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Hicky’s Bengal Gazette:

The emergence of newspaper in Bengal

Md Tarek Ali

Nowadays, the influence of newspapers on the literary world is undeniable. It is the ladder of truth, knowledge, and progress revealed on a unique basis. At the same time, it is a special mirror of society, which reflects the thinking of the era, political reality, and cultural evolution. Newspapers bring out the mood of a nation and bring to the fore the aspirations and miseries of the people. In particular, it collects news of everyday happenings in society and records it with dates on its own transparent page. As a result, newspapers have a special relationship with history. It is a valuable tool of history. So today’s newspaper is also the history of tomorrow.

The history of the invention and propagation of the printing press is connected with the history of newspapers and journalism. After Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India, the Portuguese brought printing presses to India in 1557 for the purpose of printing Christian scriptures. In 1684, The English East India Company established its first printing press in Bombay. Thus, printing presses were gradually established in different parts of India, and the first significant step was taken in the field of Bengali typography, printing, and publishing with the advent of ‘A Grammar of the Bengal Language’ by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed in 1778, two years before the beginning of newspapers in Bengal.

William Bolts, an employee of The English East India Company, took the first initiative to print newspapers in the Indian subcontinent. In 1768, he announced the publication of a newspaper from the region. However, he did not succeed in getting the newspaper published.[1]  The next event occurred 12 years later, on January 29, 1780. It was Saturday. Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, or Calcutta General Advertiser, Bengal’s first weekly English newspaper, was published from Calcutta and declared itself “a weekly political and commercial paper open to all parties but influenced by none.” James Augustus Hickey is the editor and publisher of the newspaper. It was published from Radha Bazar.[2] The journey of newspapers in Bengal started from here. S. Natarajan said in the description of the newspaper,

“It was a two sheet paper, about 12 inches by 8 inches, with three columns printed on both sides. It published extracts from the English newspapers, and correspondence from local and distant writers. Its special features were addresses to the public from Mr. Hicky, a ‘Poet’s Corner’, and all the local gossip relating to the British community in Calcutta … Its public was mainly the merchants and traders, and at first the non-official European class.”[3]

Most of what was published in Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was an advertisement. The paper and printing of the newspaper were very poor. At the same time, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was not quite unreasonable for the first few months after its launch, but later its paper tone became substandard. H.E. Busteed wrote in this context,

“Had the paper only continued as it began, it might in no very long time have grown into something better, but it soon took to catering for the lowest tastes, and gradually went from bad to worse in this objectionable direction, and admitted contributions which, while hypocritically affecting to teach and uphold public and private morality, in reality pandered to the impulses of the prurient and the vicious.”[4]

The 25 March 1780 issue was the first to publish a ‘Letter to the Editor’ by ‘Philanthropos’ about the unsanitary conditions of the Portuguese cemetery in the city. contextually that most of the advertisements for Europeans living in Calcutta published in the newspaper were indecent and smacked of perverted taste. However, many attribute this to the condition of English society in Calcutta at the time. It is to be noted that, Hicky’s pen-based principle of ridiculing everyone earned him severe hostility from Governor General Warren Hastings and Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir Elija Impey. Both felt the pain from Hicky’s pen, possibly due to their belief that Sir Francis was immune from the attack.[5] Despite the outrage against Hickey, Hastings was unable to take any action against him because there was no press law at the time. On April 25, 1782, Hickey made a statement about how one by one attempts were made by the Governor General Hastings to humble him. As a result, the Governor General’s Council issued a ban on mailing Hicky’s Bengal Gazette to raise complaints against Warren Hastings. It was said,

“Fort William, 14th November, 1780, Public Notice is hereby given that as a Weekly Newspaper called Bengal Gazette or Calcutta General Advertiser printed by J. A. Hicky, has lately been found to contain several improper Paragraphs tending to vilify private Characters, and to disturb the Peace of the settlement, it is no longer permitted to be circulated thro’ the Channel of the General Post Office. By order of the Hon’ble Governor General and Council.”

In June 1781, Hickey was taken into judicial custody on two charges of libel initiated by Warren Hastings. There Hickey was found guilty and had to be imprisoned. But Hastings and his colleague, Chief Justice Impey, failed in their mission to stop the publication of the Bengal Gazette. From prison, he continued to publish his newspaper. It was published every Saturday until 23 March 1782. When Hastings filed a new lawsuit against him, he was eventually shutted. The types are then confiscated by court order, and Hicky’s Bengal Gazette ceases to be published.[6]

Years have passed since the penetration of newspapers in Bengal through Hicky’s Bengal Gazette. With the passage of time, many changes have come in our newspapers. Our newspapers are improving day by day. In recent times, though newspapers or journalism are mediums of mass communication in our country, they are being controversial in many ways in social, political, and economic fields. However, as a special part of the database, it is the responsibility of the newspaper to publish the truth. Therefore, professional ethics, impartiality, and accurate information dissemination need to be given more attention in order to properly utilize their impact in all areas. Only honesty, a courageous pen, and a mind committed to the public interest can establish the newspaper in its true dignity.

Md Tarek Ali

Student, Department of Sociology

University of Rajshahi

Email: mdtarek.a.c@gmail.com