The Armenians´ massive coming to Bengal started only after they were settled in New Julfa. The prospect of Bengal trade attracted Armenian merchants to settle them in Bengal. In Bengal, they had their own Apostolic Churches; remnant of the Armenian churches and houses are still found in the both parts of the Bengal..Eastern Bengal

most of the Armenian merchants came to Bengal as commendaagents of their masters settled mostly in New Julfa

New Julfa was not the original homeland of Armenians who were also a diasporacommunity in New Julfa under the Muslim reign. Jonathan Israel defined this kind of move (diaspora) as diasporas within diaspora.39 Thus we can define Armenians in Bengal as alsodiasporas within diasporabut trade diaspora as they came to Bengal for trading purpose

Bengal raw silk and cotton textiles and other agricultural commodities were very reputed and were exported to inter-Asia.42

Although, it is difficult to define when Armenians started coming to Bengal, historians generally presume that Armenians began to come to Bengal form the sixteenth century. However, Armenians diaspora in Bengal got its pace in the seventeenth century. After arriving in Bengal, Armenians traversed different parts of Bengal especially in port cities and also remote areas where commodity supply or trade was possible. Armenians had their trading settlement and considerable influence in trade in almost all parts of Bengal such as Hugli, Calcutta, Dhaka, Kasimbazar, Saidabad( a suburb the capital Murshidabad) and Patna.

Because of the dominant position of Armenians in Bengal trade, the English, the Dutch and the French East India Companies had to establish business cooperation with the Armenian merchants, especially between the early seventeenth century and the first half of the eighteenth century. It is observed from the English, the Dutch and the French Companies.. documents that the Companies were largely depended on the Armenians merchants for their Bengal trade in the seventeenth and first half of the eighteenth century.

Armenian merchant, KhojaWazid..s commercial activities in Bengal. Although he did not come as commendaagent, his ancestor came ascommenda agent. KhojaWazidwas very influential in the commercial and political life of Bengal especially in the last three decades of the first half of the eighteenth century. Born in Patna and later settled in Hugli, KhojaWazid established an extensive trade networks.47 He not only took part in overland saltpeter, salt and opium trade but was also active in maritime trade, stretching over almost all parts of Bengal to Surat, Persian Gulf and the Red sea ports.

Since KhojaWazid obtained monopoly for the Saltpeter and Opium trade from the Bengal NawabAlivardi Khan by paying aThey had religious churches in both parts of Bengal and they used to live in separate areas. Remnants of their churches and living areas are still available in Dhaka. An area where they had once their settlement still bears the name after Armenian.. Armanitola nominal Rs. 25,000 in a year.

Some Armenian merchants, especially KhojaWazid and PanousCalendr possessed several ships. Orme shows that in the first half of the eighteenth century Armenians.. fleet would be found in different ports of India and other parts of Asia full with Bengal goods. he would regularly sendhis ships full with different kind of Bengal products such as cotton textiles, Bengal silk, porcelain etc. as far as Surat, Mausallipatnam, Basra and Jeddah.53 Studying VOC shipping list SushilChaudhury decides that KhoajaWazid possessed at least six ships named: SalmatRessan, Salmatmanzil, MobrakGensamer,Medina Bakshand Mubarak Manzil.54English

Provoked by the New Institutional Economic theory of economic historian Avner Grief, Aslanian sees trust among the Armenian merchants as a `social capital…

They had religious churches in both parts of Bengal and they used to live in separate areas. Remnants of their churches and living areas are still available in Dhaka. An area where they had once their settlement still bears the name after Armenian.. Armanitola

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