Introducing Professor Sharif

Professor Dr. Sharif uddin Ahmed

Professor
Of
History and Philosophy
North South University

Short Educational Background

PhD in History from SOAS, University of
London, U.K.
B. Litt. in History from University of
Oxford, U.K.
B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in History
University of Dhaka
 INTRODUCING THE COURSE
• EMERGENCE OF BANGLADESH
• Total Number of Lectures
• Examinations
• Field Trips
• Essays and Assignments on the Subject
• Background & Preceding History
 EVOLUTION OF BANGLADESH-
PHYSICAL
• Maps
 Land and People of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh is a delta – characterized by plain land,
• mighty rivers, deep forests and Hills. Rising from the
• Himalayas in the north, some of the greatest and mightiest
• rivers of the world flow through Bangladesh and empty
• them in the Bay of Bengal. Names of the Ganges, Padma,
• Brahamaputra , the Jumna and Meghna are as familiar in
• Bangladesh as throughout the world. They are still the
• makers and breakers of life of the people of Bangladesh.
HIMALAYAS AND BANGLADESH
 Forests
• Forests - There are forests in the centre and
southern parts of Bangladesh. The Madhupur
Jungle/ Garh in the centre and the Sundarbans in
the south had great forests dominating the life of
the people of Bangladesh. They were the world of
animal life providing the environmental balance of
the country. The Sundarbans often protected
people from the fury of cyclones. But these forest
areas have been diminished due to human
encroachment.
 It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, but while It became
inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, but while the Bangladeshi and
Indian portions constitute the same continuous ecotype, these are separately listed in
the UNESCO world heritage list as the Sundarbans and Sundarbans National Park,
respectively. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways,
mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the
eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna
including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes. dominating the life of
the people. The Sunderbans often protected people from the fury of cyclones. the
complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant
mangrove forests. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera
tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer,
crocodiles and snakes.
sundarbans
 Natural Calamities and disasters
• Natural Calamities and disasters
• Because of climatic condition and geographical location
Bangladesh is prone to natural calamities and disasters.
Man- made calamities have recently become even more
worse. There are instances of major catastrophes in the
past like floods, earthquakes, tornados and cyclones. The
floods and cyclone in the south of Bangladesh in November
(10 ) 1970 killing some 500,000 people led eventually to
the independence movement of Bangladesh.
• [ Slides of 1889 Earthquake , Dhaka, 10 NOVEMBER, 1970
in coastal Bangladesh )
Cyclones
CYCLONE OF 1970
 Origin of the Name of Bengal
• Origin of the name Bengal – The earliest name
of Eastern and Southern Bengal was Banga or
Bangal. West Bengal was called Rarh and
North Bengal as Pundravardhan, Varendra,
Laukhnauti and Gaur. The name Bangala to
the whole region was given during the Muslim
period particularly from the time of Shams al-
Din Ilyas Shah ( 1342-57 ).
• [ Slide of Sonargaon ]
SONARGAON
 Races & Religious Groups
• Races
• The Bangas, Pundras ( Pundras were the ancient people of North-
Bengal ) and other earliest peoples of Bengal belonged to the non-
Aryan and non-Dravidian stock . Though there is a controversy over
the origin of the Bengali people it is generally believed that they
belong to the Austro- Asiatic or Austric group. Though the Mongolo-
Dravidian origins of the people of Bengal are rejected by many
scholars, it is believed that Dravidian and Mongolian speaking
people had settled in Bengal. After the Dravidian and Mongolian the
Homo- Alpinus, the people of the Alpines and Palmers came and
settled in Bengal. They were not however, Aryans. The Aryan people
began to come to Bengal from c. 1000 B.C.E. They came with their
superior language, intellect and various kinds of talents. They
established the Aryan civilization and culture in India as well as in
Bengal.
• [ Aryan God ]
ARYANS
 The Coming of the Muslims
• After the Aryans came the Muslims from the
Middle East and Abyssinians from Africa. From
the 17th century came the Europeans.
• The Chittagong Hill Tracts became the abode of
the various tribes of Sino-Indian descent from
the 15th century.
• Thus with the settlements of peoples of different
race and culture Bengal became a melting pot of
many diverse nationalities giving rise to
characteristics typical of her own.
• [ Slides of various races of Bangladeshi people ]
 Coming of the British
• Brief history of the East India Company
• Administrative Developments
• Economic Activities
• 1857 War of Independence
• British Empire and its Political and
Administrative Growth
• Partition of Bengal 1905