Bengal

Bengal is a large area in South Asia, located north of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is split between the country of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, along with a small part in Assam. In the past, Bengal was an important kingdom known as Vanga.

Many important things began in Bengal. The Bengali calendar started in the 7th century, and powerful empires like the Pala and Sena dynasties ruled there. Later, Bengal became part of the Mughal Empire and grew very rich.

In the 1700s, the East India Company took control of Bengal. Calcutta, now called Kolkata, was the capital of British India for many years. In 1947, Bengal was divided again, mainly along religious lines, which led to the creation of modern Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.

Bengali culture is famous for its literature, music, art, and cinema. The region has produced many great thinkers and has made important progress in areas like gender equality and human development.

Etymology

Main article: Names of Bengal

The name "Bengal" comes from an old kingdom called Vanga. People first wrote about it in the Mahabharata stories a long time ago, in the first millennium BCE. Over time, the land had different names like Vaṅgāla or Bāṃgālā. Important old documents and temples mention these names. Later, around the 14th century, the name Bangla became common. This happened when rulers called the Sultanate of Bengal began leading the area. Travelers from far away, like Arab geographers and Portuguese explorers, also used names like 'Bangala' to talk about the region.

History

Main article: History of Bengal

Antiquity

See also: Vanga Kingdom, Gauda Kingdom, Samatata, Pala Empire, and Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah

Neolithic sites have been found in parts of the region. In the second millennium BCE, people in Bengal grew rice. By the eleventh century BCE, they lived in homes, made copper objects, and crafted pottery. Remnants of Copper Age settlements are in the region. At the advent of the Iron Age, they used iron tools and weapons. From 600 BCE, cities grew in north India. Ancient sites and cities appeared in Dihar, Pandu Rajar Dhibi, Mahasthangarh, Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar. The Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers helped people travel. Estuaries on the Bay of Bengal allowed trade with lands in Southeast Asia.

The ancient areas of Bengal included Varendra, Suhma, Anga, Vanga, Samatata and Harikela. These areas were independent or part of larger empires. The Mahasthan Brahmi Inscription shows that Bengal was ruled by the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd century BCE. Punch-marked coins show that people used coins. The name Bengal comes from the Vanga Kingdom, known for its navy. A prince from Bengal named Vijaya founded the first kingdom in Sri Lanka. The Mauryans and the Gupta Empire were important empires. Bengal was a place of art, politics, and science, including the invention of chess, Indian numerals, and the concept of zero.

Bengal was known to ancient Greeks and Romans as Gangaridai. The Greek ambassador Megasthenes wrote about its strength. The army of Alexander the Great did not attack because of Gangaridai's power. Later Romans traded with Bengal. Roman coins with Hercules were found, showing trade with Roman Egypt through the Red Sea. The Wari-Bateshwar ruins may have been a trading center mentioned by Roman writer Claudius Ptolemy. A Roman item was found in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, made in Aelana (present-day Aqaba, Jordan).

The first unified Bengali state began with Shashanka. The Bengali calendar began in his time. Shashanka founded the Gauda Kingdom. After his death, there was civil war. The ancient city of Gauda later became the Pala Empire. The first Pala emperor Gopala I was chosen by leaders in Gauda. The Pala kingdom grew large. The Palas built universities and big monasteries. The rule of the Palas ended. The Chandra dynasty ruled southeastern Bengal and Arakan. The Varman dynasty ruled parts of northeastern Bengal and Assam. The Sena dynasty became the main successor of the Palas. The smaller Deva dynasty also ruled parts of the region. Ancient Chinese visitors like Xuanzang wrote about Bengal's cities.

Muslim trade with Bengal grew after the fall of the Sasanian Empire and the Arab control of Persian trade routes. Much of this trade was in southeastern Bengal east of the Meghna River. Bengal was a route to China for early Muslims. Abbasid coins were found in ruins at Paharpur and Mainamati.

Sultanate period

See also: Bengal Sultanate

In 1204, the Ghurid general Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji began the Islamic conquest of Bengal. The fall of Lakhnauti was told by historians around 1243. Lakhnauti was the capital of the Sena dynasty. Ghurid soldiers entered the capital disguised as horse traders. They quickly took over the guards of the Sena king, who fled to the forest. The takeover of the Sena king started a time when most of Bengal was ruled by leaders who followed Islam. Bengal became a part of the Delhi Sultanate. A coin with a horseman was made to celebrate the Muslim conquest of Lakhnauti. An attempt to invade Tibet was also made. Bengal was under Delhi for about 150 years. Delhi had trouble controlling Bengal. Rebel leaders often wanted to be independent. Sultan Iltutmish took back control of Bengal in 1225. Delhi's control was weak because of distance. Local leaders expanded the land and brought new areas under Muslim rule, such as the Conquest of Sylhet in 1303.

In 1338, rebellions began in Bengal's three main towns. Leaders in Lakhnauti, Satgaon and Sonargaon declared independence from Delhi. The ruler of Sonargaon, Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah, took Chittagong into the Islamic state. By 1352, the ruler of Satgaon, Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, united the region into an independent state. Ilyas Shah made his capital in Pandua. The new state was the Bengal Sultanate, which became a big territorial, trading, and sea empire. At the time, the Islamic world stretched from Muslim Spain to Bengal.

The early attacks of Ilyas Shah saw the first Muslim army enter Nepal and reach from Varanasi to Orissa to Assam. The Delhi army fought the new Bengali army. The Bengal-Delhi War ended in 1359 when Delhi recognized Bengal's independence. Ilyas Shah's son Sikandar Shah defeated Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq. A peace agreement recognized Bengal's independence and Sikandar Shah was given a golden crown. The ruler of Arakan sought safety in Bengal during the rule of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah. Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah helped the Arakanese king regain his throne in return for becoming a tributary state of the Bengal Sultanate. Bengali influence in Arakan lasted for 300 years. Bengal also helped the king of Tripura regain control in return for becoming a tributary state. The ruler of the Jaunpur Sultanate also sought safety in Bengal. The vassal states of Bengal included Arakan, Tripura, Chandradwip and Pratapgarh. At its peak, the Bengal Sultanate included parts of Arakan, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, and Tripura. The Bengal Sultanate was strong in Indian Ocean trade and became a center for trading. A giraffe was given to Bengal's court by African envoys from Malindi and later given to Imperial China. Bengali ships carried messages from Brunei, Aceh and Malacca to China. Bengal and the Maldives traded in shell currency. The Sultan of Bengal gave money to build schools in the Hejaz region of Arabia.

The five dynasties of the Bengal Sultanate were the Ilyas Shahi dynasty, a time of rule by Bengali converts, the Hussain Shahi dynasty, a time of rule by Abyssinian leaders, an interruption by the Suri dynasty, and ended with the Karrani dynasty. The Battle of Raj Mahal and the capture of Daud Khan Karrani ended the Bengal Sultanate during the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar. In the late 16th century, a group called the Baro-Bhuyan resisted Mughal attacks in eastern Bengal. The Baro-Bhuyan were twelve Muslim and Hindu leaders of the Zamindars of Bengal. They were led by Isa Khan, a former prime minister of the Bengal Sultanate. By the 17th century, the Mughals fully took control of the region.

Mughal period

See also: Bengal Subah

Mughal Bengal was very wealthy. Bengal's trade and riches impressed the Mughals. A new capital was built in Dhaka. Members of the royal family were appointed as leaders in Mughal Bengal, including the position of governor (subedar). Dhaka became a center of politics. Some important governors included Rajput general Man Singh I, Emperor Shah Jahan's son Prince Shah Shuja, Emperor Aurangzeb's son and later Mughal emperor Azam Shah, and the influential leader Shaista Khan. During Shaista Khan's time, the Portuguese and Arakanese were removed from the port of Chittagong in 1666. Bengal was the eastern edge of Mughal rule. By the 18th century, Bengal had a semi-independent leadership led by the Nawabs of Bengal. Bengal leader Murshid Quli Khan reduced the governor's power. Khan controlled Bengal's money since he was in charge of the treasury. He moved the capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad.

In 1717, the Mughal court recognized the hereditary leadership of the Nawab of Bengal. The leader was titled the "Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa". The Nawabs made their own coins but still pledged loyalty to the Mughal emperor. Bengal's wealth was important for the Mughal court because Delhi received much of its money from the Nawab's court. The Nawabs led a time of strong growth, including growth in textiles, banking, and trades. A process of proto-industrialisation was happening. Under the Nawabs, Bengali cities had many traders and workers. The Nawab's state exported Bengal muslin, silk, gunpowder and saltpetre. The Nawabs allowed European trading companies to operate in Bengal, including the British East India Company, the French East India Company, the Danish East India Company, the Austrian East India Company, the Ostend Company, and the Dutch East India Company. The Nawabs were wary of these companies' growing influence.

Under Mughal rule, Bengal was a center for muslin and silk trades. Bengal was the main place for cotton production, especially around its capital Dhaka, so muslin was called "daka" in far markets. India depended on Bengali products like rice, silks and cotton textiles. Europeans relied on Bengali products like cotton textiles, silks and opium; Bengal provided 40% of Dutch imports from Asia, including more than 50% of textiles and around 80% of silks. From Bengal, saltpetre was sent to Europe, opium was sold in Indonesia, raw silk was sent to Japan and the Netherlands, cotton and silk textiles were sent to Europe, Indonesia, and Japan, and cotton cloth was sent to the Americas and the Indian Ocean. Bengal also had a big shipbuilding industry.

Since the 16th century, European traders came to Bengal by sea, following the Portuguese capture of Malacca and Goa. The Portuguese set up a settlement in Chittagong with permission from the Bengal Sultanate in 1528 but were later removed by the Mughals in 1666. In the 18th century, the Mughal Court weakened due to invasions and rebellions, allowing European powers to set up trading places across the land. The British East India Company became the main military power; they defeated the last independent Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

Colonial era (1757–1947)

The British East India Company began controlling the Nawab of Bengal from 1757 after the Battle of Plassey, starting British influence in India. British control of Bengal grew between 1757 and 1793 while the Nawab became a figurehead, with the Presidency of Fort William taking more control over Bengal and nearby lands. Calcutta became the capital of British territories in India in 1772. The presidency was managed by a military-civil government, including the Bengal Army, and had the world's sixth earliest railway system. Between 1833 and 1854, the Governor of Bengal was also the Governor-General of India for many years. Great Bengal famines happened several times during British rule (notably the Great Bengal famine of 1770 and Bengal famine of 1943). Under British rule, Bengal's economy weakened.

Company rules weakened Bengal's textile industry. The money made by the East India Company in Bengal was used to support the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, in industries such as textile making. Poor management, drought and a smallpox outbreak caused the Great Bengal famine of 1770, which is thought to have caused many deaths.

In 1862, the Bengal Legislative Council was created as the first modern law-making group in India. Voting was slowly added in the early 20th century, including with the Morley-Minto reforms and the system of dyarchy. In 1937, the council became the upper house of the Bengali government while the Bengal Legislative Assembly was created. Between 1937 and 1947, the leader of the government was the Prime Minister of Bengal.

The Bengal Presidency was the largest administrative area in the British Empire. At its height, it included parts of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1830, the British Straits Settlements on the coast of the Malacca Straits became part of Bengal. This included Prince of Wales Island, Province Wellesley, Malacca and Singapore. In 1867, Penang, Singapore and Malacca were separated from Bengal into the Straits Settlements. British Burma became a part of India and later a Crown colony. Western areas, including the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and The Punjab, were reorganized. Northeastern areas became Colonial Assam.

In 1876, about 200,000 people died in Bengal from the Great Backerganj Cyclone in the Barisal area. About 50 million died in Bengal from large outbreaks of disease and famines from 1895 to 1920, mostly in western Bengal.

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began near Calcutta, and spread to Dhaka, Chittagong, Jalpaiguri, Sylhet and Agartala, in support of revolts in North India. The failure of the rebellion led to the end of the Company Rule in India and direct rule by the British, known as the British Raj. The late 19th and early 20th century Bengal Renaissance greatly affected the culture and economy of Bengal and advanced its literature and science. Between 1905 and 1911, there was an attempt to divide Bengal into two: Bengal proper and the short-lived province of Eastern Bengal and Assam where the All India Muslim League was founded. In 1911, the Bengali poet and scientist Rabindranath Tagore became Asia's first Nobel winner when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Bengal was very important in the Indian independence movement, where revolutionary groups were strong. Efforts to remove the British Raj began with the rebellion of Titumir, and reached a high point when Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. Bengal was also key in the growing political awareness of Muslim people—the All-India Muslim League was started in Dhaka in 1906. The Muslim homeland movement wanted a country in eastern India with the Lahore Resolution in 1943. Hindu nationalism was also strong in Bengal, which was home to groups like the Hindu Mahasabha. Even though leaders Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Sarat Chandra Bose tried to keep Bengal united, when India became independent in 1947, Bengal was divided by religion. The western part joined India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan), leading to Bangladesh in 1971. The partition was violent, with many religious fights in Bengal.

Partition of Bengal (1947)

See also: United Bengal, History of Bangladesh, and History of West Bengal

Main article: Partition of Bengal (1947)

On 27 April 1947, the last Prime Minister of Bengal Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy gave a speech in New Delhi where he talked about his idea for an independent Bengal. Suhrawardy said "Let us pause for a moment to consider what Bengal can be if it remains united. It will be a great country, indeed the richest and the most prosperous in India capable of giving to its people a high standard of living, where a great people will be able to rise to the fullest height of their stature, a land that will truly be plentiful. It will be rich in agriculture, rich in industry and commerce and in course of time it will be one of the powerful and progressive states of the world. If Bengal remains united this will be no dream, no fantasy". On 2 June 1947, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee told the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom that there was a "distinct possibility Bengal might decide against partition and against joining either Hindustan or Pakistan".

On 3 June 1947, the Mountbatten Plan explained the partition of British India. On 20 June, the Bengal Legislative Assembly met to decide on the partition of Bengal. At the first meeting together, it was decided (126 votes to 90) that if the province stayed united, it should join the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. At a meeting only of legislators from West Bengal, it was decided (58 votes to 21) that the province should be divided and West Bengal should join the Constituent Assembly of India. At another meeting of legislators from East Bengal, it was decided (106 votes to 35) that the province should not be divided and (107 votes to 34) that East Bengal should join the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan if Bengal was divided. On 6 July, the Sylhet area of Assam voted in a vote to join East Bengal.

The English lawyer Cyril Radcliffe was told to draw the borders of Pakistan and India. The Radcliffe Line made the border between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan, which later became the Bangladesh-India border. The Radcliffe Line gave two-thirds of Bengal to the eastern part of Pakistan, even though the historic Bengali capitals of Gaur, Pandua, Murshidabad and Calcutta were on the Indian side near the border with Pakistan. Dhaka's role as a capital was also restored.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Bangladesh and Geography of West Bengal

Most of the Bengal region lies in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, but there are highlands in its north, northeast and southeast. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The total area of Bengal is 237,212 square kilometres (91,588 sq mi)—West Bengal is 88,752 km² (34,267 sq mi) and Bangladesh 148,460 km² (57,321 sq mi).

The flat and fertile Bangladesh Plain dominates the geography of Bangladesh. The Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet region are home to most of the mountains in Bangladesh. Much of Bangladesh is within 10 metres (33 feet) above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 metre (3.3 feet). Because of this low elevation, much of this region is vulnerable to seasonal flooding due to monsoons. The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 metres (3,451 feet). A major part of the coastline comprises a marshy jungle, the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the royal Bengal tiger.

West Bengal is on the eastern side of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of 88,752 km² (34,267 sq mi). The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.

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 and most of Malda division. North Bengal is divided into Terai and Dooars regions. North Bengal is also noted for its rich cultural heritage, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Aside from the Bengali majority, North Bengal is home to many other communities including Nepalis, Santhal people, Lepchas and Rajbongshis.

Northeast Bengal

Northeast Bengal refers to the Sylhet region, which today comprises the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh and Karimganj district in the Indian state of Assam. The region is famous for its fertile land terrain, many rivers, extensive tea plantations, rainforests and wetlands. The Brahmaputra and Barak river are the geographic markers of the area. The city of Sylhet is its largest urban centre, and the region is known for its unique regional Sylheti language. The region was ruled by the Kamarupa and Harikela kingdoms as well as the Bengal Sultanate. It later became a district of the Mughal Empire. Alongside the predominant Bengali population resides a small Garo, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Khasia and other tribal minorities.

The region is the crossroads of Bengal and northeast India.

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.

South Bengal

Main article: South Bengal

South Bengal covers the southwestern Bangladesh and the southern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. The Bangladeshi part includes Khulna Division, Barisal Division The part of South Bengal of West Bengal includes Presidency division, Burdwan division and Medinipur 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

Main article: Greater Chittagong

Southeast Bengal refers to the hilly-coastal Chittagonian-speaking and coastal Bengali-speaking areas of Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh. The region is noted for its thalassocratic and seafaring heritage. The area was dominated by the Bengali Harikela and Samatata kingdoms in antiquity. It was known to Arab traders as Samandar in the 9th century. During the medieval period, the region was ruled by the Chandra dynasty, the sultanate of Bengal, the kingdom of Tripura, the kingdom of Mrauk U, the Portuguese Empire and the Mughal Empire, prior to the advent of British rule. The Chittagonian language, a sister of Bengali is prevalent in coastal areas of southeast Bengal. Along with its Bengali population, it is also home to Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, including the Chakma, Marma, Tanchangya and Bawm peoples.

Southeast Bengal is considered a bridge to Southeast Asia and the northern parts of Arakan are also historically considered to be a part of it.

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 (like Ahsan Manzil and Cooch Behar Palace), 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 sea beach in the world with an unbroken length of 120 km (75 mi). It is also a growing surfing destination. St. Martin's Island, off the coast of Chittagong Division, is home to the sole coral reef in Bengal.

Other regions

Bengal was a regional power of the Indian subcontinent. The administrative jurisdiction of Bengal historically extended beyond the territory of Bengal proper. In the 9th century, the Pala Empire of Bengal ruled large parts of northern India. The Bengal Sultanate controlled Bengal, Assam, Arakan, Bihar and Orissa at different periods in history. In Mughal Bengal, the Nawab of Bengal had a jurisdiction covering Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Bengal's administrative jurisdiction reached its greatest extent under the British Empire, when the Bengal Presidency extended from the Straits of Malacca in the east to the Khyber Pass in the west. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, administrative reorganisation drastically reduced the territory of Bengal.

Several regions bordering Bengal proper continue to have high levels of Bengali influence. The Indian state of Tripura has a Bengali majority population. Bengali influence is also prevalent in the Indian regions of Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; as well as in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Arakan

Arakan (now Rakhine State, Myanmar) has historically been under strong Bengali influence. Since antiquity, Bengal has influenced the culture of Arakan. The ancient Bengali script was used in Arakan. An Arakanese inscription recorded the reign of the Bengali Candra dynasty. Arakan emerged as a vassal state of the Bengal Sultanate. It later became an independent kingdom. The royal court and culture of the Kingdom of Mrauk U was heavily influenced by Bengal. The modern-day Rohingya population is a legacy of Bengal's influence on Arakan.

Assam

The Indian state of Assam shares many cultural similarities with Bengal. The Assamese language uses the same script as the Bengali language. The Barak Valley has a Bengali-speaking majority population. During the Partition of India, Assam was also partitioned along with Bengal. Assam and Bengal were often part of the same kingdoms, including Kamarupa, Gauda and Kamata. Assam was one of the few regions in the subcontinent to successfully resist Mughal expansion and never fell completely under Mughal rule.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Bengali is the most spoken language among the population of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a strategically important archipelago which is controlled by India as a federal territory. The islands were once used as a British penal colony. During World War II, the islands were seized by the Japanese and controlled by the Provisional Government of Free India. Between 1949 and 1971, the Indian government resettled many Bengali Hindus in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Bihar

In antiquity, Bihar and Bengal were often part of the same kingdoms. The ancient region of Magadha covered both Bihar and Bengal. Magadha was the birthplace or bastion of several pan-Indian empires, including the Mauryan Empire, the Gupta Empire and the Pala Empire. Bengal, Bihar and Orissa together formed a single province under the Mughal Empire. The Nawab of Bengal was styled as the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

Chittagong Hill Tracts

The Chittagong Hill Tracts is the southeastern frontier of Bangladesh. Its indigenous population includes Tibeto-Burman ethnicities, including the Chakma people, Bawm people and Mro people among others. The region was historically ruled by tribal chieftains of the Chakma Circle and Bohmong Circle. The tribal royal families of the region came under heavy Bengali influence. The region was governed by the Chittagong Hill Tracts manual under colonial rule. The manual was significantly amended after the end of British rule; and the region became fully integrated with Bangladesh.

Malay Archipelago

Through trade, settlements and the exchange of ideas; parts of Maritime Southeast Asia became linked with Bengal. Language, literature, art, governing systems, religions and philosophies in ancient Sumatra and Java were influenced by Bengal. Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in Southeast Asia depended on the Bay of Bengal for trade and ideas. Islam in Southeast Asia also spread through the Bay of Bengal, which was a bridge between the Malay Archipelago and Indo-Islamic states of the Indian subcontinent. A large number of wealthy merchants from Bengal were based in Malacca. Bengali ships were the largest ships in the waters of the Malay Archipelago during the 15th century.

Between 1830 and 1867, the ports of Singapore and Malacca, the island of Penang, and a portion of the Malay Peninsula were ruled under the jurisdiction of the Bengal Presidency of the British Empire. These areas were known as the Straits Settlements, which was separated from the Bengal Presidency and converted into a Crown colony in 1867.^: 980 

Meghalaya

The Indian state of Meghalaya historically came under the influence of Shah Jalal, a Muslim missionary and conqueror from Sylhet. During British rule, the city of Shillong was the summer capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam (modern Bangladesh and Northeast India).

North India

The ancient Mauryan, Gupta and Pala empires of the Magadha region (Bihar and Bengal) extended into northern India. The westernmost border of the Bengal Sultanate extended towards Varanasi and Jaunpur. In the 19th century, Punjab and the Ceded and Conquered Provinces formed the western extent of the Bengal Presidency.

Odisha

Odisha, previously known as Orissa, has a significant Bengali minority. Historically, the region has faced invasions from Bengal, including an invasion by Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah. Parts of the region were ruled by the Bengal Sultanate and Mughal Bengal.

Tibet

During the Pala dynasty, Tibet received missionaries from Bengal who influenced the emergence of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tripura

The princely state of Tripura was ruled by the Manikya dynasty until the 1949 Tripura Merger Agreement. Tripura was historically a vassal state of Bengal. After assuming the throne with military support from the Bengal Sultanate in 1464, Ratna Manikya I introduced administrative reforms inspired by the government of Bengal. The Tripura kings requested Sultan Barbak Shah to provide manpower for developing the administration of Tripura. As a result, Bengali Hindu bureaucrats, cultivators and artisans began settling in Tripura. Today, the Indian state of Tripura has a Bengali-majority population. Modern Tripura is a gateway for trade and transport links between Bangladesh and Northeast India.

Flora and fauna

The flat Bengal Plain, which covers most of Bangladesh and West Bengal, is one of the most fertile areas on Earth, with lush vegetation and farmland dominating its landscape. Bengali villages are buried among groves of mango, jackfruit, betel nut and date palm. Rice, jute, mustard and sugarcane plantations are a common sight. Water bodies and wetlands provide a habitat for many aquatic plants in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. The northern part of the region features Himalayan foothills (Dooars) with densely wooded Sal and other tropical evergreen trees. Above an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the forest becomes predominantly subtropical, with a predominance of temperate-forest trees such as oaks, conifers and rhododendrons. Sal woodland is also found across central Bangladesh, particularly in the Bhawal National Park. The Lawachara National Park is a rainforest in northeastern Bangladesh. The Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh is noted for its high degree of biodiversity.

The littoral Sundarbans in the southwestern part of Bengal is the largest mangrove forest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region has over 89 species of mammals, 628 species of birds and numerous species of fish. For Bangladesh, the water lily, the oriental magpie-robin, the hilsa and mango tree are national symbols. For West Bengal, the white-throated kingfisher, the chatim tree and the night-flowering jasmine are state symbols. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and India. The fishing cat is the state animal of West Bengal.

Politics

Today, the region of Bengal is split between the country of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Some nearby areas, like the Barak Valley in Assam and parts of Tripura, also have many Bengali speakers.

Bangladeshi Republic

Main article: Politics of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country where leaders are chosen by voting. The leader, called a Prime Minister, is picked by the people who elect leaders called Members of Parliament. Bangladesh also has a President, but this role is mostly ceremonial.

Indian Bengal

Main article: Politics of West Bengal

West Bengal is a state in India. It has its own local leaders, but ultimately follows the rules of the country’s government. A governor, chosen by the country's president, represents the national government. The state also has a chief minister, who is usually the leader chosen by local voters.

Crossborder relations

Main articles: Bangladesh-India relations, Indians in Bangladesh, and Bangladeshis in India

India and Bangladesh are two large countries that have worked together in many ways. They supported each other when Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971. Since then, they have made efforts to cooperate on trade, culture, and defense. However, they sometimes disagree on issues like sharing rivers and managing borders. Both countries continue to try to improve their relationship.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Bangladesh and Economy of West Bengal

The Ganges Delta gave Bengal rich soil, lots of water, and plenty of fish, wildlife, and fruit. Because of this, people in Bengal lived better than in many other parts of the Indian subcontinent long ago. From around 400 to 1200, Bengal had a strong economy with good farming, trading, and shipping.

Bengal made its own money called the silver taka, which was used everywhere in the area. Later, under Mughal rule, the taka became the main money used for trade with European companies. Bengal was famous for making fine clothes called muslin, which people from far away places liked to wear. Bengal also built many ships, more than places in North America long ago.

During British rule, Bengal's economy changed a lot. In the 1900s, Bangladesh and West Bengal became important for making things like jute and rice. Today, Bangladesh has a growing economy with many industries, and both Bangladesh and India are big partners in trade.

Stock markets

• Dhaka Stock Exchange
• Chittagong Stock Exchange
• Calcutta Stock Exchange

Ports and harbours

• Port of Chittagong
• Port of Kolkata
• Port of Mongla
• Port of Haldia
• Port of Payra
• Port of Pangaon
• Port of Khulna
• Port of Farakka
• Port of Narayanganj
• Port of Ashuganj
• Port of Barisal
• Matarbari Port
• Land port of Benapole-Petrapole

Chambers of commerce

• Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI)
• Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI)
• Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI)

Intra-Bengal trade

Bangladesh and India trade a lot with each other. The Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal Initiative helps increase trade in the area.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Bangladesh, Demographics of West Bengal, and Languages of Bangladesh

The Bengal region is very crowded, with about 300 million people. Bengali is the main language spoken there. Other languages spoken in Bengal include Sylheti, Chittagonian, Chakma, Rangpuri/Rajbangshi, and Rohingya.

Bengalis practice different religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism.

Bengal has some of the world's big cities. Dhaka is one of the largest cities in the world, and Kolkata is also very large.

Major cities

Other important cities in West Bengal include Howrah, Kalyani, Basirhat, Kharagpur, Durgapur, Coochbehar, Malda, Chandannagar, Bardhaman, and Darjeeling.

Other important cities in Bangladesh include Sylhet, Khulna, Jessore, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Cox's Bazar.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Bengal

Bengali is an old language that began between the 7th and 10th centuries. It is the fifth most spoken language in the world and has its own special alphabet. Bengali is spoken by many people in Bangladesh and India.

Bengali culture has many traditions, stories, and festivals. The language has a rich history of writing and literature, with famous authors creating poems and novels. People in Bengal enjoy music, art, and food, making it a lively place to live.