The 1843 Dhaka Trial: How Bengal's First Newspaper Defied the Raj

In 1843, the British Raj prosecuted the editor of the Samachar Darpan, Bengal's first Bengali-language newspaper, for libel. This episode follows the trial of Reverend James Long and the paper's owner, the Reverend Alexander Duff, as they challenged colonial censorship. We explore the newspaper's origins in the Serampore Mission Press, its role in spreading reformist ideas, and the legal battle that became a flashpoint for press freedom in India. The case involved key figures like Governor General Lord Ellenborough and the indigo planters who felt threatened by the paper's exposés. We also discuss the broader context of Bengali print culture, including the early newspapers like the Bengal Gazette and the Digdarshan, and how the trial foreshadowed later struggles for free expression in the subcontinent. The episode sheds light on a forgotten chapter in the history of journalism and colonial resistance.

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