Jotedars were influential landlords in rural Bengal who controlled large tracts of land. They played an important role in the agricultural economy of Bengal, acting as intermediaries between the peasants and the colonial government. However, the Jotedars were also known for exploiting the farmers, extracting high rents, and sometimes acting as moneylenders, thus increasing the burden on the peasants. This class of landowners held considerable power in rural society and was part of the broader zamindari system that shaped much of rural India under British rule.