Malbazar was a small town till 1947, renowned for tea gardens. Most of its tea gardens were however owned by the British. The tea gardens were served by some Bengali employees along with the majority of tribal workers. After India achieved independence and Bengal was partitioned, a number of refugees from Eastern Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh, started settling here by clearing the forests. During that period Dr. Narayan Chandra Bannerjee visited Malbazar from Dhaka and earned huge respect as a medical officer for his excellent medical and social services. He also helped out the refugees to have an organized settlement which resulted in the emergence of a few colonies. In 1950s, schools like Adarsha Bidya Bhawan and Subhasini Balika Vidyalay were established with his efforts, along with a government hospital. Later, the police station of Kranti, a nearby place, was shifted to Malbazar. Fire Service Station of the town came into existence in 1970s. A Street in the town of Malabazar was named after Dr. Narayan Chandra Bannerjee, after his death, to acknowledge his contribution in the town. History of Malbazar narrates another major incident. Mrs. Rohit Kumari Sarkar, mother of a reputed businessman of the town, offered to Rev. John R. Thwaytes, a large stretch of land at a nominal price for the establishment of an English Medium Co-Educational School (Caesar School) as well as a charitable institution known as Boys Town Mal Society. Subsequently, the school contributed immensely in the town's economy as well as in the economy of the whole Dooars. It is still being run successfully by Caesar Educational Trust headed by Rev. John R. Thwaytes. Several people of scheduled caste and scheduled tribes inhabit in the town. The connectivity of Malbazar with important towns including Jalpaiguri and Siliguri is very well. Tourist sites of the town enlist Mal Park, Mal and Karola rivers and a small Buddhist temple. A number of tea gardens around the town also attract a plethora of tourists. |