Cambridge Assessment International Education

Cambridge Ordinary Level

BANGLADESH STUDIES 7094/01

Paper 1 History and Culture of Bangladesh May/June 2019
1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Materials: Answer Booklet/Paper

*0690022029*

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

An answer booklet is provided inside this question paper. You should follow the instructions on the front cover
of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.

Answer three questions.

Answer Question 1 and two other questions.
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on each question.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 9 printed pages and 3 blank pages.

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You must answer all parts of Question 1.

1 The Culture and Heritage of Bangladesh

You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this question.

(a) This question tests your knowledge.

(i) Alaol was able to find work in the royal court of Arakan because:

A he was well known as a poet

B his father was well known by the court of Arakan
C he was introduced to the people there by pirates
D he had won a literary award
[1]

(ii) Scholars criticised Rabindranath Tagore because:

A he wrote under a pen name

B he did not focus on one subject
C his poems were simple
D he used colloquial language in his writing
[1]

(iii) Which of the following was not among Kazi Nazrul Islam’s accomplishments?

A recording songs
B painting pictures
C creating stories
D writing poems
[1]

(iv) Which of the following was written by Jasimuddin while he was a student?

A Kabar (The Grave)

B Rakhali (Shepherd)
C Nakshi Kanthar Math
D Bagalir Hashir Golpo
[1]

(v) Zainul Abedin’s paintings are known because of his use of which of the following
characteristics?

A Pastel colours
B Circles
C The black line
D Symmetry
[1]

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(b) This question tests your knowledge and understanding.

(i) Describe the life and work of Begum Rokeya. [5]

(ii) Explain why she is so important to the culture of Bangladesh. [3]

(c) This question tests your understanding and judgement.

(i) Explain the importance of each of the following to the culture of Bangladesh:

• folk culture
• religious and cultural festivals.
[8]

(ii) Which of these two contributes more in Bangladesh to people’s knowledge of their
culture and heritage? Explain your answer. [4]

[Total: 25]

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Choose two of Questions 2 to 4.

Answer all parts of the two questions you choose.

2 Pre-Mughal Bengal

The Varendra Research Museum

Learning from archaeology

Finding out about ancient history is a difficult task. The evidence that is available to
give us clues is rarely straightforward and frequently leads to historians interpreting
findings differently.

Historians have maps showing where coastlines and rivers existed, and where hills and
valleys were. They can work out where settlements were likely to have developed and 5
how people were likely to have made a living. They can excavate these areas to see if
historians’ guesses were correct. Archaeological evidence can be dated, adding to
historians’ knowledge.

Historians have to use evidence from other countries and from religious writings to
increase their understanding. From these they learn about janapadas, trade and 10
conquests. People rarely left evidence thinking about what future people might want to
learn about them. Archaeologists and historians take on the task of solving the puzzle.

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(a) This question tests your knowledge.

(i) Name the port that served the settlement known as Harikela. [1]

(ii) Name the city identified as the earliest urban centre in Bangladesh. [1]

(iii) In which century did the Mauryan Empire end? [1]

(iv) What was the main item produced in Vanga and traded throughout India? [1]

(v) Which ruler brought most of the independent states of Bengal together in the fourth
century AD? [1]

(b) This question tests your knowledge and understanding.

(i) Describe life in Bengal during the Mauryan Empire. [5]

(ii) Explain how Bengal was ruled under the Guptas. [5]

(c) This question tests your understanding and judgement.

(i) Explain the importance of the following in providing information about early Bangladesh
history:

• written evidence
• evidence of trade.
[8]

(ii) Which of these has been more important in developing our understanding of the
development of Ancient Bengal? Explain your answer. [2]

[Total: 25]

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3 The Mughal Period

The tomb of Isa Khan

The fall of the Mughal Empire

The mighty Mughal Empire lasted from c1520 to c1760 AD. Akbar saw the Mughal
Empire extend into Bengal by defeating the Baro Bhuiyans and Isa Khan’s son. Shah
Jahan focused on Assam, a task further developed by Mir Jumla as Viceroy.

Yet enemies surrounded the Mughal conquerors. Assam and Arakan threatened the
Empire’s borders. What were Mughal emperors to do? Ending expansion would be 5
seen as a sign of weakness, so they continued to drive forward until they controlled
land from Kabul to Chittagong and from Kashmir to the River Kaveri.

In some ways, though, expansion brought its own problems, especially as communication
was slow. After Shah Jahan, Mughals did not have large enough families for their sons
to represent them everywhere as Viceroys. Some Viceroys ruled without their Emperor’s 10
instructions. For example, from 1705 the Viceroy of Bengal began to rule independently,
establishing a trend that continued until the British arrived.

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(a) This question tests your knowledge.

(i) Name the son of Isa Khan who challenged the Mughals. (line 2) [1]

(ii) Which son did Shah Jahan appoint a Viceroy of Bengal? [1]

(iii) Which part of the Empire did Muhammad Azam rule? [1]

(iv) Who succeeded Aurangzeb as ruler of the Mughal Empire? [1]

(v) Who was appointed Viceroy of Bengal in 1705? (line 11) [1]

(b) This question tests your knowledge and understanding.

(i) Describe the relationship between the Mughals and the Marathas. [5]

(ii) Explain how the Mughal Empire was administered in the seventeenth century. [5]

(c) This question tests your understanding and judgement.

(i) Explain the importance of the following in weakening the rule of the Mughals in the
seventeenth century:

• British naval power

• British trading ambitions.
[8]

(ii) Which of these was more responsible for the growth of British interest in Bengal in the
seventeenth century? Explain your answer. [2]

[Total: 25]

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4 From Pakistan to Bangladesh

Results of the 1970 General Election

political party West East total

AL 160 160

PPP 81 81

PML(Q) 9 9

other parties 33 1 34

independents 15 1 16

total 138 162 300

Events leading to the 1970 General Election

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested in January 1968. He was to be tried by a special
tribunal, but this did not meet because of the opposition to President Ayub Khan.

The government response was to issue some measures. Students formed an All-Party
Struggle Council to organise demonstrations against the President. As discontent grew,
so did support for there to be a Demand Day on 17 December 1968. 5

The curfew imposed in February 1969 did not help to calm the situation. The President
made some changes, but he did not accept autonomy for East Pakistan. He handed
power to the Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan’s army on 25 March 1969.

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(a) This question tests your knowledge.

(i) What was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accused of in January 1968? (line 1) [1]

(ii) What name was this case given? [1]

(iii) What was the All-Party Struggle Council better known as? [1]

(iv) Who led the call for Demand Day? [1]

(v) Name the Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan’s army in March 1969. [1]

(b) This question tests your knowledge and understanding.

(i) Describe the changes that President Ayub Khan made in 1969. [5]

(ii) Explain the outcome of the 1970 General Election in Pakistan. [5]

(c) This question tests your understanding and judgement.

(i) Explain the importance of each of the following political events during 1970–71:

• the freedom struggle

• the world response to the freedom struggle.
[8]

(ii) Which of these had the greater impact on the outcome of the 1970–71 constitutional
crisis? Explain your answer. [2]

[Total: 25]

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