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'''Biswas''' ({{langx|bn|বিশ্বাস}}) (pronounced in Bengali as "bish-shash") is a native [[Bengalis|Bengali]] surname, commonly used by the [[Bengali people|Bengali]] community of [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]]. The surname was an honorary title bestowed on persons who were relied upon for the work of accounts, receipts and expenditure. <ref name="mookerjee59">{{cite journal |vauthors=Mookerjee S |date=1959 |title=Bengalee Surnames |url=http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/28560/1/ALIS%206%283%29%2081-91.pdf |journal=Annals of Library and Information Studies |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=81–91 }}</ref>
The word ''Biswas'' means faith or trust in [[Bengali language|Bengali]].<ref>{{cite web |title=English Meaning of 'বিশ্বাস ' at english-bangla.com বিশ্বাস শব্দের ইংরেজি অর্থ |url=http://www.english-bangla.com/bntoen/index/বিশ্বাস |website=english-bangla dictionary |language=en}}</ref>
The surname 'Biswas' is not tied to any specific religion or caste, as it is used by both "Hindus, including [[Brahmin|Brahmins]], and Muslims alike".<ref name="mookerjee59"/> Among [[Bengali Hindus]], the surname is notably associated with various castes, including [[Forward caste]]s like [[Bengali Kayastha|Kayasthas]],<ref>{{Cite book|author=Lokeshwar Basu|title=Amader Podabir Itihas (Bengali)|publisher=Ananda Publishers|year=1981|isbn=8170666015|location=Kolkata}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Bahadur)|first=Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=07OAAAAAMAAJ&q=Biswas+title+Mahishya|title=Man in India|date=1982|publisher=A. K. Bose|language=en}}</ref> [[Mahishya]]s<ref>{{cite book |last=Risley |first=H.H. |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bengal
|url=http://piketty.pse.ens.fr/files/ideologie/data/CensusIndia/Administrators/Risley1892.pdf |publisher=Bengal Secretariat Press |page= 140 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title= Confessions of a Namasudra Communist: Debayudh Chatterjee|url= https://indianculturalforum.in/2017/06/17/confessions-of-a-namasudra-communist/}}</ref> and
[[Bengali Brahmins|Brahmins]]<ref name="mookerjee59"/><ref name="Naipaul">{{Cite web|title=MASTERPIECE!|url=https://trinidadexpress.com/features/local/masterpiece/article_b84e4800-0dd8-11ec-9544-5fb4b6372f79.html|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Trinidad Express Newspapers|language=en}}</ref>  as well as [[Scheduled Caste]]s like [[Poundra (caste)|Poundras]] and [[Namasudra]]s. The surname is also found among [[Bengali Muslims]] and [[Bengali Christians]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Zene|first=Cosimo|title=The Rishi of Bangladesh: A History of Christian Dialogue|url={{Google books|ZWgQgHB5bJEC|page=364|plainurl=yes}}|page=364}}</ref>
==Notable people==
*[[Abdul Gaffar Biswas]] (born 1949), former MP for [[Khulna-3]]
*[[Abdul Latif Biswas (Pakistani politician)|Abdul Latif Biswas]], member of the Pakistan National Assembly
*[[Abdul Latif Biswas (Bangladeshi politician)|Abdul Latif Biswas]] (born 1953), Bangladeshi minister
*[[Abdur Rahman Biswas]] (1926–2017), former president of Bangladesh
*[[Abdur Rasheed Biswas]] (died 1991), former MP of Jessore
*[[Abu Raihan Biswas]] (1940–2019), high school teacher and socialist
*[[AM Riasat Ali Biswas]] (1932–2016), Islamic scholar and politician
*[[Anil Biswas (composer)]] (1914–2003), Indian film music composer
*[[Anil Biswas (politician)]] (nickname 'Keru') (1944–2006), Indian politician
*[[Apu Biswas]], Bangladeshi actress who appears in Dhallywood films
*[[Barun Biswas]] (1972–2012), Bengali school teacher and social activist
*[[Basanta Kumar Biswas]] (1895–1915), [[Indian independence movement|independence]] activist involved in the [[Jugantar]]
*[[Birendra Bijoy Biswas]] (1928-2018), Indian molecular biologist and recipient of  [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], the highest science award in India.
*[[Biswamoy Biswas]] (1923–1994), Indian ornithologist
*[[Chhabi Biswas]] (1900–1962), Bengali character actor
*[[Charu Chandra Biswas]], [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]], Indian Judge, Union Minister and Vice Chancellor of the [[University of Calcutta]]
*[[Chowdhury Moyezuddin Biwshash]] (1840–1923), merchant and aristocrat
*[[Debabrata Biswas]] (1911–1980), Bengali singer
*[[Debabrata Biswas (politician)]] (born 1945), politician from All India Forward Bloc and a Member of the Parliament of India
*[[Dipendu Biswas]], Indian international football player
*[[Emani Biswas]] (born 1975), Trinamool politician
*[[Farhad Hossain (politician)|Farhad Hossain Bishwas Dodul]] (born 1972), Minister of Public Administration
*[[Indranil Biswas]] (born 1964), mathematician and recipient of  [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], the highest science award in India.
*[[Kanishka Biswas]] (born 1982), chemist and recipient of  [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], the highest science award in India.
*[[Nasim Biswas|Ehteshamul Haq Nasim Biswas]] (died 1998), medical doctor and politician
*[[Hemanga Biswas]], exponent of the Bhantiali folk music, originally popular among the fishermen of Bangladesh
*[[Kanti Biswas]], Indian politician and former minister of West Bengal
*[[Lutfar Rahman Biswas]], Bangladeshi politician
*[[Manjur Rahman Biswas]] (1950–2023), former MP of [[Pabna-4]]
*[[Md. Golam Mostofa Biswas]] (born 1967), former MP of [[Chapai Nawabganj-2|Nawabganj-2]]
*[[Mohammad Nurul Haque|Mohammad Nurul Haque Biswas]] (1915–1998), army officer and politician
*[[Mohammad Shahiduddin|Mohammad Sahiuddin Bishwas]] (1923–1990), freedom fighter and politician
*[[Mohammad Abdul Wadud|Mohammad Abdul Wadud Bishwas]] (born 1964), politician
*[[Nuruzzaman Biswas]] (born 1948), former MP of [[Pabna-4]]
*[[Panjab Ali Biswas]], former MP of [[Pabna-4]]
*[[Pratim Biswas]], Dean of the College of Engineering at the [[University of Miami]]
*[[Pulak Biswas]] (born 1941), artist and children's book illustrator from India
*[[Ramakrishna Biswas]], (born 1910), Bengali revolutionary and martyr
*[[Robert Biswas-Diener]] (born 1972), positive psychologist, researcher, author and instructor at Portland State University
*[[Sanjit Biswas]] (born 1982), American entrepreneur, and computer scientist.
*[[Seema Biswas]] (born 1965), Indian film and theatre actress
*[[Shahidul Islam Biswas]] (1948–2006), former general secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party
*[[Soma Biswas]] (born 1978), athlete of Kolkata, India and who specialises in the heptathlon
*[[Soumili Biswas]], Bengali television serial actress
*[[Suhas Biswas]] first Air Force Officer, awarded the Ashoka Chakra
*[[Suresh Biswas]], 19th century adventurer from India
*[[Sutapa Biswas]] (born 1962), British Indian conceptual artist
*[[Timir Biswas]] (born 1982), playback singer, songwriter, composer and the lead singer of the band Fakira
*[[Upendra Nath Biswas|U. N. Biswas]], an Indian Buddhist politician and the former Minister for Backward Class Welfare from West Bengal
*[[Ujjal Biswas]], Indian politician and the present Minister for technical education in the Government of West Bengal
*[[Wazed Ali Biswas|Wajed Ali Biswas]] (1947–2003), politician and shrimp exporter
* [[Yusuf Ali Chowdhury| Yusuf Ali Bishwas]] (1905–1971), former Minister of Agriculture
==See also==
* [[A House for Mr. Biswas]], 1961 novel by [[V. S. Naipaul]].
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{surname}}
[[Category:Bengali-language surnames]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindu surnames]]
[[Category:Bengali Muslim surnames]]