সুন্দরবনের প্রান্তিক জনপদে সুফি খালাস খাঁ : মিথ ও বাস্তবতা
ইদ্রিস আলী
সহকারী অধ্যাপক, ইতিহাস বিভাগ, জাতীয় কবি কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59815/isp.vol4304

Abstract: The reclamation of the Sundarbans and the introduction of Islam in the Khalas Khan region during the Sultani era mark an important turning point in Bengal's socioreligious development. A lot of land reclamation work was done at this time, clearing impenetrable mangrove forests to provide space for farming and habitation. In this process, Muslim pioneers-including Sufi saints like Khalas Khan-were crucial. In addition to helping the local population convert to Islam, these figures also brought in new cultural and social customs. In order to increase his power in isolated areas, Khalas Khan built roads and tanks. Islamization of the area occurred gradually as a result of the combination of religious propagation and agrarian growth, which firmly ingrained Islamic customs in the rural fabric. The Sundarbans periphery is an important area in Bengali Islamic history because of the dual dynamic of environmental change and religious growth that created the foundation for a long-lasting Muslim presence there.

Key Words: Khalas Khan, Sundarbans, Sufism, Archeology, Reclamation.