Geographical Location of Bam:

Assam is one of the major states in the northeastern region of Indian democracy. In the southern part of Assam lies the historically important district of Cachar. Over time, the boundary  of Cachar district has changed. As of 2024, the current Cachar district is limited to the administrative areas of the Silchar and Lakhipur sub-divisions. Its area spans 3,776 square kilometers. A specific area in the southern part of this district is known as the ‘Bam’ region. This area consists of several villages collectively referred to by this name. The approximate area of this region is 281.87 square kilometers.

 On National Highway 306, which runs from Silchar to Bhaga Bazar to Aizawl,  'Bam' starts from Ramprasadpur village, located 23 kilometers south of Silchar city, down to the boundary of Mizoram. Other villages in the same latitudinal line of Ramprasadpur in the north of Bam are   Dulalgram, Sukhtala, and Bhubandhar. To the west of Bam lies the Rengti Hills, a natural barrier running approximately 13 kilometers long along the eastern boundary of Hailakandi. To the south, there are  the hills of Mizoram, and to the east, there is the 15-kilometer-long Barak-Bhban  Wildlife Sanctuary, an uninhabited protected area between the Barak and Sonai rivers. The area in question, situated within these boundaries, is Bam.

Satellite view of western Bam bordering Rengti Hills Range

 Since this area is not marked on any administrative map, it does not have a direct name in official documents. However, it falls within the Sonai revenue circle in the Davidsonabad sub-division. Additionally, 54.23% of this area is under the Narsingpur development block and 6.47% is under the Palonghat development block. The Bam area encompasses a total of 45 revenue villages or mouzas and 35 forest villages. It constitutes 3.38% of the total plain area of Cachar district.

 In the current three-tier Panchayat system, the Bam region includes: 1) Dholai Gaon Panchayat, 2) Bhaga Bazar Gaon Panchayat, 3) Sapta Gram Gaon Panchayat, 4) Channighat Gaon Panchayat, 5) Rajnagar Gaon Panchayat, 6) Jamalpur Gaon Panchayat, 7) Sheowaratol Gaon Panchayat, and 8) Jivangram Gaon Panchayat. These Gaon Panchayats fall under the Narsingpur development block. Additionally, six more villages of three more Gaon Panchayats in the Palonghat development block—Rukni, Bhubandor, six and Maniarkhal—come under  ‘Bam’. Therefore, the Bam region can be said to cover 11 Gaon Panchayat areas in the southern part of Cachar district. If the proposed Upojila is established  by the government, Dholai Bazar will be considered headquarters, marking a new administrative milestone.

   Bam is not listed as an administrative area on the revenue maps or records of the Cachar district administration. Instead, Bam is a notional geographic area that exists within the perception of its residents. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Davidsnabad Pargana, established in 1902, within the Sonai Revenue Circle. The Bam area covers 54.23% of the Narsingpur Development Block and a small portion of the Palanghat Development Block at its southern edge. Geographically, Bam is situated between longitudes 92.9391 E (Dholakhal) and 92.7994 E (Lailapur), and latitudes 24.6124 N (Ramprasadpur) and 24.3816 N (Mizoram border). The area encompasses 45 small revenue villages and 35 forest villages, totaling 80 villages and accounting for 3.38% of the total land area of Cachar district. The average size of a revenue village in Bam is 2 sq km, while forest villages, located in unclassified and reserved forest areas managed by the Forest Department, are smaller, averaging 0.85 sq km.

Under the current three-tier panchayat system, Bam includes the following Gaon Panchayats:

1. Dhalai Gaon Panchayat

2. Bhagabazar Gaon Panchayat

3. Saptagram Gaon Panchayat

4. Channighat Gaon Panchayat

5. Rajnagar Gaon Panchayat

6. Jamalpur Gaon Panchayat

7. Sheoratral Gaon Panchayat

8. Jibangram Gaon Panchayat

These Gaon Panchayats are part of the Narsingpur Development Block. Additionally, six more villages from three Gaon Panchayats of the Palonghat Development Block are also included in Bam. Thus, the historically significant Bam region is spread across these eleven  Gaon Panchayat areas in the southern part of Cachar district.

 Dholai Bazar is proposed to be designated as the Upazila headquarters, marking a new administrative milestone.

 

 

 

 

 

VILLAGES OF BAM

 

	Gaon Panchayat	GP Serial	Village Serial	Village Name
1	Dholai	1	1	Ramprasadpur
		2	2	Lantugram
		3	3	Sadagram
		4	4	Gurudayalpur
		5	5	Rojonikhal
		6	6	Gurudayalpur F V
		7	7	Hatalmara FV
		8	8	Ramprasadpur FV
2	Samtagram
		1	9	Arjanpur FV
		২	10	Saptagram
		৩	11	Loknathpur
		৪	12	Islamabad
3	Bhagabazar
		১	13	Bangram
		2	14	Rajghat
		3	15	Joydhanpur
		4	16	Dholaikhal FV
		5	17	Jamirkhal FV
		6	18	Suparikhal FV
4	Channighat
		1	19	Lailapur FV
		2	20	Howaithang
		3	21	Frenchnagar
		4	22	Channighat
		5	23	Frenchnagar FV
		6	24	Lailapaur
5	Jibangram
		1	25	Mohadebpur
		2	26	Debipur
		3	27	Gojalghat
		4	28	Jibongram
		5	29	Tillanagar
		6	30	Raraipunjee
		7	31	Mothurapur
		8	32	Radhanagar FV
		9	33	Garultola FV
6	Rajnagar
		1	34	Rajgobindpur
		2	35	Saraspur
		3	36	Kashpur
		4	37	Bishnupur
		5	38	Rajnagar
		6	39	Bidyaratanpur
		7	40	Bishnupur FV
7	Jamalpur
		1	41	Khulicharra
		2	42	Jamalpur
		3	43	Shyamacharanpur
		4	44	Narayanpur
8	Shewrartol
		1	45	Aradhanpur
		2	46	Khuicharra FV
		3	47	Bagewallah FV
		4	48	Shewrartol FV
		5	49	Tulartol FV
		6	50	Kalarhowar FV
		7	51	Dholakhal FV
		8	52	Pancharra FV
		9	53	Fainung FV
		10	54	Natacharra FV
		11	55	Korkot Basti FV
		12	56	Jayanagar FV
		13	57	Hadamba
		14	58	Dhonipur
		15	59	Khulicharra Mizo Section
		16	60	Mohonpur
		17	61	Saranagar(Goranagar)
9	Rukni
		1	62	Dulagram
10	Bhubondhar
		1	63	Sukhtola
11	Moniyerkhal
		1	64	Anandakha FV
		2	65	Katanpur Grant
		3	66	Hathikhal FV
		4	67	Jabba FV
		1	68	Metnathal FV
		2	69	Borkhal FV
		3	70	Napithkhal Panjum FV
		4	71	Gamalpur
		5	72	Lailapur(E)
		6	73	Gorkhal FV
		7	74	Dhalakhal FV
		8	75	Barman Nagar FV
		9	76	Chekavcham FV
		10	77	Garultolaekth FV
		11	78	Punirhowar FV
		12	70	Bhubondhar
		13	80	Punicharra FV

Note:FV=Forest Village

 

 

 

 

 

 

N H 306 entrs Bam at Ramprasadpur village:Photo credit-Jiyauddin Choudhury