Assignment

BUS 1112: BS

 HISTORICAL LEGACY OF BANGLADESH

Topics Covered:  INSIGHT HISTORY OF BIRTH OF BANGLADESH

Submitted to
Ms. Masuma Akter
Lecturer
Faculty of Business Administration
Fareast International University

Submitted by
Md. Tamim Hossain (18201006)
Faculty of Business Administration
Fareast International University

Latest Date of Submission: December 07, 2018

December 07, 2018

Ms. Masuma Akter

Lecturer,
Department of Business Administration,
Fareast International University

Subject: Submission of term paper on

“A Study on Historical background of Bangladesh”

Dear Madam,

Here is the assignment, “A Study on Historical background of Bangladesh”, that I am

assigned and has been completed on the underpinned knowledge gained from the course
“Bangladesh Studies” and your guidelines.

Throughout the completion of the assignment, I came to know about many things
regarding the unknown history of the world and Bangladesh which lied in BC and AD
especially about the Gangaridai Empire of ancient era.

I do believe that my tiresome efforts will help you to get ahead with this sort of venture.
In this case it will be meaningful to me. However, I would genuinely appreciate and keen
enough to make further corrections where you think it is necessary. Your kind advice will
encourage me to do further research in future.

Thanking you.

Yours obediently,

Md. Tamim Hossain

ID # 18201006
Department: FBA
Program: BBA
 Acknowledgement

Indeed all praises and salutations due to ALLAH Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, The most glorified,
the most high.
My gratitude and thanks goes to my respected course supervisor Ms. Masuma Akter,
Lecturer, Faculty of Business Administration, Fareast International University for
inspiring me to prepare a term paper on “ A Study on Historical Background of
Bangladesh” which has obviously widen my know-how to a great extent.
Last but not the least I admit the perseverance of folks who enable me and my humble
exertion towards finalization of this Assignment.

“There are cultural issues everywhere – in Bangladesh, Latin America, Africa,

wherever you go. But somehow when we talk about cultural differences, we
magnify those differences.”

(Dr. Muhammad Yunus)

ABSTRACT

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.

Key Words: Bangla, Bengal, Republic, Succession, Empire, Partition.

 Table of Contents.

Introduction Page: 1
Ancient & Classical Era Page: 2
Medieval Age Page: 3
Modern Age Page: 6
References Page: 12
Appendix Page: 12
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 1

Introduction

The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown. According to Mahabharata,
Purana, Harivamsha Vanga was one of the adopted sons of King Vali who founded
the Vanga Kingdom. The earliest reference to "Vangala" (Bôngal) has been traced in the
Nesari plates (805 AD) of the south Indian ruler Rashtrakuta Govinda III, who invaded
northern India in the 9th century, which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. The
records of Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty, who invaded Bengal in the 11th century,
affirms Govinda Chandra as the ruler of Bengal. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah took the title
"Shah-e-Bangalah" and united the whole region under one government for the first time.
The Vanga Kingdom (also known as Banga) was located in the eastern part of the Indian
Subcontinent, consist of West Bengal, India and present-day modern Bangladesh. Vanga
and Pundra were two dominant tribes in Bangladesh in ancient time.

1.0 Ancient & Classical Era

1.1 Pre-historic Bengal

Many of archaeological excavations in Bangladesh revealed evidences of the Northern

Black Polished Ware culture of the Indian Subcontinent (c. 700–200 BC), which was
an Iron Age culture developed beginning around 700 BC and peaked from c. 500–300 BC,
coinciding with the emergence of 16 great states or Mahajanapadas in Northern India,
and the subsequent rise of the Mauryan Empire. The eastern part of ancient India,
covering much of current days Bangladesh was part of one of such Mahajanapadas, the
ancient kingdom of Anga, which flourished in the 6th century BC.
Linguistically, the oldest population of this land may have been speakers of Dravidian
languages, such as the Kurux, or perhaps of Austroasiatic languages such as the Santals.
Subsequently, Tibeto-Burman and Indic Bengali represents the latest settlement.
While western Bangladesh, as part of Magadha, became part of the Indo-Aryan
civilisation by the 7th century BC, the Nanda Dynasty was the first historical state to unify
all of Bangladesh under short Indo-Aryan rule despite lasting for only 24 years in 345–
321 BC .

1.2 Overseas Colonization

The Vanga Kingdom was a powerful seafaring nation of Ancient India. They had overseas
trade relations with Java, Sumatra and Siam. According to Mahavamsa, the Vanga
prince Vijaya Singha conquered Lanka in 544 BC and gave the name "Sinhala" to the
country. Then some Bengali people migrated to the Maritime Southeast Asia and Siam to
live permanently.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 2

1.3 Gangaridai Empire

The Greek and Latin historians suggested that Alexander the Great withdrew from India
anticipating the valiant counterattack of the mighty Gangaridai Empire that was located
in the Bengal region. Diodorus Siculus mentions Gangaridai Empire to be the most
powerful empire in India whose king possessed an army of 20,000 horses, 200,000
infantry, 2,000 chariots and 4,000 elephants trained and equipped for war. Gangaridai,
according to the Greek accounts, kept on flourishing at least up to the 1st century AD.

1.4 Gauda Kingdom

By the 6th century, the Gupta Empire, which ruled over the northern Indian subcontinent
had largely broken up. Eastern Bengal splintered into the kingdoms of Vanga, Samatata
and Harikela while the Gauda kings rose in the west with their capital at Karnasuvarna.
Shashanka, a vassal of the last Gupta Emperor proclaimed independence and unified the
smaller principalities of Bengal (Gaur, Vanga, Samatata).

1.5 Pala dynasty

The Pala Empire, lasted from 750 to1120, can be considered as the golden era of Bengal.
Never had the Bengali people reached such heights of power and glory. The Pala were
responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar.
The Pala had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in
the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java,
and Sumatra).
Pala dynasty were the first independent Buddhist dynasty of Bengal. The Palas were
followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler
from the dynasty. They created many temples and works of art as well as supported the
Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is
the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent. The empire reached its peak
under Dharmapala and Devapala. Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, crushed
the Varendra Rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Odisha and
northern India.

1.6 Chandra Dynasty

The Chandra dynasty were a family who ruled over the kingdom of Harikela in eastern
Bengal (Harikela, Vanga and Samatata) roughly for 150 years. The last ruler of the
Chandra Dynasty, Govindachandra, was defeated by the south Indian Emperor Rajendra
Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century.

1.7 Sena dynasty

The Palas were followed by the Sena dynasty who brought Bengal under one ruler during
the 12th century. Vijay Sen, the second ruler of this dynasty, defeated the last Pala
emperor, Madanapala, and established his reign. Ballal Sena introduced the caste system
in Bengal and made Nabadwip the capital. The fourth king of this dynasty, Lakshman Sen,
expanded the empire beyond Bengal to Bihar.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 3

However, later Lakshman Sen fled to eastern Bengal fearing the invading Muslims
without facing them in battle. The Sena dynasty brought a period of revival in Hinduism in
Bengal.

1.8 Deva Kingdom

The Deva Kingdom, a Hindu dynasty and conjunction of medieval and classical age of
Bengal, ruled over eastern Bengal after the collapse of Sena Empire. The capital of this
dynasty was Bikrampur in present-day Munshiganj District of Bangladesh. The
inscriptional evidences show that his kingdom was extended up to the present-
day Comilla-Noakhali-Chittagong region. A later ruler of the dynasty Ariraja-Danuja-
Madhava Dasharathadeva extended his kingdom to cover much of East Bengal.

2.0 MEDIEVAL AGE

2.1 Advent of Islam

Islam made its first appearance in the Bengal region during the 7th century AD through
Arab Muslim traders and Sufi missionaries. The subsequent Muslim conquest of Bengal
in the 12th century led to the establishment of Islam across the region.
Beginning in 1202, a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, Bakhtiar Khilji,
overran Bihar and Bengal. He conquered Nabadwip from the old emperor Lakshman
Sen in 1203.He advanced across much of Bengal as Far East as Rangpur and Bogra
ushering in Muslim rule to Bengal. Under the Muslim rulers, Bengal entered a new era as
cities were developed; palaces, forts, mosques, mausoleums and gardens sprang up;
roads and bridges were constructed; and new trade routes brought prosperity and a new
cultural life.

2.2 Turko Afghan rule

In 1204 AD, the first Muslim ruler among Khiljis, Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turko
Afghan, captured Nadia and established Muslim rule. After capturing Nadia, Bakhtiyar
advanced towards Gauda (Lakhnuti), another major city of the Sena kingdom, conquered
it and made it his capital in 1205. Ghiyasuddin Iwaj Khilji prevailed and extended the
Sultan's domain south to Jessore and made the eastern Bang province a tributary. Later
he was defeated by Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish.

2.3 Mamluk rule

On that time Bengal earned the name "Bulgakpur". Tughral Tughan Khan added Oudh
and Bihar to Bengal. After Two Turkic attempts, third led by Mughisuddin Tughral
conquered the Sonargaon area south of Dhaka to Faridpur, bringing the Sen Kingdom
officially to an end by 1277. Mughisuddin Tughral repulsed two massive attacks from the
sultanate of Delhi before finally being defeated and killed by Ghiyas ud din Balban.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 4

2.4 Bughra Khanid dynasty

The Bughra Khanid dynasty started when Nasiruddin Bughra Khan declared
independence in Bengal. Nasiruddin Bughra Khan and his successors ruled Bengal for 23
years before finally being incorporated back into Delhi Sultanate by Ghyiasuddin
Tughlaq.

2.5 Sonargaon Sultanate

Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah , whose capital was Sonargoan, ruled an independent kingdom
in areas that lie within modern-day eastern and south-eastern Bangladesh from 1338 to
1349. He was the first Muslim ruler to conquer Chittagong, the principal port in the Bengal
region, in 1340. The Moroccan traveller and scholar, Ibn Battuta, after visiting his capital
in 1346, described the Shah as "a distinguished sovereign who loved strangers,
particularly the fakirs and Sufis."

2.6 Ilyas Shahi dynasty

Sixty Dome Mosque in Mosque city of Bagerhat was built in the 15th century and is the
largest historical mosque in Bangladesh, as well as a World Heritage site.
Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah founded an independent dynasty that lasted from 1342 to 1487.
The dynasty successfully repulsed attempts by Delhi. They continued to extend their
territory and reached to Khulna in the south and Sylhet in the east. During this regime,
Adina Mosque and the Darasbari Mosque were built.
The Sultans of Bengal were patrons of Bengali literature and began a process in which
Bengali culture and identity would flourish. During the rule of this dynasty, Bengal, for
the first time, achieved a separate identity. Indeed, Ilyas Shah named this province as
'Bangalah' and united different parts into a single, unified territory.
The Ilyas Shahi Dynasty was interrupted by an uprising by the Hindus under Raja
Ganesha. However, the Ilyas Shahi dynasty was restored by Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah.
Ibn Battuta, arrived in Bengal during Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah's reign. In his account of
Bengal in his Rihla, he depicts a land full of abundance. Bengal was a progressive state
with commercial links to China, Java and Ceylon. Merchant ships arrived and departed
from various destinations.

2.7 Ganesha dynasty

The Ganesha dynasty began with Raja Ganesha in 1414. After Raja Ganesha seized control
over Bengal, he faced an imminent threat of invasion. Jadu was converted to Islam and
started ruling Bengal, as Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah in 1415. After died of Qutb al Alam,
a powerful Muslim holy man, in 1416 Jalaluddin was reconverted to Hinduism by
the Golden Cow ritual. After the death of his father Raja Ganesha, Jalaluddin once again
converted to Islam and started ruling again. Jalaluddin's son, Shamsuddin Ahmad
Shah ruled for only 3 years due to chaos and anarchy. The dynasty is known for its liberal
policies as well as its focus on justice and charity.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 5

2.8 Hussain Shahi dynasty

The Habshi rule gave way to the Hussain Shahi dynasty which ruled from 1494 to
1538. Alauddin Hussain Shah, is considered one of the greatest sultans of Bengal, for his
encouragement of a cultural renaissance during his reign. The Sona Masjid was built
during the rule of Alauddin Hussain Shah. He extended the sultanate all the way to the
port of Chittagong, which witnessed the arrival of the first Portuguese merchants. During
the reign of Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah a treaty was made with Babur to save Bengal from a
Mughal invasion,

2.9 Sur Empire (Pastune Rule)

After the Battle of Chausa Sher Shah Suri, was the only Muslim Sultan of Bengal who
establish an empire in northern India, declared himself the independent Sultan of Bengal
and Bihar and also established the Sur dynasty. Sher Shah's son, Islam Shah,
appointed Muhammad Khan Sur as the governor of Bengal. After the death of Islam Shah,
Muhammad Khan Sur declared his independence from Delhi. Muhammad Khan Sur was
followed by Ghyiasuddin Bahadur Shah and Ghyiasuddin Jalal Shah. Pashtun rule in
Bengal remained for 44 years. Their most impressive achievement was Sher Shah's
construction of the Grand Trunk Road connecting Sonargaon, Delhi and Kabul.

2.10 Karrani dynasty

The Sur dynasty was followed by the Karrani dynasty. Sulaiman Khan
Karrani annexed Odisha to the Muslim sultanate permanently. Daoud Shah
Karrani declared independence from Akbar which led to four years of bloody war
between the Mughals and the Pashtuns. The Mughal onslaught against the Pashtun Sultan
ended with the battle of Rajmahal in 1576, led by Khan Jahan. However, the local
landlords called Baro Bhuiyans kept on resisting the Mughal invasion led by Isa Khan.

2.11 Mughal Empire

Bengal was absorbed within the Mughal Empire during the reign of Akbar after the Battle
of Tukaroi (which was fought in 1575 near the village of Tukaroi, now in
the Balasore District, Odisha) between the Mughals and the Karrani Sultanate of Bengal
and Bihar.
In 1612, during Emperor Jahangir's reign, the defeat of Sylhet completed the Mughal
conquest of Bengal, except for Chittagong. During this time Dhaka rose in prominence by
becoming the provincial capital of Bengal. Chittagong was later annexed to stop
Arakanese raids from the east. A well-known Dhaka landmark, Lalbagh Fort, was built
during Aurangzeb's reign.
Under the Mughal Empire which had 25% of the world's GDP, Bengal
Subah generated 50% of the empire's GDP and 12% of the world's GDP. This
staggering achievement attracted East India Company for trade.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 6

Bengal, the empire's wealthiest province, was an affluent region with a Bengali
Muslim majority and Bengali Hindu minority, and was globally dominant in industries
such as textile manufacturing and shipbuilding. The capital Dhaka had a population
exceeding a million people, and with an estimated 80,000 skilled textile weavers. It was
an exporter of silk and cotton textiles, steel, saltpeter, and agricultural and industrial
produce.

2.12 Two great Mughal Begal Subahdars

2.12A. Islam Khan

Islam Khan was appointed as the Subahdar of Bengal in 1608 by Mughal
emperor Jahangir. He ruled Bengal from his capital Dhaka which he renamed as Jahangir
Nagar. His major task was to subdue the rebellious Rajas, Bara-Bhuiyans, Zamindars and
Afghan chiefs. He fought with Musa Khan, the leader of Bara-Bhuiyans, and by the end of
1611 Musa Khan was subdued. Islam Khan also defeated Pratapaditya of Jessore, Ram
Chandra of Bakla and Ananta Manikya of Bhulua. He annexed the kingdom of Kamrup and
subdued Koch Bihar and Kachhar, thus taking total control over entire Bengal other than
Chittagong.

2.12B. Shaista Khan

Shaista Khan , who developed Lalbagh Fort, was appointed the Subahdar of Bengal upon
the death of Mir Jumla II in 1663. He was the longest-serving governor of Bengal. He ably
ruled the province from his administrative headquarters in Dhaka for almost 24 years
from 1664 to 1688. Shaista Khan's great fame in Bengal chiefly rests on his re-conquest
of Chittagong from Arakanese rulers in January 1666 after Sultan Fakhruddin Mubarak
Shah who reigned Bengal in the mid-14th century.

3.0 MODERN AGE

3.1 The Nawabs of Bengal (1717-1758)

Murshid Quli Khan ended the nominal Mughal rule in 1717 when he declared Bengal's
independence from the Mughal Empire. He shifted the capital to Murshidabad ushering
in a series of independent Bengal Nawabs. He entered the service of the Emperor
Aurangzeb and rose through the ranks before becoming Nazim of Bengal in 1717, a post
he held until his death in 1727. He in turn was succeeded by his grandson and son-in-law
until his grandson was killed in battle and succeeded by Nawab Alivardi Khan of the
Afshar Dynasty, ruled from 1740 to 1757, in 1740. He repulsed the first Maratha invasion
from Bengal. He crushed an uprising of the Afghans in Bihar and made the British pay
150,000 Tk for blocking Mughal and Armenian trade ships. Nawab Alivardi Khan was
succeeded in 1756 by his grandson Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab and
Afshar rulers of Bengal, was killed at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 7

3.2 Company Raj (1757-1858)

During Aurangzeb's reign, the local Nawab sold three villages, including one then
known as Calcutta, to the British. Calcutta was Britain's first foothold in Bengal and
remained a focal point of their economic activity.
Job Charnock was one of the first drivers of British influence in Bengal. He waged war
against the Mughal authority of Bengal which led to the Anglo-Mughal war for Bengal
(1686–1690). Shaista Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, defeated the British in the battles
of Hooghly as well as Baleshwar and expelled the British and the Portuguese from Bengal.
Captain William Heath led a naval fleet against Chittagong but his efforts were
unsuccessful and he had to retreat to Madras.

Robert Clive's victory in Bengal marked the beginning of British colonial dominance in
South Asia. The British East India Company gained official control of Bengal following
the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Later, the defeat of the Mughals and the consolidation of the
subcontinent under the rule of a corporation was a unique event in imperialistic history.
The plunder of Bengal directly contributed to the Industrial Revolution in Britain, with
the capital amassed from Bengal used to invest in British industries such as textile
manufacture during the Industrial Revolution and greatly increase British wealth, while
at the same time leading to deindustrialization and famines in Bengal.

3.3 British Raj (1858-1947)

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India lasted from 10 May 1857 to
1 November 1858 against the rule of the British East India Company, known by
many names, including the Sepoy Mutiny in Bengal Presidency, the Indian Mutiny, the
Great Rebellion, the Revolt of 1857, the Indian Insurrection, and India's First War of
Independence. This event prompted the British government to intervene in the affairs of
the East India Company. In 1858, authority in India was transferred from the Company
to the crown, and the rebellion was brutally suppressed. Rule of India was organised
under a Viceroy and continued a pattern of economic exploitation. Famine racked the
subcontinent many times, including at least two major famines in Bengal. The British
Raj was politically organised into seventeen provinces of which Bengal was one of the
most significant.

The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the 19th and early
20th centuries in Bengal during the period of British rule. The Bengal Renaissance can be
said to have started with Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1775–1833) and extended up
to Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941). Bengal in the 19th century was a unique blend of
religious and social reformers, scholars, literary giants, journalists, patriotic orators and
scientists, all merging to form the image of a renaissance, and marked the transition from
the 'medieval' to the 'modern'. The national poet of Bangladesh Kazi Nazrul Islam is
greatly commemorated for his active voice against the oppression of the British rulers in
the 20th century. He was imprisoned for writing his most famous poem "Bidrohee".
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 8

Partition of Bengal (1905): The decision to effect the Partition of Bengal was announced
in July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. The partition took place on 16 October
1905 and separated the largely Muslim eastern areas from the largely Hindu western
areas. Due to political protests, the two parts of Bengal were reunited in 1911. A new
partition which divided the province on linguistic, rather than religious grounds followed,
with the Hindi, Oriya and Assamese areas separated to form separate administrative
units: Bihar and Orissa Province was created to the west, and Assam Province to the east.
The administrative capital of British India was moved from Calcutta to New Delhi as well.

3.4 The Faraizi movement (1818-1884)

Was founded in 1818 by Haji Shariatullah to give up un-Islamic practices and act upon
their duties as Muslims (Fard). The movement protected the rights of tenants to a great
extent. The Faraizi movement was widely received in the districts of Dhaka, Faridpur,
Barisal, Mymensingh and Comilla.
Some Muslims, on the other hand, particularly the landlords of Dhaka, hence, reacted
sharply against Haji Shariatullah, which caused a riot in Nayabari, Dhaka District. Due to
the reaction of these landlords and Hindu landlords and European indigo planters, this
movement swelled into a socio-economic issue.
Succession after the death of Haji Shariatullah, his son, Muhsinuddin Ahmad alias Dudu
Miyan, led the movement to a more agrarian character. He organised the oppressed
peasantry against the oppressive landlords. Dudu Miyan died in 1862 and before his
death he had appointed a board of guardians to look after his minor sons, Ghiyasuddin
Haydar and Abdul Gafur alias Naya Miyan who succeeded him successively.
Nabinchandra Sen, the then sub-divisional officer of Madaripur District, thought it
prudent to enter into an alliance of mutual help with the Faraizi leaders, who, in their
turn, showed a spirit of co-operation towards the government.
On the death of Naya Miyan in 1884, the third and the youngest son of Dudu Miyan,
Syeduddin Ahmad was acclaimed leader by the Faraizis. Later he was bestowed a title
Khan Bahadur. Khan Bahadur Syeduddin was succeeded by his eldest son Rashiduddin
Ahmad alias Badshah Miyan. The annulment of the partition of Bengal in 1905 made him
anti-British and he took part in the Khilafat and non-co-operation movements. Soon after
the establishment of Pakistan he summoned a conference of the Faraizis at Narayanganj
and declared Pakistan as Dar-ul-Islam and gave permission to his followers to hold the
congregational prayers of Jum'ah and Eid.

3.5 Independent states of India and Pakistan

As the independence movement throughout British-controlled India began in the late
19th century gained momentum during the 20th century, Bengali politicians played an
active role in Mohandas Gandhi's Congress Party and Mohammad Ali Jinnah's Muslim
League, exposing the opposing forces of ethnic and religious nationalism.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 9

The All-India Muslim League was founded on 30 December 1906, in the aftermath
of partition of Bengal, with a view to saving interest of minority Muslim in undivided
India. In 1940 the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution which envisaged one or
more Muslim majority states in South Asia. The resolution was moved in the general
session by A. K. Fazlul Huq, the then Chief Minister of Bengal, and was adopted on 24
March 1940.
A new Viceroy Lord Mountbatten of Burma was appointed expressly for the purpose of
effecting a graceful British exit. Sectarian violence in Noakhali and Calcutta sparked a
surge in support for the Muslim League, which won the majority seats in Bengal
legislature in 1946 election. At the last moment Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Sarat
Chandra Bose came up with the idea of an independent and unified Bengal state, which
was endorsed by Jinnah. This idea was vetoed by the Indian National Congress.
British India was partitioned and the independent states of India and Pakistan were
created in 1947; the region of Bengal was divided along religious lines. The
predominantly Muslim eastern part of Bengal became the East Bengal (later renamed
East Pakistan) province of Pakistan and the predominantly Hindu western part became
the Indian state of West Bengal. Most of the Sylhet District of Assam also joined East
Pakistan following a referendum.

3.6 Bhasha Andolon (1952)

The Bengali Language Movement, or Bhasha Andolon , was a political effort in Bangladesh
(then known as East Pakistan), advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as
an official language of Pakistan. Such recognition would allow Bengali to be used in
government affairs. It was led by Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed.

The state of Pakistan was split into two regions along cultural, geographical, and linguistic
lines. On 23 February 1948, the Government of Pakistan ordained Urdu as the sole
national language, sparking extensive protests among the Bengali-speaking majority of
East Pakistan.

Facing rising sectarian tensions and mass discontent with the new law, the government
outlawed public meetings and rallies. The students of the University of Dhaka and other
political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21 February 1952.The
movement reached its climax when police killed student demonstrators on that day. The
deaths provoked widespread civil unrest led by the Awami Muslim League, later renamed
the Awami League.

After years of conflict, the central government relented and granted official status to the
Bengali language in 1956. On 17 November 1999, UNESCO declared 21 February Interna-
tional Mother Language Day for the whole world to celebrate, in tribute to the Language
Movement and the ethno-linguistic rights of people around the world.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 10

3.7 Politics (1954 – 1971)

In 1956 a constitution was at last adopted, making the country an "Islamic republic within
the Commonwealth". The nascent democratic institutions foundered in the face of
military intervention in 1958, and the government imposed martial law between 1958
and 1962, and again between 1969 and 1971. Pakistan's military and civil services were
dominated by the Punjabis. Only one regiment in the Pakistani Army was Bengali.
In 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League proclaimed a 6-point
plan titled Our Charter of Survival at a national conference of opposition political parties
at Lahore, in which he demanded self-government and considerable political, economic
and defence autonomy for East Pakistan in a Pakistani federation with a weak central
government. This led to the historic Six point movement.
In early 1968, the Agartala Conspiracy Case was filed against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
34 others, with the allegation that the accused were planning to liberate the East Pakistan.
On 15 February 1969, one of the prisoners, Zahurul Haq, was shot dead at point blank
range, which further enraged the public leading the government to decide to withdraw
the case on 22 February. The mass uprising subsequently culminated in the Uprising of
'69.
On 25 March 1969, General Ayub Khan handed the state power to General Yahya Khan.
Subsequently, all sorts of political activities in the country were postponed by the new
military President. Nevertheless, some students kept the movement going clandestinely.
A new group called ‘15 February Bahini’ was formed under the leadership of Serajul Alam
Khan and Kazi Aref Ahmed, who were members of the 'Swadhin Bangla Nucleus'.
Later in 1969, Yahya Khan announced a fresh election date for 5 October 1970.
Displeasure on the west in the issues of economic and cultural domination resulted into
the emergence of Awami League as the strongest political voice of East Pakistan.
In his historic speech before hundred thousands of people at the Suhrawardy Udyan on 7
March 1971, the president of Awami League and the father of the nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, called upon all the people of East Pakistan to launch a decisive
struggle against the Pakistani occupation and take an all-out preparation for the War of
Liberation.

3.8 Independence movement (1971)

After the Awami League won all the East Pakistan seats as well as a majority of the
Pakistan's National Assembly in the 1970–71 elections, West Pakistan opened talks with
the East on constitutional questions about the division of power between the central
government and the provinces, as well as the formation of a national government headed
by the Awami League.
The talks proved unsuccessful, however, and on 1 March 1971, Pakistani President Yahya
Khan indefinitely postponed the pending National Assembly session, precipitating
massive civil disobedience in East Pakistan.
On 2 March 1971, a group of students, led by A S M Abdur Rob, a student leader, raised
the new proposed flag of Bangladesh under the direction of the Swadhin Bangla Nucleus.
They demanded that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declare the independence of Bangladesh
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 11

immediately but Mujibur Rahman refused to agree to this demand. Rather, he decided
that he would declare his next steps at a public meeting to be held on 7 March.
On 3 March, student leader, Shahjahan Siraj, read the 'Sadhinotar Ishtehar' (Declaration
of independence) at Paltan Maidan in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib at a public
gathering under the direction of the “Swadhin Bangla Nucleus”.
On 7 March, there was a public gathering in Suhrawardy Udyan to hear updates on the
ongoing movement from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, the leader of the movement that
time. Although he avoided directly referring to independence, as the talks were still
underway, he warned his listeners to prepare for any imminent war. The speech is
considered a key moment in the war of liberation, and is remembered for the phrase,
"Ebarer Shongram Amader Muktir Shongram, Ebarer Shongram Shadhinotar
Shongram...."

Formal Declaration of Independence taken place on 27 March 1971 during the evening
hours Army Officer Major Ziaur Rahman captured the Kalurghat Radio Station in
Chittagong and read the declaration of independence of Bangladesh on behalf of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was formed on 10
April in Meherpur. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was announced to be the Head of the
State. Tajuddin Ahmed became the Prime Minister, Syed Nazrul Islam became the acting
President and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed the Foreign Minister.
There the war plan was sketched out with Bangladesh armed forces established and
named "Muktifoujo". Later these forces were named "Muktibahini" (freedom fighters). M.
A. G. Osmani was appointed as the Chief of the Armed Forces. For military purposes,
Bangladesh was divided into 11 sectors under 11 sector commanders. In addition to these
sectors, later in the war, three Special Forces were formed: Z Force, S Force and K Force.
On 3 December 1971, India intervened on the side of the Bangladeshis which led to a
short, but violent, two-week war known as the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

3.9 Surrender of Pakistan & “Bangla Desh”

The Surrender of Pakistan took place on 16 December 1971 at the Ramna Race Course in
Dhaka and the nation of “Bangla Desh” (Country of Bengal) was finally established the
following day. “Bangla Desh” changed its name to Bangladesh on 11 January 1972 and
became a parliamentary democracy under a constitution.
Over 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces making it the largest
surrender since World War II. To ensure a smooth transition, in 1972 the Simla
Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan. The treaty ensured that Pakistan
recognized the independence of Bangladesh in exchange for the return of the Pakistani
PoWs. India treated all the PoWs in strict accordance with the Geneva Convention, rule
1925. It released more than 93,000 Pakistani PoWs in five months.
 A Study on Historical Background of Bangladesh 12

REFERENCES
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bangladesh

APPENDIX

 The Santhal, or rarely Santhals, are an ethnic group, native to Nepal and the Indian
states of Jharkhand, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. Santhals are the largest
indigenous tribe in Jharkhand in terms of population.
 The Mahājanapadas were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in
ancient India.
 The Mahavamsa is an epic poem written in the Pali language. It relates the history of
Sri Lanka from its legendary beginnings up to the reign of Mahasena of Anuradhapura.
 Siam (modern day Thailand)
 Lanka (modern day Sri Lanka)
 Sailendra Empire (Present-day Malaya, Java, and Sumatra).
 Eastern Bengal (Harikela, Vanga and Samatata)
 Bulgakpur" (land of the rebels)
 GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
 Saltpeter (another term for potassium nitrate)
 Subahdars (Governors)
 Meherpur (later renamed as Mujibnagar)
 PoWS = Prisoner of War (Plural form)