Pabna Revolt or the Pabna Peasant Uprising

Peasants of India under the oppression of the ‘zamindars’ revolted against them as the levies on the peasants continued to increase in terms of high rents, evictions, etc. The peasants, known in the native as ‘Ryots’, started the resistance movement, now known as the Pabna revolt (1873-1876), as it started from Yusufshahi Pargana of Pabna, now in Bangladesh.

India had seen various other Peasant Movements during the 18th and 19th centuries with the purpose of restoring the earlier forms of rule and social relations. To read about other such peasant revolts, visit the linked article. 

Candidates preparing for the upcoming civil services exam can refer to the links given below and get answers to the commonly asked questions about the peasant movements:

Pabna Revolt [UPSC Notes]:-Download PDF Here

Why did the Pabna Revolt happen?

Pabna Revolt UPSC questions commonly asked about the reasons that contributed to the development of the discontent. In Eastern Bengal (undivided Bengal), the landlords forced peasants to pay land taxes, rents and other levies, irrespective of that year’s harvest, rate of crop production, low rainfall, etc. In fact, often, the taxes were often doubled for the poor peasants. 

According to Act X of 1859 proposed Occupancy Right, different people had an interest in land, and these included the peasants, the zamindars, proprietors, etc. However, the interest of the peasants was never recognized, and gradually, the zamindars claimed the rights of the whole land. Those who actually worked on the land and produced crops were completely deprived of the occupancy of the land.

All these were slowly but steadily increasing the dissatisfaction among the peasants. Together they formed the Agrarian League in Pabna, presently in Bangladesh.

For cracking UPSC prelims, you need to learn the basic reason by heart. 

How was the Pabna Revolt affected by famine?

While studying through the UPSC syllabus, aspirants will find that the peasants of Bengal were faced with famine in the 1870s. While the demand for jute was increasing in the international market, the countryside of Bengal possessed almost a monopoly in jute production. But low rainfall, adverse weather, lowered availability of land and capital were impacting the overall production, leading to famine. 

However, even in a dicey situation like that, the lords of the zamindars continued to extract taxes from the peasants. Some of them even increased the tax rates. These further fuelled the revolt. 

What were the peasants’ reactions during the Revolt?

As you prepare for the UPSC exam, you have to know how the peasants reacted while they revolted. Some of them declared independence from the zamindari controls. They marked their Parganas as free and independent. They set up local governments where only peasants or other people of the same strata were included. 

In some places, a small ‘army’ was set up. They did not have any firearms but had bamboo sticks, spearheads, harpoons, etc., as their arms. They were ready to fight against the police and the lathiyals (the lathi-wielding strongmen maintained by the planters) of the zamindars. 

Gradually, the revolt spread outside the little Parganas, other regions of Pabna and ultimately, peasants of other parts of Bengal also participated in the revolt. However, the revolt was not a violent one. It only resisted the laws in action and the lawmakers, or, more precisely, the zamindars. 

How did the Pabna Revolt come to an end?

Though the ‘Pabna Revolt’ started off as one of the most important peasant uprisings, various external factors compelled the revolt to be subsided. Sir George Campbell became the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, and he assured the peasants to provide support against the tyranny of the zamindars. On the other hand, he advised the zamindars to follow legal ways only for collecting the taxes.

In 1885, the government passed the Bengal Tenancy Act. This particular act clearly identified the rights of zamindar lords and the peasants or the tenants who were working on the land. This partly met the demands of the peasants, and the discontent of the Pabna Revolt gradually subsided. 

However, further famines and police actions made the rebellion become less active, and one day it became non-existent. But it showed the way for other peasant revolts across the country.  

For UPSC 2023, ‘Pabna Revolt’ is important as it is one of the earliest peasant uprisings of the country. Knowing the history and effects of the same will help you crack the exams more easily. Sign up with BYJU’S today, and get your hands on the best study materials you could ever come across. 

Pabna Revolt [UPSC Notes]:-Download PDF Here