Gokul Ghoshal

Gokul Chandra Ghoshal was a native official of the East India Company who became a prominent and influential landlord by abusing his position and founded the Bhukailash Estate. He and Devi Singh, Diwan of Rangpur, were part of a number of rent collectors of the East India Company who became notorious for their corruption. Ghoshal had become wealthy and powerful through using his link to the East India Company. Jaynarain Ghoshal Memorial Plaque at the Joynarain Ghoshal Mausoleum in the Bhukailash Rajbati Estate, Kidderpore, Kolkata.

Career From 1761 to 1764, Ghoshal was the diwan of Chittagong under the East India Company. He was able to build a significant fortune by abusing the power of his office. His brother was Maharaja Krishna Chandra Ghoshal. He briefly served as the diwan of 24 Parganas.

Ghoshal was later given the task to revise the land settlement for revenue collection of the Sandwip Island. He also faced accusations of obstruction from Luis Da Costa, a Portuguese mediator settled in Bengal. He had built a mansion in Kidderpore of Kolkata. He also ran into conflicts with Chowdhury Abu Torab Khan, a zamindar of Sandwip, over revenue collection. This would eventually led a rebellion in Sandwhip against the company and their agents.

When the zamindar of Selimabad in Bakerganj (presently Barisal Division) asked for the administration's help in protecting his land from invasion by an adventurer, Ghoshal was sent. His descendant, Kali Sankar Ghoshal, became a raja through the purchase of bonds of the East India Company and would build a place in Jhalokati District on the land acquired by Ghosal from the zamindar of Selimabad.