উপনিবেশিক আমলে ভারতবর্ষে মহামারি বিস্তার এবং তা প্রতিরোধে সরকারের গৃহীত পদক্ষেপ ও সমস্যা

                                  মো. কবির হাসান                               

সহকারী অধ্যাপক, ইতিহাস বিভাগ, বরিশাল বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়।

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59815/isp.vol4204    

Abstract: During the colonial era, India experienced numerous outbreaks of infectious diseases including cholera, plague, smallpox, and influenza. These epidemics caused significant alarm among the British colonial authorities and European nations as quarantine protocols for ships posed serious disruptions to trade. Responding to these pressures the British government enacted the Epidemic Diseases Act in 1897, designed to curb the spread of infectious diseases in the Indian subcontinent. The primary focus of the colonial administration through this law was the protection of the European population residing in India. The Act granted extensive powers to medical professionals, Indian Civil Service (ICS) officers, and military personnel, allowing them to enforce strict measures. When contagious diseases spread rapidly through cities like Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Karachi, government-imposed restrictions led to widespread public resentment and unrest. Despite the public's resistance the Epidemic Diseases Act proved instrumental in managing and containing outbreaks.

Key Words: Leishmaniasis, Sanitation, Cholera, Smallpox, Kumbh Mela