A History of Assam c10.63

c10.63

Raghu was not destined to hold this latter tract long. An Afghan named Isā Khān, the Bhuiyā of Khizrpur, near Nārāyanganj in Dacca, was already a powerful chief in the time of Dāud. When the latter was overthrown by Khān Jahān, Isā Khān became the leader of the Afghans throughout the eastern part of Bengal, and at one time he ruled the whole country from Ghorāghāt to the sea. He was defeated by Shahbāz Khān in 1583 and fled by ship to Chittagong. He there collected a body of troops, and, with their aid, he proceeded to carve out for himself a new kingdom. Encouraged, no doubt, by the dismemberment of the Koch dominions, he selected for his first operations the southern outlying portion of the tract assigned by Nar Nārāyan to his rebellious nephew. Raghu endeavoured to resist the invaders in person, and occupied a fort where the village of Jangalbāri in Mymensingh now stands. It was surrounded by a moat, but the defenders were not able to hold it against the vigorous onslaught of Isā Khān and his men. Raghu himself escaped by a tunnel while the assault was in progress. Following up his victory Isā Khān took from the Koches the whole country as far as Rangamati in the Goālpāra district. This invasion is not referred to in any of the local Bansābalis, but it is mentioned by several Muhammadan writers.*