Hazari Estate

Hazari Estate is a private Estate owned by the Hazari family of Dohazari, Chittagong. It is based on Land properties, Commercial Space, Shopping Centre, Housing estates and Industrial places which are the resources of the Estate.^[1][2]

History

Hazari family has owned the estate for more than three hundred years. From the period of Mughal Empire this area is controlled by this family as the centre of their domain.

In 1666, thirteen Mughal Mansabdars invaded Chittagong under Mughal Imperial command against the Arakaneese. After the invasion they settled there to ensure the security and ruling of the territory. One Mansabdar among them was Rajkumar Lakhsman Singh Hazari. His original name was Lakhsman Singh who was from one of the Suryavanshi Rajput ruling family of Rajputana under Mughal territory. He was a Mansabdar of Hazari rank (commander of two thousand sowar or soldiers) in Mughal Imperial Army and this designation title was added with his name.

After dividing the territory, Lakhsman Singh Hazari was awarded a Mansabdari of South Chittagong under Mughal authority, it was a territory starting from Hashimpur,few miles before of Dohazari^[3] to nearly the middle of Cox's Bazar.

Rajkumar Lakhsman Singh Hazari and other rulers after him were addressed as Maharaj Babu of this territory from Mughal period. Maharaj Babu was a title similar to any title for a Rajput Prince who holds a Princely State.

Their title was dismissed by the East India Company when the East India Company was awarded the diwani or overlordship of Bengal by the empire following the Battle of Buxar in 1764. At this time every ruling families of Bengal who were maintaining their own Military Forces for a long time as a duty and Royal tradition.They were ordered to stop maintaining and the Hazari family of Dohazari were maintaining their own military force consists of more than two thousand soldiers including artillery, horse and sowars (cavalry). This force was specialized for frontier force.By the decree of the new Dewan,Hazari family had to stop maintaining their military forces.

After the establishment of Permanent Settlement Act by East India Company at 1793, Hazari Family lost their Mughal authority and a large part of their territory, they became simply Zamindar. Though they lost their title, army, authority and a large part of their territory they were addressed as Maharaj Babu till 1940. Monohor Singh Hazari was the last person who was addressed as their old title Maharaj Babu.

During British period, their Zamindari was known as Hazari Estate. After the demolishing of Zamindari system Hazari Estate started to deal with the business sectors related to their land properties.

The Estate owns many structures and some large shopping centres, among them Hazari Tower, is the second largest Shopping Centre of Chittagong district and division and largest in the southern territory outside Chittagong City and Hazari Shopping Centre is fourth among the largest shopping complexes of Chittagong. A large part of commercial spaces of Dohazari is owned by Hazari Estate which can be said as half of the town is owned by the Estate.

In social service activities, Hazari Estate donated and helped for establishing two schools,one college,mosque,temples at Dohazari. The Estate donated a large area of land for establishing a government Hospital. Late Babu Bhagirath Singh Hazari was the pioneer of these social service activities.

The Estate made a great influence for the development of the area, as a result, Dohazari is now the most influential business centre of South Chittagong.

References