Hayat Mahmud was born in the 18th century, and was most probably the son of
Maldar Khan, who was employed in the military of the feudal
Raja of
Chandradwip. Mahmud was also admitted to the Chandradwip military forces. On one occasion, the Raja was kidnapped by two rival feudal families of nearby
Chakhar, the
Mirs and
Majumdars. Mahmud then rose to popularity after embarking on a night mission to free the Raja. To express gratitude for this service, the Raja granted two
taluqs to Maldar Khan and Hayat Mahmud, which were later inherited by Mahmud's descendants who are known as the
Mia family of
Karapur. The
pargana of Buzurg-Umedpur was also one of Hayat Mahmud's
taluqs. Having now become a powerful feudal lord in
South Bengal, the
British East India Company later posed a threat to his status. Mahmud refused to comply with the
Company rule in Bengal and surrender the Buzurg-Umpedpur pargana. As a result, the British officers were instructed to close off all water routes to
Barisal. Mahmud was declared as a "
Dacoit Sardar" (bandit chieftain). The Company
sepoys managed to capture him in 1789 and took him to their ally
Nusrat Jung, the erstwhile
Naib Nazim of Jahangir Nagar, who was considered to have been an
anglophile. In 1790, the Naib Nazim suggested that Mahmud receives lifetime imprisonment.
Lord Cornwallis then had Mahmud exiled to the
Prince of Wales Island in
British Malaya and stripped his
zamindari of Buzurg-Umedpur. Mahmud was released in 1806 and thereafter avoided getting into any disputes with the Company rule and began living a quieter life. He built a new home on 30 acres of land in Karapur. Mahmud has been credited to have established the
Miah Bari Mosque in 1807, though others have claimed that it was actually founded by his son, Mahmud Zahid. He had another son named Mahmud Zakir. ==See also==