IOR/R/15/2/766-794

The British Political Agent, Bahrain was responsible for the enforcement of Government of India wartime restrictions, quotas and prohibitions on the supply of essential food and non-food commodities, from India to the Arab ports of the Persian Gulf under his jurisdiction. Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, which included the Trucial Coast ports of Dubai and Sharjah, fell within the remit of the Bahrain Political Agency. The ruling shaikhs and their governments were responsible for food rationing and price control within their shaikhdoms. They were also expected to curb and punish black market profiteering and smuggling by their subjects, in accordance with their treaty obligations and British protected status. Both the Political Agent and the Shaikh of Bahrain established their own merchant and food advisory committees to consider matters of commerce and public welfare. On the Trucial Coast, the Dubai Food Company was formed to deal with the importation and distribution of controlled goods, under the supervision of the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast at Sharjah, and its meetings were presided over by the Shaikh of Dubai. The Political Agent submitted regular reports and statistics to the Political Resident, the Government of India and British Middle East food agencies, about food requirements, stock levels, consumption and prices in his district. Government of India export licences and permits for the shipment of Indian quota goods to the Persian Gulf were issued by Export Trade Controllers (also referred to as Foreign Trade Controllers) at Indian ports, to approved exporters and shippers. The Political Agent, Bahrain was responsible for issuing import licences and permits to approved merchants in Bahrain, Dubai and Sharjah, who had been allotted a share in India quota goods by their own authorities.