Abolition
The East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950 was passed by the newly formed Democratic Government of the Dominion of Pakistan for its eastern provinces (East Bengal, present day Bangladesh). The bill was drafted on 31 March 1948 during the after the fall of the British Monarchy in India, and passed on 16 May 1951. Most of the princely states in the western part of empire (Pakistan) merged into the Province of West Pakistan on the 14th of October 1955 and the new nation was declared a republic within a year even though some of the frontier states continued to be administered as separate units. During the same period 1948-1950, some of the remaining princely states joined India, and the Indian zamindaris were also abolished.
In return for surrendering the government of their states in the case of Princes, and estates in the case of Zamindars, together with their revenues and military forces, the former ruling princes were guaranteed their hereditary styles and titles, certain privileges of rank and honour, as well as privy purses to cover the living expenses of themselves and their families. However, this too was abolished in 1956. In 1971, the styles and titles enjoyed by the former ruling families ceased to be officially recognised by the Government of Pakistan in January 1972. Coincidentally, that year was also the year of Independence of the East province of Pakistan (East Pakistan) into the sovereign state of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Pakistan was renamed the Islamic Republic of Pakistan where most of the formerly ruling families continued to exercise significant influence and considerable political and economic power. After a year-long battle in Republic of India, an amendment to the Constitution at the end of 1971 abolished the privy purses, guaranteed by the Indian Constitution and eliminated the princely order and the zamindari system itself.
In 1984, Natore subdivision was turned into a district in independent Bangladesh.
British and Scottish media sometimes accorded their zamindar statuses as 'Princes'. After the War of 1971, they held considerable alliances with ruling presidents, military dictators and prime ministers, all the while refraining from elected public offices. The family still owns most of the lands as private estates, and taxes the inhabitants on produce from the lands, which in turn pays for upkeep of the land holdings, buildings etc. Most of the residences used by the family lies mostly uninhabited, yet under the ownership of the family.
Read more about this topic: Singranatore Family
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