Hailakandi

The Barak Valley (Bengali: BAW-rahk OO-poht-taw-kah) is bounded on the north by the Barali and Jayantia hill ranges, on the south by Mizoram. Cachar district was created in 1830 after annexation of Kachari Kingdom by British. In 1854, North Cachar was annexed and tagged to the district. In 1951 erstwhile North Cachar Sub-Division was made a separate district and taken out of Cachar. In 1983 erstwhile Karimganj Sub-Division and in 1989, Hailakandi Sub-Division was made a separate district. The valley is famous for the Bengali language movement in Assam. In 1961, the state government issued a circular making Assamese mandatory, prompting protests from Bengalis in the valley. On 19 May 1961, the Assam Police opened fire on unarmed protesters at Silchar station, resulting in 11 deaths. The state government later withdrew the circular, and Bengali became an official language in the Barak Valley. The people in the region still remember the moment.