Answer:
The Bengali sericulturists were called Nagodas. They were famous for their silk weaving. International weavers came to purchase the silk they made.
The officials started taking advantage of the Nagodas as soon as Bengal came under the control of the English East India Company. They were hired by the corporation as bonded labourers. They were prohibited by the British officials from seeking employment elsewhere so that they could be kept under their control. They were also made to work for the firm and live like slaves in miserable working and living conditions with little amenities. Workers who refused to comply were severely punished, tortured. They British officials would also take away their property if they failed to comply with them. Such was the miserable life of exploitation and bondage that the once famous sericulturists faced under the East India Company rule.