Birth of Bangladesh: Historical EvolutionDr. Anisur Rahman Khan

Stages of Evolution

Ancient BengalMuslim RuleMughal/The East India Company British RulePakistan RuleFormation of Bangladesh

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History of Bangladesh from Mughal Period.mp4

Ancient BengalThe word Bengal/Bangla derived from a tribe known Vanga, written in Hindu scripture Aitaraya Aranyaka (composed between 500 BC & 500 AD)Vanga-an Indo-Aryan & Mongol group migrated to the upper Ganges valley around 1000 year B.C With the advent of improved Iron Age tools (500 years later) broadly human habitation begun in lower Ganges and the Brahmaputra valleys (Bengal)

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Different views on the landVanga is derived from Tibetan word Bans- “wet & moist” or “wetland” Bangala is derived from Bodo words “Bang” & “la” or “wide plains” Mughal historian Abul Fazal: “The original name of Bengal was Bang. Its former rulers raised mounds measuring ten yards in heights & twenty in breadth throughout the province which was called al. From this suffix, the name of Bengal took its rise and currency”

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Bangla ”vanga” mentioned

in the Hindu scripture Aitareya

Aranyaka(Composed

between 500 BC and 500 AD)

Tibetan word “bans” which

means wet and moist

Bodo (aborigines of Assam) words

“bang” and “la” which mean wide

plains

Ancient BengalBengal was divided into various kingdoms (little Bengals)/Janapada such as; Harikela (Sylhet), Samatata (Comilla), Pundavardhana (Bogora, Dinajpur), Varendra (Rajshai), Tamralipti (Medinipur), Radha (West Bengal), Gauda (Murshidabad, Malda etc.)

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Ancient Bengal

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The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Vanga: Part of today’s 24 Pargana Districts in India (Bengali: Uttar Chobbish porgona) district in the southern West Bengal, of eastern India and the Khulna Division of Bangladesh

The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Pundra located in the district of Bogra and adjacent areas.

• Capital of Pundra, Pundranagara was the earliest urban centre in Bangladesh.

The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Radha: Large part of modern Indian state of West Bengal

• Had important trade, commerce and administration in the ancient period

The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Gauda: lay to the north-west of Bhagirathi

The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Samatata located in the Meghna river valley

• Consisted of Comilla and Noakhali areas of Bangladesh

The territorial units of Ancient Bengal

• Harikela identified as Chittagong and its adjacent areas.

Ancient BengalEvidently, the first dynasty was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in the early 3rd century BC. The dynasty encompassed different religious influences: Hiduism & Jainism, Ashoka is the best-known ruler (265-238 BC) Pundurunagara (Mahastan) was the their provincial capital

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Ancient BengalOther dynasties: Sunga 170-70 BC, Gupta dynasties (320-510), the dynasty of Shasanka (7th century), Palas (750-1159) Gupta (320-510/331-650) dynasty: Bengal became a part of this dynasty. North Bengal, also West Bengal (Pushakara), Faridpur Notable rules were Chandragupta (1st & 2nd), Samudragupta . Great promoter of Hindu religionWere they Bengalis?

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Ancient BengalShasanka (600-650): The independent Gauda Empire of Sasanka. The most important & famous ruler. However, East Bengal was not a part of Gauda empire.

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Ancient BengalThe Period of Anarchy/Matsanay (650-750): No permanent dynasty, foreign invasion, internal conflict During 7th century Bengal came under the control of Pala dynasty (750-1159)-they were Buddhist BengalisKhatriya tribal chief Gopal founded the Pala dynasty 17

Ancient BengalThere were 18 successive Pala rules having their capital in Pataliputra (Patna), and the dynasty reached its zenith during in 8th and 9th centuries Gopal, Dharpal and Debpal were the notable rulersThey ruled for about 400 years, primarily confined to Bihar, certain areas of North Bengal, much of the Bengal remained out of their orbitGreat promoter of art, literature & universities

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Paharpur

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Sovereign KingdomKhadage dynasty (650-700)Nath and Ratna dynasty (700-750) Deva dynasty (750-800) Harikela dynasty (800-900) Chandra dynasty (900-1040) The Varman (1080-1150) Pattikera dynasty (1000-1100)

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Ancient BengalThe Palas gave away to the Hindu Sena dynasty (1095-1245), originated from Karnatak, founded by Samanta SenGaur became the capital of the dynasty, they had lack of tolerance for Budhism, and promoted the Hindu caste system (Ballan Sen). Orthodox and militant HindusNotable ruler was Laxan sen

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Culture in Ancient BengalEconomic Activities:• Agriculture was the main

occupation of the people in ancient Bengal ( Paddy and Sugarcane)

• Village weavers produced fabrics in hadlooms

• Market, bazaar and business centers grew up by the side of the rivers.

Culture in Ancient BengalDress and recreation

• Men wore Dhooti and Chadar and women wore Saree and orna as attires

• Fashionable for men to keep long hair, long nails colored to attract women

• Both men and women wore rings and studs in their ears, rings on their fingers, necklaces and hair ornaments

• Chess and dice were most common games in the ancient Indian society

Culture in Ancient Bengal• Art and Architecture

• Buildings, temples and other structures built in ancient Bengal hardly survived in their original forms

• Evidence of Bengal being rich in architecture: Huge structures and Vihars found at Mahasthangarh, Paharpur and Maynamati

Muslim RuleGreat Bengal was a political reality during Muslim rule (1204-1757), even before there were attempts by Sasanka and Pal rulers to unite Bengal but couldn’t Iktear Mod. Bin Bokthir Khildgi introduced Muslim rule in Bengal

Muslim RuleSultan Shamsuddin Ilyass Shah (1342-1357) united different areas of Bengal, and named it as Bangla, and also assumed the tile Shah-i-Banglah Notable, Raja Gonesh briefly captured the power in 1415, but Ilyas shahis were again restored in 1432 Notable Muslim rulers were Fakraddin Mubarak Shah, Ala-uddin Hosen Shah

Muslim RuleBengal was only nominally controlled under the rule of Delhi sultanate, & achieved a de facto independence Muslim rulers were patrons of Bengali language & literatureBengal sultanate is often regarded as the golden age, territory extended widelyThe spread of Islam challenged the spiritual leadership of upper caste Hindus 

The Mughals♥Babar, the founder of Mughal empire the last Lodhi ruler in Panipat in 1526, and it was the end of Delhi Sultanate♥In 1538, Sher Shah Suri was defeated by Humayn, the first end of independent Bengal, held his capital in Gaur. Soon his army was defeated

The Mughals♥Akbar defeated Sultan Daud Karrani in 1576, this made Bengal province under Mughal rule, at least in names♥There were many Bengali attempts to resist Mughal rule, notable was the Bara Bhuian group led by Isha Khan

The Mughals♥In 1610, Mughal moved to Dhaka, and it was renamed as Jahangirnagar. Dhaka was made the capital. ♥Mughal covered Bengal with the exception of South-eastern region of Chittagong & the Chittagong Hill district (independent chiefdoms)♥They introduced a layer of centralized authority where zamindars remained semi-independent

The Mughals♥ Their administration includes: Dewans (revenue official), Thana (garrison), Suba (province), Sarkar (region), Subdivision (Pargana), Mauza (revenue village) ♥Mughal conquest brought political unification, expansion of agricultural cultivation, and Bengal political gravity shifted east to Dhaka region♥ It attracted the traders, and the Mughal government actively encouraged European trade

The Mughals♥After the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir in 1707, most of the Mughal provinces became independent, the influence of Mughal over Bengal declined♥Dewan Murshid Kuli Khan became an independent Nawab of Bengal, shifted capital to Murshidabad

The East India Company♥The Potuguese (1498) were the first Europeans, but it was the East India Company (founded 1600) made a forceful impact on the fortunes of the province

East India Company - History _ Mocomi Kids.mp4

• The British traders came to India for trading purpose.

• Britain needed a market to sell its finished goods.

• Found Bengal as inexhaustible source of wealth & began trading indigo, textiles, and other things, established warehouse with hidden aims. By 1750, 75% of traded goods were Indian. Started systematically abusing right to free trade

REASONS FOR COMING TO INDIA

British establish their control over India

• The British came to India for trading purpose.• During this period there was internal struggle

in India. The Mughal power was declining. • Britain needed a market to sell its finished

goods.• This gave the British the chance to establish

their control over India.• They did this through –wars– treaties –annexations i.e. forcible acquisition–alliances.

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The East India Company♥In 1756, Shiraj-ud-Daula challenged the excessive power of the company & attempted to block unauthorised trade ♥He marched on Calcutta and secured the Fort William♥the Company’s forces regrouped and devised strategies to give pain to the Bengali leadership♥Robert Clive conspired with Mir Jafar, commander in chief of the Nawab, Jagat Shet and others

The East India Company♥Confrontation with the traders led to the battle of Palasy on June 23, 1757. An Army of 50000 orgnised soldiers were defeated by a irregular group of 800 Europeans♥Palasy paved the way of British rule. Mir Jafor gave away to the company’s force, Nawab was executed, and Mir Jafor became the puppet Nawab♥In 1760, Mir Kaseem was replaced by his son- in- law, Mir Qasim.♥in India---it was the longest and deepest colonial experience in modern history♥This victory was further consolidated in 1764 at the Battle of Buxar

BATTLE OF PLASSEY

Sir Clive meets Mir Jaafar at Battle of Plassey

The East India Company♥In 1765 the company secured Dewani from the Mughal emperor- the right to collect revenue from Bangla, Bihar and Orissa ♥A system of increased tax collection, depletion of people’s income, drought & flood, unchecked profit-making in food-grain market led to “Great Famine” (1769-70) (Chityattarer Manantar, 1176 ♥ 10 million population, just perished

Bengal Famine 1770.mp4

The Great Famine

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The East India Company♥The Permanent Settlement Act 1793 by Lord Cornowallis was introduced with an aim to boost up agricultural revenue collection-it created a new class, “gentlemen farmers”♥The Permanent Settlement Act changed the whole agrarian relations, the cultivators become peasants without rights, and zaminders became the de facto landowners, and they were prominently high caste who worked for the company

The East India Company♥The hope for agricultural moderanisation leading to higher production never materialised, zaminders turned themselves into rentiers & transformed responsibilities to intermediaries (hierarchical social structure/sub-infeudation/pattanidari)

The East India Company♥This change in agrarian relation had a long lasting consequence. The rise of the money lending class in India for agriculture♥The permanent settlement created the culture of Bhadralok who carried forward the Bengal renaissance (High caste Hindu rentier class) ♥It became associated with the idea that the Hindus should dominate Bengal

Before ……. 1793

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RULER

DIWAN (EIC)

ZAMINDAR

PEASANT/ TENANT

CHAI

N O

F CO

MM

AND

Pay rent

After ….. 1793

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EAST INDIA COMPANY

ZAMINDAR

PEASANT/

TENANT

CHAIN OF COMMAND

Paying fixed rent: for specific annual revenue. Zamindar was sought to invest more into agriculture

UNDEFINED

The East India Company♥Introduction of large-scale export oriented crash-cropping such as opium, indigo, tea, silk and jute was the second major change in colonial period♥Some of these crops grown through coercive means♥ Regional crop growing specialisation

Indigo Cultivation

The East India Company♥As the condition of Bengali Muslim peasantry worsened, various types resistance against the British rule formed ♥Fakir movement, Farizi movement, movement of Titumir, Pabna revolt are important ♥Relations between the Muslims and the British improved after 1870♥By the 1880s an Islamic renaissance begun and English was adopted as a strategy to empower Bengali Muslims

British RuleAfter the Rebellion of 1857 the British government took control of India by passing Government of India Act

Bengal was a centre of Indian political resistance to British rule, much of it was led by the HindusAt times there were separate Muslim-led efforts aimed to increase Muslim political participation

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Sepoy Mutiny - Revolt of 1857 in India _ Mocomi Kids.mp4

THE PARTITION OF BENGAL, 1905 AND ITS AFTERMATH

• End of 19th Century Bengal had a population of 85 million (54 million Hindus and 31 million Muslims)

• British found it too large to administer• In 1905 Viceroy Curzon partitioned Bengal

by detaching East Bengal and added it to Assam

• Capital of East Bengal- Dhaka• Capital of West Bengal – Calcutta• It was backed by the “divide and rule”

strategy and was intended to curb growing resistance to British rule by the Hindu elites

1905 Division

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SWADESHI AND BOYCOTT MOVEMENTS

• Partition was Strongly opposed by the Hindus, and finally annulled in 1911, and capital was shifted to Delhi from Kolkata

• The main goal of the movement was:- Put economic pressure on the British- Promote Indian Industry• Bengali people were urged to boycott

British cloth and other goods and instead use Indian products

Two nation Theory

• The Two-Nation Theory was the basis for the Partition of India in 1947.

• It stated that Muslims and Hindus were two separate nations by every definition, and therefore, Muslims should have an autonomous homeland in the Muslim majority areas of British India

• Poet Philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), provided the philosophical explanation.

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British RulePartition was Strongly opposed by the Hindus, and finally annulled in 1911, and capital was shifted to Delhi from KolkataIn 1906 the All-India Muslim league was formed in Dhaka Muslim league followed Jinnah, that led up to the formation of Pakistan

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British RuleLahore Resolution asserts that Muslim majority states should be grouped into independent, autonomous, self-governing states Finally, the British divided India in 1947 into two states such as; Pakistan (east and west) and India 57

The Bengal Famine of 1942-43

Famine caused 3.5 million livesCaused due to stockpile of food against probable Japanese invasion. A total administrative incompetenceThe Quit India Movement launched in 1942, irked Churchill, and as a revenge-seeking measure, he chose to overlook the catastrophe in Bengal, and preferred sending rice and wheat to the Imperial Indian Army fighting on behalf of the British Empire in World War II 58

The Bengal Famine of 1942-43

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Map 1947

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Pakistan Experiment

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The Pakistan Experiment

• The word “PAKISTAN” originated in Cambridge (1933) by Choudhury Rahmat Ali in the Pamphlet “Now or Never: Are We to live or Perish Forever?“

• Pakistan was an acronym that stood for Punjab, Afgania (Pathan/North-Western Frontier), Kashmir, Sind, and istan (Baluchistan)

• The country Pakistan emerged on the basis of “two nation theory”

• The riots in Kolkata in 1946 hastened partition

The Pakistan Experiment“A unique experiment of state-making” (V.

Schendel) 1. Hybrid principle of religious nationalism 2. Two separate geographically dispersed

location- population ratio 45%:55%, 1500 miles away

3. No central institution (Army, Police Bureaucracy-all were inherited by India

• A severally fractured old state of Bengal, without capital Kolkata

• Largest province in terms of population

•

Language Movement• Language issue stood as cultural and

political divide between two sides• Direndra Nath Datta, an East Pakistan

member of the Constituent Assembly proposed Bangla as a national language

• Urdu was spoken by 3% only (elite class language), & imposing Urdu was part of a mission to Islamise East Pakistan (Bengali was viewed as un-Islamic

Language Movement• First systematic attack was to

declare Urdu as the state language, in his first trip to East Bengal on March 21, 1948 Jinnah declared:“Let me make it clear to you that the State Language of Pakistan is going to be Urdu and no other language. Anyone who tries to mislead you is really the enemy of Pakistan…so far as the State Language is concerned Pakistan’s language shall be Urdu”

Language Movement• Language movement during

1948-52 demanded the designation of Bengali as the state language,

• The protests on the language issue culminated on February 21, 1952, when police fired on a student demonstration and killed several people

Electoral Politics• In 1954 Provincial Election, Muslim

League was uprooted through out East Pakistan

• Jukta Fornt (Awami Muslim League, Krishak Praja Party) won (228 out of 237)

• It developed Ekush Dapha (major demands: autonomy for Bengal and formal recognition of Bengali language) election document

• Government was led by Sher-e-Bangla, but soon dismissed from the centre

Six-point Programme

Aiub Khan declared Marshall Law in 1958 in the wake of political instability

Aiub’s weighting towards west Pakistan added grievance to the East Pakistani

In 1966, Sheikh Mujibor Rahman, the president of AL declared “Six-point Programme”

Six-point Programme The program called for (i) a Federation based on the Lahore Resolution, (ii) central government dealt only with defense and foreign affairs, (iii) either two separate currencies or same currency for both wings with provision that flight of capital is prevented and each wing maintain separate revenue accounts, (iv) the units be given the authority to levy taxes and to collect revenue, (v) separate foreign exchange accounts for both the wings, and (vi) setting up a para-military force for East Bengal

Six-point Programme It was a statement of democratic resistance, and focused on securing self-government for Bengalis.

Ayub Khan tried to ruin the credibility of Mujibur Rahman and his program by charging that he was involved in a conspiracy to create an independent state in East Bengal with Indian aid. This case came to be known as the “Agartala Conspiracy Case”

Politics focused During March 1969 and December 1971 tremendous political mobilisation begun, and turned into mass struggle

the Awami League won a triumphant victory in 1970’s national assembly election, but could not assume power. General Election - 12 Dec 1970, Awami League won 167 out of 313 seats.

On March 7, 1971 Sheik Mujib, asked the Bangalis to prepare for a resistance to the regime

Politics focused On March 25, 1971 night, troop movements started (Operation Search Light). In Dhaka and elsewhere in East Bengal, the Pakistan army began an orgy of killings, rape, violence, and looting. Fateful day for Bangalis. Led by Tikka Khan (Butcher of Bengal)

Mujib declared Independence before he was arrested (25 March) by the military. Awami League managed to set up a provisional government and organised the armed resistance to the Pakistani army. Thus, the Bengali National Liberation began.

Exm. of disparityThere were absolute deprivation in

terms of resource allocation and infrastructure

Imbalance economic relations Resources of the East were diverted

to the West (economic colonisation and expropriation of wealth)

Foreign investment was lower in east Pakistan

During 1950s per capita income rose in the West but declined in the East

Exm. of disparityWhile East Bengal was earning a

larger share of Pakistan’s exports, West Pakistan had the greater share in imports of consumer goods, industrial machineries, and raw materials

The Pakistani ruling elites were interested more in the development of provinces of West Pakistan, though the majority of the country’s population lived in East Bengal

DisparitiesEast Pakistan vs West Pakistan

West Dominated Politically and Received More Budget.

YearSpending on

West Pakistan (in crore Rupees)

Amount spent on

West as % of Total

Spending on East Pakistan

(in crore Rupees)

Amount spent on East as % of Total

% of Total Population 36.23 63.77

1950–55 1,129 68.31 524 31.691955–60 1,655 75.95 524 24.051960–65 3,355 70.5 1,404 29.51965–70 5,195 70.82 2,141 29.18

Total 11,334 71.16 4,593 28.84Source: Reports of the Advisory Panels for the Fourth Five Year Plan 1970-75, Vol. I, published by the planning commission of Pakistan (Quick reference: crore = 107, or 10 million)

War of independenceInitial response to Army assault

was uncoordinated, but gradually became developed

Freedom fighters received supports from India

Freedom fighters were grouped in 11 sectors, under the command of “Mukti Bahini” and commander was General Osmani

Bangladesh as an independent state was declared on 17 April at Meherpur with Sheikh Mujib as president

War of independenceSuperpower Soviet Union backed

India and supported the liberation movement. The USSR played role in the UN

USA and China favoured Pakistan

India formally joined on 6 Dec, 1971 and the Pak army surrendered on 16 December

Historical 7 Mar 1971 Speech

Non Cooperation MovementAll around East Pakistan

Dialogue was ongoing with Yahya but on 25 Mar 1971 Pak Military arrested Shiekh Mujib and launched Attack on unarmed Bangalee’s.

Declaration of the War of Independence

• Just few minutes before his arrest by Pakistan Army BangaBondhu Declared the War of Independence on night 25/26 Mar 1971 by a written statement .

• Later Maj Ziaur Rahman also Declared the War of Independence through Radio( Kalurghat Radio Station, Chittagong) on 26 and 27 Mar 1971.

26 March is Independence

Day of

Bangladesh

Genocide by

Pakistani Military25 Mar – 16 Dec 1971

Warning: Graphic Images

Mass Killing of Pakistani Forces

Marks of Tank Shell at Dhaka University Hall

Destruction of Infrastructure by Paksitani Military

Pakistani Military Attacking Villages of Bangladesh

Exodus to Bordering India

Sectors of War of Liberation

• Total 11 sector where the country was divided into 10 sector and the Naval Commando operating in the water ways which was known as Sector 10

• Over 1,00,000 fighters comprising regular and Irregular soldiers fought against Pak Army

Sector Commander's

Maj Ziaur Rahman, Sec Comd - 1

Maj Khaled Musarraf, Sec Comd - 2

Maj A T M Hyder, Sec Comd - 2

Maj K M Safiullah, Sec Comd - 3

Maj A N M Nuruzzaman Sec Comd - 3

Maj C R Dutta, Sec Comd - 4

Capt Rafiqul Islam, Sec Comd - 1

Sector Commander's

W Cmd K Basahr, Sec Comd - 6

Maj Nazmul HaqSec Comd 7

Maj Abu OsmanSec Comd 8

Maj MA ManzurSec Comd 8

Maj Kazi NuruzzamanSec Comd 7

Maj MA JalilSec Comd 9

Maj Abu TaherSec Comd 11

Maj Mir Shawkat AliSec Comd 5

Mukti Bahini Training

Mukti Bahini Training

Mukti Bahini Training

Surrender of

Pakistan Army

Bangladesh become the 139th country in the world

Victory Day16 Dec 1971

Bangladesh become 139th country in the world

The green represents the greenery of Bangladesh while

Red circle stands rising sun & blood of Martyrs during liberation war

National Flag

National Memorial

• During the war more than 3 million Lives were lost, more than 2,00,000 women were tortured and molested by the Pakistani Forece and at least 3,00,000 children died at the refugee camps due to malnutrition and diseases.

• We must show our respect to them by visiting the National Memorial at Savar, Dhaka

Bangladesh- A Short History (English Voice).mp4

Take home activity Prepare an essay

How The Language Movement and The Six Point Demand have shaped our independence?

Thank You