History of Bangladesh (in brief)

Presented By
Ataus Samad Raju
Lecturer
Dept. of Natural Science
Port City International University
Email: rajudu88@gmail.com
 History of Bangladesh (in brief)

1. Origin of Bengali ethnic group

2. Terrestrial area
3. Colonial rule in Indian subcontinent
4. The Pakistan movement and the birth of
Pakistan.
5. Language Movement (1948-1952)
6. Six Point Movement (1966)
7. Election of 1970 and Liberation War of
Bangladesh.
 1. Origin of Bengali ethnic group
• The vast majority of
the population of Bangladesh
is Bengali a term describing
both an ethnic and a linguistic
group. The Bengali people are
historically of diverse origin,
having emerged from the
confluence of
various communities that
entered the region over the
course of many centuries.
• Bengali is an ethnicity or ethnic group rather than
a race.
• Racially they are a mixture of various races such
as Mediterranean, Austro-Asiatic (Munda),
Mongoloid (Tibeto-Burman) .
• Bengalis are an Indic speaking ethnic or ethno-
linguistic group (ethnicity) rather than a race who
mostly live in North Eastern parts of the Indian
Subcontinent or South Asia, particularly West
Bengal state of India & Bangladesh as well as
neighbouring states and countries such as Assam,
Myanmar, Tripura, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar.
• Remnants of civilisation in the
greater Bengal region date back 4,000
years, when the region was settled
by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman
and Austroasiatic peoples. The origin of the
word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, but it is
believed to be derived from the Dravidian-
speaking tribe Bang that settled in the area
around the year 1000 BC.
 Bengalis in Bangladesh -
166,584,119.
 Bengalis in India -
97,237,669.
• Most of the Bengalis are
either Muslims or Hindus
and lesser extent Buddhists
and Christians. Bangladeshis
are mostly Muslims and
Indian West Bengalis are
mostly Hindus. And There is
a sizable Buddhist
population in Chittagong
such as Baruas & Chakmas.
 Bengali Muslims - 186
Million
 Bengali Hindus - 80
Million
 Bengali Buddhists -
500,000
 Bengali Christians -
1,065,000
 2. Terrestrial area
• Bengal is a geopolitical,
cultural and historical region
in South Asia, specifically in
the eastern part of the Indian
subcontinent at the apex of
the Bay of Bengal.
Geographically, it is made up
by the Ganges-Brahmaputra
delta system, the largest such
formation in the world; along
with mountains in its north
bordering the Himalayan
statesof Nepal and Bhutan and
east bordering Burma.
• The total area of Bengal
is 232,752 km2

 West Bengal is
88,752 km2 (34,267 sq
mi) .
 Bangladesh
147,570 km2(56,977 sq
mi).
 Geographic distinctions:
 North Bengal : North Bengal is a term used for the
north-western part of Bangladesh and northern part of
West Bengal. The Bangladeshi part comprises Rajshahi
Division and Rangpur Division. Generally, it is the area
lying west of Jamuna River and north of Padma River,
and includes the Barind Tract. Politically, West Bengal's
part comprises Jalpaiguri Division (Alipurduar, Cooch
Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur, South
Dinajpur and Malda) together and Bihar's parts
include Kishanganj district. Darjeeling Hills are also
part of North Bengal.
 Central Bengal: Central
Bengal refers to the Dhaka
Division of Bangladesh. It
includes the
elevated Madhupur
tract with a large Sal tree
forest. The Padma River
cuts through the southern
part of the region,
separating the
greater Faridpur region. In
the north lies the
greater Mymensingh and
Tangail regions.
 Northeast Bengal: Northeast Bengal refers to
the Sylhet region, comprising Sylhet
Division of Bangladesh and the Barak
Valley in the Indian state of Assam. The region
is noted for its distinctive fertile highland
terrain, extensive tea plantations, rainforests
and wetlands. The Surma and Barak rivers are
the geographic markers of the area.
South Bengal: South Bengal covers the southern
part of the Indian state of West Bengal and
southwestern Bangladesh. The Indian part of
South Bengal includes 12
districts: Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan,
EastMidnapur, WestMidnapur, Purulia, Bankura,
Birbhum, Nadia, South 24 Parganas, North 24
Parganas.The Bangladeshi part includes the
proposed Faridpur Division, Khulna
Division and Barisal Division.
• The Sundarbans, a major biodiversity hotspot, is
located in South Bengal. Bangladesh hosts 60%
of the forest, with the remainder in India.
 Southeast Bengal:
Southeast Bengal refers
to the hilly and coastal
Bengali-speaking areas
of Chittagong
Division in southeastern
Bangladesh and the
Indian state of Tripura.
 Places of interest: There are four World Heritage
Sites in the region, including the Sundarbans,
the Somapura Mahavihara, the Mosque City of
Bagerhat and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
• Other prominent places include the Bishnupur,
Bankura temple city, the Adina Mosque,
the Caravanserai Mosque, numerous zamindar palaces,
the Lalbagh Fort, the Kolkata Victoria Memorial, the
Dhaka Parliament Building, archaeologically excavated
ancient fort cities
in Mahasthangarh, Mainamati, Chandraketugarh
and Wari-Bateshwar, the Jaldapara National Park,
the Lawachara National Park, the Teknaf Game
Reserve and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
• Cox's Bazar in southeastern
Bangladesh is home to the
longest natural beach in the
world and a
growing surfing destination.
St. Martin's Island, off the
coast of Chittagong
Division, is home to the
sole coral reef in Bengal.
 3. Colonial rule in Indian
subcontinent
• The Indian subcontinent which was under the jurisdiction
of European colonial powers, during the Age of
Discovery. European power was exerted both by conquest
and trade, especially in spices. The search for the wealth
and prosperity of India led to the colonization of the
Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Only a few
years later, near the end of the 15th
century, Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama became the first
European to re-establish direct trade links with India since
Roman times by being the first to arrive by
circumnavigating Africa (1497–1499). Having arrived
in Calicut, which by then was one of the major trading
ports of the eastern world.
 The Battle of Plassey:
Britain had been trading in
India since about 1600, but
it did not begin to seize
large sections of land until
1757, after the Battle of
Plassey. This battle pitted
3,000 soldiers of the British
East India Company against
the 5,000-strong army of the
young Nawab of Bengal,
Siraj ud Daulah, and his
French East India
Company allies.
• Fighting began on the
morning of June 23, 1757.
Heavy rain spoiled the
Nawab's cannon powder
(the British covered theirs),
leading to his defeat. The
Nawab lost at least 500
troops, while Britain lost
only 22. Britain seized the
modern equivalent of
about $5 million from the
Bengali treasury and used
it to finance further
expansion.
 India Under the East India Company:

• The East India Company traded in cotton, silk, tea, and

opium. Following the Battle of Plassey, it functioned as the
military authority in growing sections of India as well.

• By 1770, heavy Company taxation and other policies had

left millions of Bengalis impoverished.
• While British soldiers and traders made their fortunes, the
Indians starved. Between 1770 and 1773, about 10 million
people (one-third of the population) died of famine in
Bengal.
• At this time, Indians were also barred from holding high
office in their own land. The British considered them
inherently corrupt and untrustworthy.
 The Indian 'Mutiny' of 1857:
Many Indians were distressed
by the rapid cultural changes
imposed by the British. They
worried that Hindu and
Muslim India would be
Christianized.
• In 1857, a new type of rifle
cartridge was given to the
soldiers of the British Indian
Army. Rumors spread that the
cartridges had been greased
with pig and cow fat, an
abomination to both major
Indian religions.
• On May 10, 1857,
the Indian Revolt began,
with Bengali Muslim
troops marching to
Delhi and pledging their
support to the Mughal
emperor. After a year-
long struggle, the rebels
surrendered on June
20, 1858.
 Control of India Shifts to the
India Office: Following the
rebellion, the British
government abolished both
the Mughal Dynasty, which
had ruled India more or less
for 300 years and the East
India Company.
• The Emperor, Bahadur Shah,
was convicted of sedition
and exiled to Burma.
 'Autocratic Paternalism‘:
Queen Victoria promised
that the British government
would work to "better" its
Indian subjects. To the
British, this meant educating
the Indians in British modes
of thought and stamping out
cultural practices such
as sati. The British thought of
their rule as a form of
"autocratic paternalism."
• The British also created
"divide and rule" policies,
pitting Hindu and Muslim
Indians against one
another. In 1905, the
colonial government
divided Bengal into Hindu
and Muslim sections; this
division was revoked after
strong protests.
• Britain also encouraged
the formation of the
Muslim League of India in
1907.
The Struggle for Indian Independence: Even
as World War II raged on, Gandhi and other
members of the Indian National Congress (INC)
demonstrated against British rule.
• The 1935 Government of India Act had provided
for the establishment of provincial legislatures
across the colony. The Act also created a federal
government for the provinces and princely states
and granted the right to vote to about 10 percent
of India's male population. These moves toward
limited self-governance only made India
impatient for true self-rule.
• In 1942, Britain sent an
envoy to India, led by Sir
Stafford Cripps, offering
future dominion status in
return for help recruiting
more soldiers. Cripps may
have made a secret
agreement with the
Muslim League, allowing
Muslims to opt out of a
future Indian state.
 Arrests of Gandhi and
INC Leadership: Gandhi
and the INC did not trust
the British envoy and
demanded immediate
independence in return
for their cooperation.
When the talks broke
down, the INC launched
the "Quit India"
movement, calling for the
immediate withdrawal of
Britain from India.
• In response, the British arrested the INC's
leadership, including Gandhi and his wife. Mass
demonstrations were carried out across the
country but were crushed by the British Army.
Britain may not have realized it, but it was now
just a matter of time before the British Raj came
to an end.
• The soldiers who had joined Japan and Germany
in fighting the British were put on trial at Delhi's
Red Fort in early 1946. A series of ten courts-
martial were held, trying 45 prisoners on charges
of treason, murder, and torture. The men were
convicted, but huge public protests forced the
commutation of their sentences.
 4. The Pakistan movement and
the birth of Pakistan.
 Lahore Resolution: At the 1940 Muslim
League conference in Lahore in 1940,
Jinnah said: "Hindus and the Muslims
belong to two different religions,
philosophies, social customs and
literature.... It is quite clear that Hindus
and Muslims derive their inspiration from
different sources of history. They have
different epics, different heroes and
different episodes.... To yoke together
two such nations under a single state,
one as a numerical minority and the
other as a majority, must lead to growing
discontent and final destruction of any
fabric that may be so built up for the
government of such a state."
 Hindu/Muslim Riots and
Partition: On August 17,
1946, violent fighting
broke out between
Hindus and Muslims in
Calcutta. The trouble
quickly spread across
India. Meanwhile, cash-
strapped Britain
announced its decision to
withdraw from India by
June 1948.
• Sectarian violence flared again as
independence approached. In
June 1947, representatives of the
Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs
agreed to divide India along
sectarian lines. Hindu and Sikh
areas remained part of India,
while predominantly Muslim
areas in the north became the
nation of Pakistan. This division of
territory was known as the
Partition.
• Millions of refugees flooded
across the border in each
direction, and between 250,000
and 500,000 people were killed in
sectarian violence. Pakistan
became independent on August
14, 1947. India followed the next
day.
 5. Language Movement (1948-1952)

• Language Movement began in

1948 and reached its climax in
the killing of 21 February 1952,
and ended in the adoption of
Bangla as one of the state
languages of Pakistan. The
question as to what would be
the state language of Pakistan
was raised immediately after its
creation. The central leaders and
the Urdu-speaking intellectuals
of Pakistan declared that
Urdu would be the state
language of Pakistan.
• On 21 February 1952 (8 Falgun
1359 in Bangla calendar)
students protest led to killing of
ordinary citizen by the police.
More people were killed the
next day. In Bangladesh 21st
February - 'Ekushey February' in
Bangla - is observed as 'Shaheed
Dibosh' (Martyr's Day) whilst the
United Nations declared it
officially as "International
Mother Language Day". The
Shaheed Minar (Martyr's
Column) in Dhaka, and other
replicas around the world, was
constructed as tribute to those
who lost their lives to protect
Bangla.
 6. Six Point Movement (1966)

• Before a convention of
opposition parties held in
Lahore, Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman puts forward his
demand for a federal
governing system with full
autonomy for the two
wings of Pakistan:
 1. A Federation of Pakistan based on the Lahore
Resolution, with a parliamentary form of government
based on the supremacy of a directly elected
legislature and representation on the basis of
population.
 2. The federal government to be responsible only for
defense and foreign affairs.
 3. A federal reserve system designed to prevent the
flight of capital from one region to the other.
 4. Taxation to be the responsibility of each federating
unit, with necessary provisions for funding the federal
goverment.
 5. Each unit to retain its own foreign exchange earnings
as well as the power to negotiate foreign trade and aid.
 6. Each unit to maintain its own paramilitary forces.
 7. Election of 1970 and Liberation
War of Bangladesh.
• after succeeding Ayub Khan as the President, General Yahya
Khan announced the general elections. In December 1970,
the general elections were held and Awami League won a
stunning victory winning 160 out of 162 seats in East Pakistan.
• It bagged 72.57% of the total votes cast. AL won a similar
landslide victory in the Provincial Assembly elections also. It
won 288 seats out of 300 and bagged 89% of total votes cast.
Awami League won all the 7 women seats in the National
Assembly and all the 10 women seats in the Provincial
Assembly.
• The net result was, Awami League emerged as the single
majority party in the Pakistan National Assembly with 167
seats out of a total of 313. On the other side, Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party won 88 seats (all from the
western wing) and emerged as the second largest
Parliamentary party.
• The elected Assembly initially
did not meet as President
Yahya Khan and the Pakistan
Peoples Party did not want the
majority party from East
Pakistan forming government.
This caused great unrest in East
Pakistan which soon escalated
into the call for independence
on March 26, 1971 and
ultimately led to war of
independence with East
Pakistan becoming the
independent state
of Bangladesh.
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