History of Bangladesh – Ancient Period

The country Bangladesh was born in 1971. Therefore, the history of Bangladesh started from
1971. Before the creation of Bangladesh, it was a part of others and known as different names,
such as, East Pakistan, East Bangla, Bengal etc. We included the history from ancient to present
in brief.

The History of Bangladesh:

We are starting from beginning. We can know about the history of Bangladesh and our nation if
we see the history of Bengal. The historic period of Bengal (Bangladesh and West Bengal) is
usually classified into the Ancient, Medieval and Modern periods.

Ancient Period:

No one can determine the exact time when people started living in this place. Some assume that
people came and settled in Bengal (Bangladesh, West Bengal) ten thousand or more years ago.
Those people were the non-Aryan ethnic groups – Nisadas or Austro-Asiatics or Austric who are
now represented by the peoples known as Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara, Pulinda etc.

In 2000 BC, the Aryan came to India and made a developed civilization. After many days of this
time they came to Bangla. Before the time of Aryan the history and the life style of the people of
Bangla is unknown. Different groups of people settled in different areas in Bengal and the name
of the areas were associated with the groups settled in that area. There were 16 ancient
Janapadas, such as: Vanga, Pundra, Radha, Gauda, Harikela, Samatata, Magadha etc.

• Vanga: Vanga (also known as Banga) or Greater Bengal was a kingdom located in the
eastern part of the Indian Subcontinent, comprising part of West Bengal, India and
present-day modern Bangladesh.
• Pundra: Pundra was an eastern kingdom located in West Bengal, Bangladesh and Bihar.
The kingdom was also known as Paundra, Paundraya, Purnia etc. One Pundra king
challenged Vasudeva Krishna by imitating his attributes. He called himself
PaundrakaVasudeva.
• Radha: Radha A distinct geopolitical unit of ancient Bengal which probably included a
large part of the modern Indian state of West Bengal.
• Gauda: The geographical limit of the Gauda country is not mentioned, the fact that it is
linked with Vanga and Pundra definitely indicates its location in eastern India.
• Harikela: Harikela was a kingdom in ancient Bengal encompassing much of the eastern
regions of the Indian Subcontinent. There are numerous references to the kingdom in
historical texts as well as archeological artifacts including silver coinage.
• Samatata: The Kingdom of Samatata was a kingdom in the earliest Bengal, which was
located at the mouth of the Brahmaputra River in the south east side of Bengal. It was a
vassal to the Gupta Empire. Samatata was a distinct entity, well-known and well-
recognised since Samudragupta’s time (4th century AD).

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• Magadha: Magadha was one of the sixteen Jnapadas. Magadha was established by
Chandragupta Maurya, and it is spreaded over most of the south Asian area, Afghanistan
• and Persia under Ashoka the Great.

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History of Bangladesh – Gupta Dynasty (240-
550 CE)
History of Bangladesh: Ancient Period – Part 2

Gupta Dynasty (c.240-550 CE):

In 321BC, Chandra Gupta Morjo established Gupta dynasty in India. In Northern Bangla Gupta
dynasty established in the period of Ashak (269-232 BC). It was in BograMahasthangarh and the
Pundra Nagar was the capital of this reign. According to Huen Shang, a Chinese visitor,

A Coin - Chandragupta with his wife Kumaradevi

not only northern side of Bangla but also the south-east Bangla Samatat, Tamralipi,
Kornosuborno (Murshidabad) ware under the Gupta rule. Bengal was an important part under
Gupta kingdom. The period of the Imperial Guptas is generally considered to be the golden age
of Indian history. The people of this period enjoyed an environment of religious tolerance.

A Chinese visitor, known as Fa-hsien, states that in the east, Tamralipti was the great emporium
for trading. Many Gupta coins which were found in Bengal, prove that the economic condition of
this region was very strong under the Guptas.

In the first half of the sixth century AD, the invasions of the Hunas broke down the Gupta
Empire. Southern and Eastern Bengal shook off the suzerainty of the Guptas and attained
importance as an independent kingdom under local rulers. During this time there were two
independent state established in Bangla, namely Vanga and Gouda.

List of the rulers of Gupta Empire:

Shashanka:

Shashanka was a prestigious ruler of the history of Bangla. He was first recorded independent
king of Bangla, reigning from 606. Shashankaspreaded his kingdom and captured Gauda in the
begining of the seventh century. Shashankaspreaded his kingdom far away from the geographical
boundaries. He is very important king in the history of Bengal (Bangladesh, West-Bengal)
because he was the first who tried to establish a north Indian kingdom and defended the Gauda
kingdom.

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Ancient History of Bangladesh: Part 3

The historic period of Bengal is usually classified into the Ancient, Medieval and Modern periods.

Ancient Period:

Prehistoric stone implements have been discovered in various parts of West Bengal in the districts
of Midnapur, Bankura and Burdwan. But it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the time when
people using them first settled in Bengal. It might have taken place ten thousand years (or even more)
ago. The original settlers were the non-Aryan ethnic groups-Nisadas or Austric or Austro-Asiatics who
are now represented by the primitive peoples known as Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara, Pulinda etc.

In 2000 BC, the Aryan came to India and made a developed civilization. After many days of this
time they came to Bangla. Before the time of Aryan the history and the life style of the people of Bangla
is unknown. In the earliest period Bengal was known to be inhabited by different groups of people, whose
names came to be associated with the area inhabited by them. There were 16 ancient Janapadas, such as:
Vanga, Pundra, Radha, Gauda, Harikela,Samatata, Magadha etc.

• Vanga:Vanga (also known as Banga) or Greater Bengal was a kingdom located in the eastern
part of the Indian Subcontinent, comprising part of West Bengal, India and present-day modern
Bangladesh.
• Pundra:Pundra (also known as Paundra, Paundraya, Purnia etc.) was an eastern kingdom located
in West Bengal, Bangladesh and Purnia (now in Bihar, India). A Pundra king challenged
Vasudeva Krishna by imitating his attributes. He called himself PaundrakaVasudeva.
• Radha:Radha A distinct geopolitical unit of ancient Bengal which probably included a large part
of the modern Indian state of West Bengal.
• Gauda: The geographical limit of the Gauda country is not mentioned, the fact that it is linked
with Vanga and Pundra definitely indicates its location in eastern India.
• Harikela:Harikela was a kingdom in ancient Bengal encompassing much of the eastern regions
of the Indian Subcontinent. There are numerous references to the kingdom in historical texts as
well as archeological artifacts including silver coinage.
• Samatata: The Kingdom of Samatata (or Samata) was a kingdom in ancient Bengal, located at
the mouth of the Brahmaputra River (near Comilla) in the south east of Bengal. It was a vassal to
the Gupta Empire.Samatata was a distinct entity, well-known and well-recognised since
Samudragupta's time (4th century AD).

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 • Magadha:Magadha wasone of the sixteenJnapadas.Magadha was the seat of the Maurya Empire,
founded by Chandragupta Maurya, which extended over nearly all of South Asia and parts of
Persia and Afghanistan under Ashoka the Great; and, later, of the powerful Gupta Empire, which
extended over the northern Indian subcontinent and parts of Persia and Afghanistan.

Gupta Dynasty (c.240-550 CE):

In 321BC, Chandra Gupta Morjo established Gupta dynasty in India. In Northern Bangla Gupta
dynasty established in the period of Ashak (269-232 BC). It was in BaguraMOhasthanGour and the
Pundra Nagar was the capital of this reign. According to Huen Shang, a Chinese visitor, not only northern
side of Bangla but also the south-east Bangla Samatat, Tamralipi, Kornosuborno (Murshidabad) ware
under the Gupta rule. Under Gupta rule Bengal was an important province. The period of the Imperial
Guptas is generally considered to be the golden age of Indian history. The people of this period enjoyed
an environment of religious tolerance.

Fa-hsien, the Chinese visitor, states that in the east Tamralipti was the great emporium of trade.
The discovery of a large number of Gupta coins and imitation Gupta coins in Bengal prove the economic
prosperity of the region under the Guptas.

In the first half of the sixth century AD, the invasions of the Hunas broke down the Gupta
Empire. Southern and Eastern Bengal shook off the suzerainty of the Guptas and attained importance as
an independent kingdom under local rulers. During this time there were two independent state established
in Bangla, namely Vanga and Gouda.

List of the rulers of Gupta Empire

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Sri-Gupta I c. 240-290
02 Ghatotkacha 290-305
03 Chandra Gupta I 305-335
04 Samudra Gupta 335-370
05 Rama Gupta 370-375
06 Chandra Gupta II ( Chandragupta Vikramaditya ) 375-415
07 Kumara Gupta I 415-455
08 Skanda Gupta 455-467
09 Kumara Gupta II 467-477
10 Buddha Gupta 477-496
11 Chandra Gupta III 496-500
12 Vainya Gupta 500-515
13 Narasimha Gupta 510-530
14 Kumara Gupta III 530-540
15 Vishnu Gupta c. 540-550

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Shashanka:

Shashankawas a prestigious ruler of the history of Bangla. He was first recorded independent
kingof Bangla, reigning from 606. By the beginning of the seventh century Shashanka captured power in
Gauda. Magadha formed a part of his dominions. Shashanka is the first known king of Bengal to extend
his suzerainty over territories far beyond the geographical boundaries of that province. He attempted to
establish a north Indian empire and defended the independence of the Gauda Empire against a very
powerful northern Indian adversary, Harsavardhana.

The Pala Dynasty:

The dynasty founded by Gopala, the first Buddhist Pala king of Bengal, in the middle of the 8th
century AD, ruled Bengal for about four hundred years.During this long period of eighteen generations of
kings ruled over the Bangla.Gopala I came to power in 750 in Gaur by election. This event is recognized
as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia since the time of theJanapadas.The Pala Empire
extended beyond the boundaries of Bengal and Bihar as far as Kanauj.

Dharmapala was a devout Buddhist and a great patron of Buddhism. SomapuraMahavihara at

Paharpur (in Naogaon district of Bangladesh) is monumental architectural work of Dharmapala.The
empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the
northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent.

The death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several
independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time.

Mahipala 1 succeeded in bringing back the lost territories in northern and western Bengal and
restored the position of his dynasty to a firmer footing.After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its
decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty
to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa
and Northern India.

The vigor and energy of Ramapala (c 1082-1124 AD) was the last significant flicker in the life of
the Pala dynasty. He succeeded in restoring Pala authority in northern Bengal and in demonstrating vigor
in expansion programs.

The list of the ruler of Pala Dynasty

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Gopala I c. 750-c. 770
02 Dharmapala c. 770-c. 810
03 Devapala c. 810-c. 850
04 Vigrahapala I c. 850-c. 875
05 Narayanapala c. 875-c. 908
06 Rajyapala c. 908-c. 935
07 Gopala II c. 935-c. 952
08 Vigrahapala II c. 952-c. 988
09 Mahipala I c. 988-c. 1038
10 Nayapala c. 1038-c. 1055
11 Vigrahapala III c. 1055-c. 1070
12 Mahipala II c. 1070-c. 1075

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13 Shurapala c. 1075-c. 1077
14 Ramapala c. 1077-c. 1120
15 Kumarapala c. 1120-c. 1125
16 Gopala III c. 1125-c. 1144
17 Madanapala c. 1144-c. 1161

Dynasties of South-Eastern Bengal:

During the period of Pala dynasty most of the South-Eastern part of Bangla was independent. These
provinces ware under the Vanga state.

• The Deva dynasty: In the 8th century AD the capital of Deva dynasty was Devaparvata (a city in
the Mainamati-Lalmai area, the exact location of which is not yet settled). Four generations of
rulers (Shantideva, Viradeva, Anandadeva and Bhavadeva) ruled Samatata, the area of Deva
dynasty.
• The Chandra dynasty:The Chandra dynasty was the most powerful dynasty of Southern Bangla.
The Chandras followed the Harikela rulers and from the beginning of the 10th century AD five
generations of Chandra rulers (trailokyachandra, Srichandra, Kalyanachandra, Ladahachandra
and govindachandra) ruled for about 150 years (c 900-1050 AD). Their empire embraced a large
area in Vanga and Samatata comprising the whole of southern and southeastern Bangladesh and
extending as far northeast as Sylhet area.1
• Varman Dynasty: In the last 11th century, taking advantage of the weak point of Pala dynasty
established their independent rule in the south-eastern Bangla. Five generations of the Varman
dynasty (Jatavarman, Harivarman, Samalavarman and Bhojavarman) ruled for less than a century
(c 1080-1150 AD) before they were toppled by the Senas. The Varmans were Hindus and their
capital was also at Vikramapur.

Sena dynasty (c1097-1223 AD):

In Sena dynasty five generations of kings (Vijaysena, Vallalsena, Laksmansena, Vishvarupsena

and Keshavsena) ruled. They ruled over Bangla for more than a century. The first three rulers of the
following list were the important figure and the last two rulers had little power. The Sena rulers were
Hindus and their rule is considered to be a period of revival of Hinduism in Bengal. The development of
Sanskrit literature in Bengal was an important contribution of the dynasty. Many important books were
composed in this period and so many popular writers were belongs to the period, such as
BhavadevaBhatta and jimutavahana etc.

Medieval Period:

Sultanate Period:

The Turkic invasion of India (including Bengal) came in the early 13th century. The 17 horse
rider invaders under the leadership of IkhtiarUddin Muhammad Bin BakhtiyarKhilji, defeated the last
Hindu Sena king LakshmanSena at Nadia in 1204 AD. During the early Muslim period, the former
kingdom became known as the Sultanate of Bangla. Out of about 550 years of Muslim rule, Bangla was

1
Banglapedia, Published by Asiatic Society of Bangladesh

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ruled by Delhi-based all India empires for only about 200 years. For about 350 years Bangla remained
virtually independent. The Muslim rule in Bangla is usually divided into three phases.

• The first phase was lasted from 1204 to 1342 AD. It was characterized by extreme
political instability.
• The second phase which spanned the period 1342 to 1575 saw the emergence of
independent local dynasties such as the IlyasShahi dynasty (1342—1414), the dynasty of
KingGanesha (1414—1442) and Husain Shahi dynasty (1493—1539).
• The third phase was lasted from 1575 to 1757 witnessed the emergence of a centralized
administration in Bengal within the framework of the Mughal empire.

The rule of independent Sultan:

Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah (1338-1349 AD):

In 1338 Bahram Khan died. On his death at Sonargaon his armour-bearerFakhruddin captured
power, he had established himself as independent Sultan of Sonargaon and after his death in 1349 was
succeeded by his son, GaziShah . However, more significant events were happening in Lakhnauti, where
an army commander, Ali Mubrak, seized control and established an independent kingdom. In 1342 he
was killed by his foster brother, Haji Iliyas , who established the IliyasShahi Dynasty which ruled Bengal
for the next hundred years.

IliyasShahi Dynasty (1342-1487 AD):

Haji Iliyas was the founder of the dynastyand the real founder of the Independent Sultanate of
Bengal; He took control of Lakhnauti in 1342 and assumed the long title of Sultan Shamsuddin Abul
Muzaffar Iliyas Shah.Some historians think that Iliyas was the first ruler who brought the three major
geographical units of Satgaon, Sonargaon and Lakhnauti under a single authority. This period is
important and significant for various reasons. The Muslim administration was given a distinct shape in
this period. Arts and literature, particularly Bangla literature, flourished. Haji Iliyas was succeeded by his
son, Sikandar Shah, who ruled a prosperous and politically stable Bengal for about thirty years and died
around 1390. He was the most popular ruler of the contemporary period. He also contact with the greatest
poet Hafiz by letter.

List of the rulers of 1st Iliyas Shahi Dynasty

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Ilyas Shah 1352–1358 AD
02 Sikandar Shah 1358–1390 AD
03 GhiyasuddinAzam Shah 1390–1411 AD
04 SaifuddinHamza Shah 1411–1412 AD

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Second phase of Iliyas Shahi Dynasty:

Following the murder of Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah, the nobles placed Nasiruddin, a descendant
of Sultan Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah, on the throne of Bengal in 1435-36 AD. Thus the IliyasShashi dynasty
was restored. Assuming the title of nasir uddin mahmud shah, the new sultan reigned peacefully for about
twenty-four years.

List of the rulers of 2ndIliyasShahi Dynasty

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah 1435-1459AD

02 RukunuddinBarbak Shah 1459-1474 AD
03 Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah 1474-1481AD
04 Sikandar Shah II 1481AD
05 JalaluddinFateh Shah 1481-1487AD

The Ganesh Dynasty:

Saifuddin Hamza Shah, was murdered by his slave, Shihab uddin, who took control but was soon
murdered himself. Taking advantage of the confusion, a Brahman noble of Dinanjpur, Raja Ganesh,
assumed power in Bengal. He appointed many Hindus in high posts and persecuted many Sufis.

House of Raja Ganesha

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah 1415-1416
02 Raja Ganesha 1416-1418
03 Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah 1418-143
04 Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah 1433-1435

Habshi Dynasty (1487 to 1493 AD):

Shahzada, a Habshi eunuch and the leader of the Abyssinian slaves usurped the throne by
murdering Jalaluddin Fath Shah, the last ruler of the house of Iliyas Shah in 1487 AD. The rule of the
Habshis (Abyssinians) in Bengal lasted nearly six years (1487 to 1493 AD), during this time four rulers
ruled Bengal.

The list of the rulers of Habshi Dynasty

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 Barbak Shah Shahzada 1487-1487AD
02 SaifuddinFiruz Shah 1487-1489 AD
03 Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah II 1489-1490 AD
04 ShamsuddinMuzaffar Shah 1490-1494 AD

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Husain Shahi Rule (1494-1538 AD):

Alauddinhusain shah, occupied the throne by assassinating the Habshi Sultan

ShamsuddinMuzaffar Shah, under whom he had served as wazir. He was elected sultan by the leading
nobles in 1494 AD.It marked the zenith of the Independent Sultanate in Bengal. In this period Bengal's
political isolation from North India reached its culminating point, and this helped her to reinforce her
cultural identity. He conquered Kamarupa and Kamta,Comilla and Chittagong to his kingdom and
sending expeditions to Orissa.

The gumti gate, the qadamrasul, the Jahanian Mosque, the barasona mosque and the chhotasona
mosque, the sura mosque and Hemtabad mosque in Dinajpur, the bagha mosque, the navagram mosque in
Pabna, the majlisaulia mosque of Pathrail in Faridpur, the Sankarpasha mosque of Sylhet and the goaldi
mosque represent the development of the period.

The list of the rulers of Husain Shahidynasty

No Name of the rulers Duration

01 AlauddinHussain Shah 1494-1518 AD
02 NasiruddinNasrat Shah 1518-1533 AD
03 AlauddinFiruz Shah 1533 AD
04 Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah 1533-1538 AD

Afghan Rule, 1539-1576:

Afghan Rule started in Bengal in 1539 after the discomfiture of Humayun atChausa at the hands of Sher
Khan and ended in 1576 with the Mughal victory at rajmahal over daudkarrani. But long before Sher
Khan who assumed the title of Sher Shah after his victory at Chausa had wrested Bengal from Jahangir
Quli Khan, the Mughal deputy, in October 1539, the Afghans had entered the services of the Bengal
sultans.

References: DynasticHistory of Bengal, vol-1, Dhaka, 1948; Abdul MominChowdhury,

History of Ancient Bengal, Kolkata, 1971; RC Majumdar,

S Islam, ed., History of Bangladesh, I& II, Dhaka, 1992,

JN Sarkar, ed, History of Bengal, II, Dhaka, 1948,

Wikipedia, Banglapedia.

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A Short History of Bangladesh
Bangladesh officially known as the People's Republic of Bangladesh is an independent nation
located in South Asia. It makes up the eastern and largest portion of the ethno-linguistic region
of Bengal. It is situated at the zenith of the Bay of Bengal and is bordered by Myanmar and
India, and separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the thin Siliguri Corridor.

Present-day Bangladesh came out as a sovereign country in 1971 after breaking away and
gaining independence from Pakistan in the Bangladesh liberation war. Its early history was
characterized by internal fighting, a succession of Indian empires, and a scuffle between
Buddhism and Hinduism for dominance. The borders of modern Bangladesh were formed after
the partition of India and Bengal in August 1947, when the area became East Pakistan as a
section of the newly established State of Pakistan following the Radcliff Line. The name
Bangladesh was initially written as two words, Bangla Desh. Bangla is a key word for both the
Bengali language and the Bengal region. The exact origin of the term is, however, not known.
Below, some of the key events in the history of Bangladesh have been explained in brief.

Ancient and classical Bengal

Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala EmpireStone Age tools dating back to over 20,000
years ago have been found in the Greater Bengal region thus indicating human settlement in the
region.

Ancient Bengal was initially occupied by the Austroasiatics, Tibeto-Burmans, Dravidians, and
Indo-Aryans in successive waves of migration and main urban settlements were established
during the Iron Age towards the middle of the first BCE millennium when the Northern Black
Polished Ware culture was established in the Indian sub-continent.

Bengal was governed by the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE. With their
citadels in the Bihar and Bengal territories, the Mauryans established the first geographically
widespread Iron Age empire in ancient India. The empire promoted Buddhism and Jainism and it
was able to reach its apex under emperor Ashoka. The Gupta Empire finally succeeded the
Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century. This empire was believed to have originated from the
Varendra area in Bangladesh, and it corresponds to present-day Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions.
This era brought about the theory of the Earth orbiting the Sun, invention of chess, the study of
the lunar and solar eclipses, the concept of zero, and the thriving of drama and Sanskrit literature.

In classical antiquity, Bengal was partitioned between different kingdoms. The Pala Empire was
seen as the biggest Bengali nation developed in ancient history. The empire covered the majority
of the north Indian sub-continent during its peak in the 9th century. The Palas were Mahayana
Buddhists, and they h2ly supported education, architecture, and art, thus leading to the
establishment of the Pala School of Painting and Sculptural Art, the universities of Vikramshila
and Nalanda, and the SomapuraMahavihara. The proto-Bengali dialect materialized under Pala
rule. The Hindu Sena dynasty, however, took power in the 11th century and it h2ly promoted
Brahmanical Hinduism and laid the basis of Bengali Hinduism. The Senas also supported their

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school of Hindu Art after being inspired by their predecessors. They also merged the caste
system in Bengal.

Bengal was also an intersection of the Southwestern Silk Road.

Islamic Bengal

In 1905 Lord Curzon created the Partition of BengalMerchants from the Middle East, Sufis, and
missionaries brought with them Islam on the shores of Bengal towards the end of the first
millennium. It has been suggested by some experts that early Muslims, including
Sa`dibnAbiWaqqas, uncle to Prophet Muhammad, used Bengal as a passage point to travel to
China on the Southern Silk Road. The excavation of the Abbasid Caliphate coins in the country
portrayed a sturdy trade system during the era of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, when Arab
scientists assimilated pre-Islamic Greek and Indian discoveries. This eventually led to the Indo-
Arabic numerals system.

successive Muslim occupation assimilated the achievements and culture of pre-Islamic

civilization in Bengal in the new Islamic polity. The Muslims were able to adopt traditions and
customs including food, dress, and way of life, such as wearing bangles, bindu and saris by the
Muslim women; and art forms in theater, dance, and music. Conversion to Islam was reinforced
in the country via the construction of madrasas, mosques, and Sufi Khanqahs.

By the 14th century, a sovereign Bengal Sultanate was formed and it was known for its cultural
pluralism. The Sultanate, however, started to fall apart by the 16th century and by 1532, Bengal
was overran by the Sur Empire who constructed the Grand Trunk Road. Baro-Bhuyanzamindars
and Hindu rajas acquired control on huge sections of the territory, particularly in the fertile Bhati
area.

Towards the end of the 16th century, the Mughal Empire conquered the Bengal delta after the
Battle of Tukaroi and Dhaka was formed as Mughal's provincial capital in 1608. Mughal rule
brought about agrarian reforms, economic prosperity, and thriving external trade especially in
silk textiles and muslin. The agrarian reforms transformed Bengal into the rice basket of the
Indian sub-continent.

In 1717, the Nawabs of Bengal created a sovereign principality and their headquarters were in
Murshidabad. The last sovereign Nawab was, however, defeated on 23 June 1757 at the Battle of
Plassey by the British.

British Bengal

The rule of the British East India Company began in 1757 and the Bengal Presidency was
formed in 1765 with its capital in Calcutta. During British tenure, East Bengal established a
plantation economy that was centered on tea production and jute trade and its share in the supply
of jute rose in the early 20th century. In 1905, British divided Bengal and established the
administrative division of Eastern Bengal and Assam. This partitioning led to the Swadeshi
movement led by the Indian National Congress and in 1911 the division was annulled.

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By the 1930s, the KrishakPraja Party and the Swaraj Party came to represent Bengali's new
middle class. The KrishakPraja Party became allies with the Muslim League in 1940 to present
the Lahore Resolution which visualized sovereign nations in the northwestern and eastern sub-
continent.

In 1943, the Muslim League established a parliamentary government in the country and in 1946,
the victory of the Bengal Muslim League at the Indian provincial elections set the course for the
division of British India and the formation of the Dominion of Pakistan on 14 August 1947.

The period between 1947 and 1970 was characterized by a lot of friction between East Bengal
and the Dominion of Pakistan.

Bangladesh War of independence

On 23 March 1971, the Bangladeshi flag was raised for the first time. Operation Searchlight was,
however, launched on 26 March 1971 by the Pakistani military junta who massacred Bengali
politicians, students, intellectuals, military defectors, and civil servants during the 1971
Bangladesh genocide.

During the liberation war, Bengali locals proclaimed a declaration of independence and created
the MuktiBahini, the Bangladeshi National Liberation Army. During the war, the army held
Bengali's countryside and waged guerilla operations against the Pakistani forces. India offered
support to the army during the war. The United States and the Soviet Union also sent naval
forces to the Bengal Bay to offer support. The war lasted for nine months and it came to an end
when the Pakistani military surrendered to the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces on 16th
December 1971.

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first woman prime minister, SourceAfter gaining its independence,
Bangladesh became a republic within the Commonwealth and a secular democracy. in 1973,
Bangladesh joined the OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement, and later joined the United Nations
in 1974.

In 1973, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India signed a tripartite agreement calling for stability and
peace in the sub-continent. The government at that time was led by Mujib who was assassinated
together with the majority of his family members on 15 August 1975. In the same year, two army
uprisings took place and they led to a reorganized system of power.

In 1977, Lieutenant General ZiaurRahman took over the presidency and in 1979 he restored
civilian rule and reinstated multi-party politics. He formed the Bangladesh National Party and
promoted free markets. He also reinstated the country's foreign policy and sought out closer ties
with the West. His tenure ended in 1981 when he was assassinated by the military. His successor
was AbdusSattar, whose tenure ended in less than a year.

Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad was the country's next big ruler and as president
he pursued executive reforms, including a devolution scheme which partitioned the nation into
64 districts and 5 divisions. in 1985, he held the founding summit of SAARC in Dhaka, bringing

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together 7 South Asian nations, including the Maldives, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka,
and Nepal, into a regional union. He also extended Bangladesh's road network and began
significant projects, for instance, the Jamuna Bridge. He reinstates civilian rule in 1986 and
established the Jatiya Party.

In 1991, former first lady Khaleda Zia led the Bangladesh Nationalists Party and was elected as
the first female Prime Minister in the country's history.

The next general elections were held in 1996 and the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina came
back to power after 20 years. In 1999 the Sheikh held a trilateral summit between Bangladesh,
Pakistan, and India and helped form the D8 grouping with Turkey. The League, however, lost
power again to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the 2001 election and Khaleda Zia
was once again elected as the Prime Minister.

BNP's tenure came to an end in October 2006 and a caretaker government led by President
Iajuddin Ahmed worked to ensure that the parties would take part in the elections within ninety
days. The Bangladesh Armed Forces intervened on 11 January 2007 so as to support a state of
emergency and a neutral caretaker government under Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed. The
Awani League won the 2008 general elections.

Over the years, Bangladesh has reduced poverty a lot with the rate lowering from 57 % in 1990
to 25.6% in 2014. Per-capita income has doubled and the country has acquired success in human
development. Bangladesh, however, still faces challenges of climate change, inequality, religious
extremism, and unstable politics

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