. 9,45,280. Export in 1896-97 by country boats it was 3,02,605 mounds which valued Rs. 10,59,117 and by coasting and foreign vessels it was 1,08,589 mounds which valued Rs. 1,04,714 the total quantity of mounds exported amounted to 4,11,194 mounds which valued Rs. 11,63,831, and in 1897-98 export by country boats it was 1,44,466 mounds which valued Rs. 4,69,516 and by coasting and foreign vessels it was 99,633 mounds and valued Rs. 99,635 the total quantity of mounds exported stood to 2,44,099 mounds and valued Rs. 5,69,151. Highest quantity of salt imported into Chittagong was in 1897-98 and lowest in 1896-97 whereas highest quantity of salt export from Chittagong took place in 1896-97 and lowest in 1897-98.

“The total importation of salt into Chittagong during 1897-98 was abnormal, the receipts having increased from 3,59,442 maunds in 1895-96 and 54,118 maunds in 1896-97 to 6,57,172 maunds in the past year. In his report the Collector remarks that the large increase in the import of salt is attributable to the smaller importation in the previous year, and to a cargo of Hamburg salt imported during the year under report. Hamburg salt was last imported into this port in 1892-93, and then the importation ceased, as the local consumers preferred the Liverpool Pungah. The decrease in revenue is attributed to smaller clearances of salt for local consumption, due apparently to the scarcity prevailing consequent on the last two years’ bad rice crops and to the loss the people suffered by the cyclone of October last”.

Conclusion:

There was huge transportation of salt from and to Chittagong since the British occupation of the region. The import and export of this indispensable item, necessary almost in every food, gave British huge economic gains and also reveals the exploitation of the region when one tries to understand this from the lenses of Marx. Politics on salt also brings us close to the understanding of Michel Foucault governmentality. Archival records showed that there was import and export of salt from and to Chittagong for which Chittagong port was used. Liverpool salt created a situation in the politics of salt in India including the colonial Chittagong. However, it can be witnessed that huge amount of salt through different means was traded in Chittagong. 000

Reference:

Willem van Schendel (ed.), Francis Buchanan in Southeast Bengal (1798) His Journey to Chittagong, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Noakhali and Comilla, pp. 1047.

General Department, 1873, Annual Report, Chittagong Port Fund, No. 82, dated Camp Comillah, the 20th June 1873, from H. Hankey, Esq., Officiating Commissioner of the Chittagong Division to the Secretary to the Government of Bengal, General Department, State Archives West Bengal, Kolkata. General Department, 1873, Annual Report, Chittagong Port Fund, No. 82, dated Camp Comillah, the 20th June 1873, from H. Hankey, Esq., Officiating Commissioner of the Chittagong Division to the Secretary to the Government of Bengal, General Department, State Archives West Bengal, Kolkata. No. 67, dated Chittagong, the

31st May 1873, from C. Marshall, ESQ., Conservator of the Port of Chittagong, to the Commissioner of the Chittagong Division. General Department, 1873, SAWB, Kolkata. No. 67, dated Chittagong, the 31st May 1873 to the Commissioner of the Chittagong Division, General Department, 1873, State Archives West Bengal, Kolkata. The annual report of the Chittagong Port Fund for the year 1872-73. Dated Calcutta, the 81st July 1873, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1895-96, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1896, p. 26, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1895-96, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1896, p. 46, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1895-96, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1896, p. 55, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1897-98, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1899, p. 32, Assam State Archives, Gauhati & Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1897-98, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1899, p. 54, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1897-98, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1899, p. 68, Assam State Archives, Gauhati. Report on the river-borne traffic of the lower provinces of Bengal and on the inland trade of Calcutta, and on the trade of Chittagong port for the year 1897-98, Calcutta, Bengal Secretariat Press, 1899, p. 69. çàæßÙæ âæçãUçˆØ·¤è अटबर-िदसबर 2022

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