History of Karimganj District is divided into four different periods and these are early period, middle age, the British Era and the partition period of 1947. The historical accounts of Karimganj District provide an outline about the formation of this district. The early history of this district of Assam is unclear and obscure. With available source materials and evidences, it is difficult to construct a chronologically comprehensive account of early history of the region. From the Nidhanpur copper inscriptions issued by King Bhaskar Varman, of Varman Dynasty in Assam. It is learnt that the region was within the Kamrup Kingdom for near about hundred years since 6th century AD.
From the Kalapur copper plates, it is learnt that in the 7th Century AD, this region, along with foothills of North Cachar Hills had passed on to the Samatata Kingdom of the Eastern Bengal. Of course, there is no direct evidence to prove this fact. In 10th century AD, King Srichandra of the renowned Chandra Dynasty of Eastern Bengal incorporated the entire region within his Vanga Kingdom. During this period, the Chandrapura Matha or monastery, situated at Panchakhanda became a very reputed centre of learning.
According to historians, Chandrapura Matha was the greatest centre of Hindu-learning in the entire eastern region of India of the early period. From two Bhatera inscriptions, it is learnt that there was an independent Srihatta Rajya in the 12th Century within which the entire Karimganj District along with a major portion of the Cachar district plains were incorporated.
When Hazarat Shah Jalal, a warrior saint from Yemen, conquered Sylhet in 1328 AD, Srihatta, along with a major portion of Karimganj District passed on to the Bengal Sultanate. A portion of Karimganj District comprising the present police station area of Patherkandi was under the control of Tripura King at that period. However, during the reign of Hussain Shah (1483-1519), this region (at that time, it was known as Pratapgarh) also came under the Sultanate. The region, along with other parts of Sylhet, was incorporated within the Mughal Empire in 1576 during the reign of Akbar.
History of Karimganj District in the British era recalls that in the year 1765, the Sylhet district, of which Karimganj was a part, passed on to the British. However, up to the year 1786, the British East India Company could not establish their hegemony over the entire region. In November 1857, three companies of the 34th Native Infantry stationed at Chittagong subsequently emerged in the south-east of Sylhet District. At Latu village of Karimganj district, these rebel soldiers encountered a group of the Sylhet Light Infantry under the command of Major Byng.
The Sub-division of Karimganj under Sylhet District was created in the year 1878 with Karimganj town as its headquarters. The sub-division played an important role in the freedom movement. Further, at the time of partition of the country, in 1947, the district of Sylhet was transferred to East Pakistan barring three-and-half thana areas (Ratabari, Patherkandi, Badarpur and half of Karimganj Police Station) of the Karimganj sub-division. This condensed Karimganj sub-division was incorporated in Cachar District of Assam as a full-fledged sub-division. This sub-division was upgraded to a district on 1st of July, 1983 under Government notification.
