Janapadas

According to the later Vedic literature the ancientjanapadas(400BC-600AD) were named

after the non–Aryan ethnic groups who inhabitated the areas

Janapadas Areas
Pundravardhan Dinajpur, Bogra

Rajshahi
Varendra
Vanga Dhaka, Tangail

Vangal Barisal, Coastal Areas

Samatata Comilla, Noakhali

Chittagong, Sylhet
Harikela
Gauda
Chapainawabganj

Importance of the Himalaya

• Bangladesh is the flattened out land of Himalaya

• Himalaya control the annual rainfall and protects the cold wind from the north
• Almost all rivers of Bangladesh came down from the Himalaya

Pre Aryan people

• Proto-Australoid- came in 50000 BC from Africa

• Mongloid-Chakma(trival). They aren’t mixed with others
• Dravidian-very creative

The Aryan people

Aryan people influenced in ancient India came to be felt in the north-western parts and it
took a long time for the Aryan to reach the eastern limits of the subcontinent.
Aryan people started to aryanise form the western side and it took about one thousand
years to aryanise the whole of Bengal.
✓ Aryan people claimed that the people of Bengal were barbarians as they had no
particular culture [Vedic literature]
Contribution
• Brought language(Sanskrit)
• Brought iron
• Divided the society into classes
 Invalidity of the Aryan idea
The discoveries at “pandu rajar dibi” in the valley of the Ajay river in the Burdwan district
and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai have thrown fresh light on
Bengal’s pre history. “pandu rajar dhibi” represents the ruins of trading township, which
carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also with the countries of
the Mediterranean world.

Era of Maurya [ 3rd century B.C]

Invention of the empire

From a Brahmi script found in excavation in the site of the pundranagar(now at
Mahasthana in Bogra.

Contribution for the society[ from fragmentary Brami inscription]

The administration used to give relief such as paddy and money to the people during the
time of calamities caused by nature and collect the distributed amount of paddy and money
when good days returned.

Culture
• Cotton fabric of Vanga( south eastern Bengal)
• Muslin of Bengal
• Terracotta plaques(pandu rajar dhibi)

The Gupta rule

Capital : Ganga

Impotrant ruler :
• Samudragupta
• Chandragupta 2

Samudragupta
• Most independent states came under Samudragupta’s rule

Chandragupta 2
• Consolidated their possessions in the east
• Wars against the Vangas

Contribution
• Established an administration in the Bengal in which the participation of the local
people was ensured.
• Bengal was an important province and the period of Guptas was considered to be
the golden age of Indian history
• India was under a strong benevolent central government, which brought peace,
wealth and prosperity.
• Bengal enjoyed the benefit of being a part of the All IndianEmpire.
 • Trade and commerce was very strong. Found many large number of gupta coins.
• Religiously tolerable.
They were Brahmanism but they patronizedBuddhism and Jainism.
Culture
• Terracotta
• Sculptural art

fall of the Gupta empire

• South and east Bengal shook off the suzerainty of the Gupta and attained
importance as an independent kingdom under local ruler
• Kingdom of Gaida emerged under the later guptas. But the Gauda emerged as an
independent kingdom under Sasanka and Magadha.

Sasanka[1st independent king of Bengal]

Rise of the empire

• Kingdom of Gauda [ recently under Gupta empire] emerged under Sasanka and
Maghda
• Gradually extended his suzerainty over territories far beyond the wall

Capital: Karnasuvarna identified with Rangamati located six mile southwest of

Baharampur
in the Murshidabad district of Indian west Bengal.

Religion: Staunch Shaivite

Nature:racist.
Against : Buddhist.
Evidence: Hsuen Tsang [ Chinese Buddhist pilgrim]
Activity: vandalism and enmity against Buddhists.

✓ Hsuen Tsang was a good friend of Harshavardhana. So it might be fake.

Achievement of the Sasanka

• Occupied an important place
• Extend suzerainty over territories far beyond the geographical boundaries of the
province.
• Attempted at establishing a north Indian empire
• Could hold own and the independence of the Gaudha empire against a very
powerful enemy named Harshavardhana.
• Have ventured into northern Indian politics.
• Made himself master of western and northern Bengal.

Matsyanyayam/Dark age
A situation of complete lawlessness which was arrised from the absence of strong ruling
power capable of enforcing law and order is known as Matsyanyayam. It started after the
death of Sasanka and lasted from 650 to 750 AD.

After death of Sasanka hundred years of lawlessness ended by Gopala known as dark age or
known as Matsyanyayam.

The Pala Dynasty

Founder : Gopala
Time: 8th century A.D
Area: Bengal
Runtime: 400 years(18 generation)
Religion: Buddhist. Founded Vikramasila monasteryand Somapura
Mahavihara(largest Buddhist monastery) at Paharpur

Important ruler:
• Dharmapala
• Devapala
• Mahipala1(2nd founder)
• Rampala(last ruler)

Dharmapala
• Pala were powerful enough
• Involved in a tripantitle stuggle with Gujara Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas
• Pala empire extended beyond the boundaries of Bengal and Bihar as far as Kanauj.

Devapala [son of Dharmapala]

• Gurjara Pratiharas succeeded in establishing their empire over Kanauj.
• Pala empire extended in other direction also towards Orissa and the kamarpupa

Mahipala 1
• Gave second lease of life to the Pala empire
• Brought back northern and western Bengal

Mahipala 2
• Revolt of the Samantas succeed in northern Bangal under the independent rule.
• Successfully regained Pala authority in northern part.

Rampala
• was the last known pala ruler
• restoring Pala authority in northern Bengal and in demonstrating the Vigour in
expansion

Achievement
• gave a stable government
• Established a sound administrative structure
• Religiously tolerable
• Bangle came as a powerful force in noth Indian politics
Contribution
• Art and terracotta. (example : the Buddhist vihara architecture)
• Architectural art(somapura mahavihar, largest monastery in the Indian
subcontinent, Mahavidhara(largest Buddhist monastery) Vikramasila monastery)
• Contribution in poetic work(the Ramacharitam)

The Sena Dynasty

Rise of the empire

Towards the end of the 12th century A.D, Vijayasena founded the Sena empire. His
ancestor hailed from Karnata country of the Deccan, but he emerged in the politics of
Bengal as a dominated ruler in west Bengal during the rule of the Pala emperor rampala.
During the prtiod of decline of the pala after Rampala, Vijayasena rose into prominence
and gradually grabbed power. He defeated the Varman in southeastern Bengal and then
rooted up the Palas from Northern and Western Bengal.

Duration
• More than a century
• Five generaion of kings

Religion : Hinduism

Rulers
• Vijayasena(1097-1160)
• Vallalasena(1160-1178)
• Laksmanasena
• Visvarupasena(1160-1178)
• Kesavasena

Vijayasena
• Founder of the Sena empire
• Ousted the Palas and defeated the Varmans

Laksmanasena
• Created five fatnas of the court of Laksmanasena
• Failed to protect southeastern Bengal

Vallalasena
• Attempted to establish Orthodox hindu social order with caste refity.

Achievement of the Sena Dynasty

 Vijayasena rose into prominence and
gradually grabbed power after decline of
Rampala. Then he defeated the Varmans and
Palas and took control of Southeastern
Whole Bengal came under their rule
northern and western Bengal. By ousting the
Varmans and the Palas, they succeeded in
bringing the whole of Bengal under one
united rule.
the Sena period is significant for the
development of Sanskrit literature. By far
the most important contribution to the
Bengali Sanskrit literature was Gitagovinda
of Jayadeva, who was one of the ornaments
of the court of Laksmanasena.
Laksmanasena, the last ruler of this dynasty
repected Sanskrit literature. For instance, he
appointed some poet in his court who
contributed to develop Sanskrit literature.
Development of Sanskrit literature They were :
Poets Contribution
Jayadeva Gitagovinda
Dhoyi Pavanaduta
Umapatidhara -
Govardhara Arya-sapla-Sati
Sarana -

About 2370 poems were composed by 485

poets. Bhavadeva Bhatta, Jimutavahana, two
great poets are belong to this period.
The Bengal school of sculpture art reached
its high water mark in the Sena period and in
Sculpture
this phase its regional character marked by
individualistic traits became manifest.

Difference between pala and sena dynasty

Pala Dynasty Sena Dynasty

18 generation king 5 generation king
Palas were Buddhists Senas were Hindus
No castle system Introduced castle system
Ruled 400 years Ruled more than 100 years
Developed architectural art and practiced Sanskrit literature and sculptural art reached
sculptural art water mark
Ikhtiyar Ud-din Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji
Ikhtiyar Ud-din Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji was a Turkish military general of Qutb
Ud Din Aibak
Ikhtiyar Ud-din was of common birth, had long arms extenduing below his knees, a short
physical status, and an unfavorable countenance. He approached India and tried to enter in
the army of Qutb Al din, but was refused rank. Then he took a job under Maklik Hizbar Al
Din. Ikhtiyar Ud-din soon consolidated his position by recruiting some fiercely Muslim
soldiers under his domain and carried out successful raids into neighboring regions.
In 1193, he burned the ancient college city of Nalanda and University of Vikramshila.
He attacked Bengal in 1203. As he came upon the city of Nabadwin, it is said that he
advanced so rapidly that only eighteen horsemen from his army could keep up. He
conquered Nabadwip from the old emperor Laksman Sen.

Career life
• Conquered Bihar after defeating Govindapala
• Invated Bengal
• Issued a gold coin. It depicted a Turkish cavalryman charginf at fyll gallop and
holding a mace
• Captured the city of Naudia
• Established a military outpost at Devkot in the district of Dinajpur. It became the
first capital under the Muslim rule in Bengal
• He ruled in modern Malda, Dinajpur , Murshidahbad and Birdhum district

How muslims came in Bangladesh

• Ikhtiyar Ud-din Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji conquered Bihar.

• Three years later he invaded Bengal with only 17 cavarly by support of Qutb Ud Din
Aibak
• The hindu king Laksman Sen fled to East Bengal and continued to rule from his
Capital Vikrampur.
• The Hindu kings tried to introduce Brahmanical Hinduism but rejected by the people
who were accustomed to the classless society of Buddhism. They gradually accepted
Islam voluntarily. Then he captured the city of Nadia(now in West Bengal). Thus, the
foundation of the Muslim rule was established in Bengal.
Firuj Shah Dynasty

Career
• conquested Sonargaon, Mymensingh, Sylhet with the support of Ghazis
• conquest Sylhet in 1303 with the support of Hazrat Shah Jalal
• founded the city of Firuzabad-Padua, the later capital of Bengal
• Muslim rule extended beyond the Meghna river

Sultan Shams-Ud-Din Ilyas Shah

Career
• Took procession of Satgon, made himself master of Gaur
• Issued coins where he described himself “ the just sultan” and “ the second
Alexander, the right hand of the caliphate, the defender of the Commander of the
faithful”
• Brought the whole Bengal under his control by annexing Sonargaon in 1352
• Shifted the capital from Lakhnawati to Pauda( now in West Bengal)
• Defeated a number of Hindu rajas in the neighboring region of Champaran,
Kathmundu
• Showed his military skill by repelling invasion from Delhi and defeating a number
of Hindu rajas

Contribution
• A patron of Bengali language and literature.
• Built the famous Adina mosque in 1375 at Pandua which was considered as the
largest mosque ever built in Indian subcontinent
• Art and science flourished
• Commerce in Bengal’s textiles and foodstuff was encouraged

Sikandar Shah[Son of Ilyas Shah]

Careed
• Encountered an expedition by Delhi Sultan Firuz Tughluq who left Bengal on
promise of payment of a nominal tribute

Giyas-Ud-Uin Azam Shah

Career
• Got support from Delhi
• Ruled for 15 years
• Controlled by Delhi(1.Khutba in the name of Delhi ruler 2. Issued a coin)
• Sent large amount of money to the holy place in Hijaz
• Exchange envoys with the Chinese empire
• Invited the famous Persian poet Hafiz to come to his court at Pauda
• Buried near Sonargaon in a beautiful small tomb
 Interval(RAJA GANESH)

Jalal Ud Din Muhammad Shah[Son of hindu king Ganesh

Career
• Converted to Islam seized the throne of Bengal
• Made contribution in contracting a religious institution
• Established relation with the ruler of Egypt
• Got robe of honor and a letter of recognition
• Issued coin from Pauda, Chittagong ,Sonargaon

Husain Shahi Dynasty[Became Bengali king]/the golden age of sultanate of Bengal

Founder(most popular) : Ala-Ud-Din Husain Shah

Important ruler
• Ala-Ud-Din Husain Shah
• Nasir Ud-Din Nusrat Shah
• Mahmud Shah

Ala-Ud-Din Husain Shah

Career
• Extended the boundary of the kingdom
• Incorporated Cooch Bihar, Kamrup, Orissa

Contribution
• Religiously tolerable
The hindus held high offices and much of the land in the country were in their hand
• Built mosque and magnificent building at Gaur and Pauda. Example : Choto Sona
Masjid

Nasir Ud-Din Nusrat Shah(most influenced ruler)

Achievement
• Patron of Bengali literature and commemorating to Bengali calender
• Dedicated a bridge with inscription in Bengali , commemoration according to the
Bengali calendar
• Built a mosque at Bagha in Rajshahi district and the Qadam Rasul mosque
Sher Shah Sur dynasty[afghan adventure]
 Careed
• Defeated Sultan Mahmud Shah
• Defeated the troops of Humayun at the battle of Chausa

Contribution
• Constructed the Grand Trunk Rood from Bengal to Peshawar
• Introduced administrative reforms
• Modernized the collection of revenues
• Introduced a postal system by using horses in Bengal for the first time which was
known as “Ghorar Daak”

Karrani dynasty

• Paid his allegiance to Mogul emperor Akhbar

• Overthrow the Suri dynasty

Daud Karrani[last afgan sultan of Bengla]

• Declared his independence against his authority

Fall of the dynasty

• Akbar himself marched against Daud Karrani as he declared his independence against
Akhabar
• Akbar left the Bengal campaign to his commander in chief Munim Khan
• Daud Karrani was defeated by the troops of Munim Khan and Raja Todar
Mal[emperor of Akbar’s finance minister]

Fall of bangal

after the death of Mumin Khan, Khan Jahan, commender of Akbar Khan defeated Daud’s
troops at the battle of Rajmahal in 1576 and brought Bengal as one of the provinces of the
Mughal empire.

Rebellion against Moghul empire

the bara bhuiyyan(twelve chieftains) started rebellion against Mughul empire. They denied to
pay taxes to Moghul and the moghul and the moghul tried to capture Bengal.

The Bara Bhuyyan were the former governors, zamindars, landlords of the Bengal sultanate.
They were led by Isa Khan. They were:

Name City Neutralized by

Isa khan Sonargaon -
Raja Pratapadityya Jessore Islam khan
Kader Rai Vikrampur Raja Man Sigh
Raja Kandarpanara Chandradvipa -
Neutralizing the rebellion

To neutralize the rebellion, Akbar appointed some of his government. They are :

• Raja Man Singh

• Islam Khan Chisti
• Ibrahim Khan

Raja Man Singh

• Dhaka became an important city

• Defeated Daud Khan(son of Isa Khan), Uthman Khan, and killed Kader Rai

Islam Khan Chisti

• Made capital in place of Rajmahal

• Dhaka was named Jahangirnagar
• Killed Uthman Khan(last afgan rebeal chieftain)
• Defeated raja Pratapadityya of Jessore and annexed his territory

Ibrahim Khan

• Chieftain not only lost their independence but was actually participated with the
Moghul expedition.

Shirajuddaulah

• Last independent nawab of Bengal

• Was defeated at the battle of Palashi

Battle of Palashi

The battle of Palashi was a decisive victory of the British East India company over the
Nawab of Bengal. The battle consolidated the company’s position in Bengal, which later
expanded to cover much of India over next hundred years

Date : 23 june, 1757

Location : palashi, Bengal Subah
Result :
• It established a strong foundation of British East India Company in Bengal and the
sun of Bengal independence lay down for 200 years
• It ended the ruling period of independent Nawab and Sultan.

Reason behind the war

 • British didn’t give gift to Sirajuddaula when he succeeded Alivardi Khan.
• Greed of power of British East India Company
• Frequent breaking laws by British East India Company
• Sirajuddaula didn’t get agreed with the prince Shah Suja trade policy. He ordered
British East India Company to take permission from him to do business. But the
British didn’t get bother. So it influenced Nawab to take revenge against British.

Reason behind the Failure:

• Nawab was too young and not so experienced.
• Palace conspiracy
• For heavy rainfall all the arms were damaged

Battle of Buxar:
• After the battle of Palashi Mirzafar became the Nawab of Bengal and had to give
huge money for the expenditure.
• The British found out that Mir Zafar was useless and Mir Quasim was elected as
Nawab.
• Mir Quasim was Mir Zafar’s Son-in-law.
• He wanted to increase vat/tax and the British became angry. Thus battle of Buxar
occurred.
• Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II joined forces with Mir Quasim.
• It was the last battle where Bengal Emperors could show real courage on the battle
field.
• Mir Qasim was defeated and British supremacy was established.
• After the battle of Buxar the local leaders lost.
• Then Robert Clive got in charge to collect the tax from the mass.
• This started the dual system

Position of the Hindus under the Muslim ruler

• Sultan and nawabs employed hindus to heigh position in the administration of the
state. Such as, Murshid Quli Khan the mogul government appointed the high castle
Hindus in important position in the administration of the state
• Sirajuddaulah and Alivardi khan trusted their Hindu generals and high-ranking
officers.
• Sultan Sikandar Shah patronized the famous poet Chandidas(writer of Shrikrishna
Kirtan)
• Many Important Sanskrit works such as Ramayana and Mahabharata were translated
into Bengali by Vijaya Pandit and Kavindra Paramesvara. Patronised the writing of
the Manasa Vijaya by Vipra Das, the Krishna Mangala and the Padma Purana by
Vijaya Gupta
• Sultan Rukn-Ud-Din Barbak shah patronized the writing of Sri Krishna Vijaya by
Maladhara Basu
• The Mughal Emperors demonstrated the liberal aspect of Islam and tolerance to other
religions

Dual system
 Dual System was basically imposed in favor of collecting tax. In this system the company
appointed two people to collect the revenue. Those people were selected, one from local
people and another from The British East India Company.

Dewan : Those who were selected from local people, known as Dewan. Their only
concentration was only collecting revenue.

Subedars: Those who were selected from the British East India Company, known as
Subedars. They were designated for controlling administration, judiciary, rules, laws and
regulation.

Reason behind introducing dual system:

• Collecting revenue from the local people as well as other countries traders.
• First of all, language problem was the main reason for the British people as they
were not habituated with this language and culture
• Man power problem.

Great Bangle famine of 1770

The great Bangle famine was a famine between 1769 and 1773(1176 to 1180 in Bengali
calendar) that affected the lower genetic plain of India from Bihar to Bengal region. The
famine is estimated to have caused the deaths of up to ten million.

Reason
• Dual system
• Increased the amount of tax(upto five fold)
• Shortfall of crops (1768-69)
• British reserved food
Impact
• Regulating act was introduced (1773)
• One third people died

Permanent settlement

In the permanent settlement act the land become the personal property of the Zaminders.
Regarding this act they could sell, donate and also can use the land for other purposes. That
was the actually main purpose of Permanent settlement act. This was first introduced by
Lord Cornwalli’s in 1790 and codified in 1793.
*Permanent settlement was the most momentous decision of early colonial period and
it was the sysytem of land taxation.Under this law the zamindars were bound to pay
taxes and in this way zamindars become the most needed part in colonial control.

The deals were :

• Will not increase the amount of tax in future
 • Zamindars ( tax collecting rural) were bound to pay their taxes continuously
• If they fail to give the tax, their land would be auctioned off
• Zamindars beame the mainstay of local colonial control and extraction

Expectation from the deal

• Zamindars would become improving landlords who invest agricultural development
• Fixing government taxes
• Rising produce prices
• New land under the plough would leave more
• More wealth in the Zamindar’s hands
• To boost delta’s economy

Reason behind the failure of the deal

• Zamindars lacked government support(for agricultural development, better
communication, control of marketing)
• Zamindars forced the peasantry to pay high amount of tax
• Forced tenants to pay contribution to events in the zamindar’s family such as
marriage,festivals

Sub-infeudation or potonidari

Zamindars began to distance themselves from agricultural and tax collecting as their income
grew. They turned themselves into rentiers and shifted their responsibilities to intermediaries.
Bangal’s peasants produced so much wealth that these intermediaries were often able to
follow the zamindar’s example by appointing their own intermediaries. In the way, a
multitiered system of leisured tenure-holders developed, all living off the wealth of the land.
The system is known as sub-infeudation or pottonidari.

Sunset law

Zaminders were bound to pay taxes to the British before the sunset on the last day of Bengali
year. Otherwise they had to lose their lands

Reason why permanent settlement was a system with momentous consequences

Which is mostly developed in what is now

southern Bangladesh. For example, in the
Started sub-infeudation idea.
district of Barisal you had to cut through five or
seven layers of intermediate tenures to get to
the tiller of the soil
Previously, there had been complex and
Denied the peasantry any locally variable bundle of property
property right rights vested in both peasant producers
and land lords. Now, these rights were
 granted only to the landlords who could
freely sell, mortgage, or gift their land.

Whereas Muslims had dominated during

The composition of the the reclamation of the eastern delta in
zamindari gentry changed. the Mughal period, the colonial saw an
advance of Hindu landlords.

Cash crops

Crops
• Opium
• Indigo
• Tea
• Silk
• Jute

Importance of cash crops

• It forged new ties between Bengal’s rural economy and European and Asian market
• Fundamental effects on delta’s economy
• Led to a new regional specialization of the Bengal economy

New institution of rule

• Dropped Persian(the Mughal language of rule) as the state’s official language(1830)

• Taught English language to Bengali elite people for employment at the lower and
middle levels of the colonial system
• Two modern universities were set up in Kolkata(1857) and Dhaka(1921)
• Changes in health
• Roads, bridge and railway made transport in the Bengal delta
• Technological advantages such as telegraph, radio made it easier to spread
information

The rise of Kolkata

• Became the capital of colonial Bengal

• Government of India resided
• Emerged as its commercial and economic hum
• Valuable cash crops such as opium were transshipped in its port and jute from the
field of eastern Bengal
 • A network of railway lines began to radiate from Kolkata to speed up the transport of
goods from the hinterland

Colonial conflicts

name Leader’s name

• Fakir majnu Shah
Fakir Sannaysi Resistance
• Bhabani pathak
Tariqh-i-Muhammadiyah • Titumir
• Haji Shariatullah
Faraizi movement
• Dudu Mia
Santal rebellion
The Mutiny(the first war of independence , 1857)

Anti-British Movement

Fakir-Sannaysi Movement

Started and ended: 1760,continued for upto more than 4 decades

Leader: Majnu Shah

Reason: 1. Muslim fakirs and hindu sannayasis were dominated by british

2. banning of collecting alms

Mechanism:

• gathered momentum in 1763(main target to company kuthi)

• in 1770 number rose to 50000
• in 1786 Mabju Shah lost large number of follwers
• gradually lose it’s direction for lacking of leadership
Titu mir

Started and ended: 1783-1831

Leader: Sayed Mir Nasir Ali

Reason:

• unislamic practices
 • foreign domination
• imposing illegal taxes on muslim

Mechanism:

• formed a Mujahid force

• trained them in lathi and indigenous arm
• built strong bamboo fort at Markel Baria
• beated Titu Mir by advanced army,1831

Faraizee Andolon

Started and ended: 1818 and slowly continued after death Dudu Mia

Leader:Hazi Shariatullah

Reason:

• To follow true pillers of Islam(muslim were not even following fundamentals of

Islam)
• historical reason Muslims of Bengal were involved with many indigenous customs
rituals and ceremonies which had no connection with Islam
• British rule was injurious to the religious life of the muslim
• Dominated by hindu zamiders and European indigo planters
• Paying illegal tax on some religious events(Kali puja,Durga puja)
• Banning of Eid-ul-Azha

Mechanism:

• Many muslim did not accepted this activity

• Landlords of Dhaka gave shelter
• It devoloped into socio-economic program (through continuous involment with hindu
landlords and European indigo platers)_by dudu miya
• British started took some steps againts this movement in 1837
• Shariatullah was imprisoned for 1 year
• After death of Shariatullah, dudu miya took the leadership and fazaizee movement
somehow continued

Santal Rebellion

Started and ended: 1855-56

Leader: Birsingh

Reason:

• Force them to leave their residence

Mechanism:

• The actual rebellion started when Ram singh was captured and summonded to the
kachari
• He was beaten and imprisoned in chain in presence of his followers
• The santal took oath touching xal tree(they took it as symbol of unity and strength)
• They used the technique of gerila fighting
• Defeat the military expedition under major burroughs (which was encouraged them to
become more aggressive)
• Martial art declared by british in 19th July,1855
• 3 troops were sent
• Santal rebellion end

To stop uprising on the part of Santal, large number of moiras and dikus were settled in
the Rajmahal wills with proprietary rights

Indigo Resistance Movement

Started and ended: 1859-62

Leader:

Reason:

• Forced the cultivators to produce indigo for world market

Mechanism:

Building public opinion:

• Drama: Nil-darpan(1860,mirror of indigo)

• Newspaper comments_of Kishori Chandra Mitra and Harishchanda Mukherjee

Swadeshi Movement
‘Risen from the partition of Bengal’
‘Most successful act of pre-Gandhian movement’

Started and ended: 1905-08

Mechanism:

• Using moderate methods(press campaings,meetings and petitions,big conference in

calcutta town hall)
• Many new techniques/forms(boycott of British goods,rakhi bandhan,arandhan)
• Two main part that can be identify
1. constructive swadeshi
2. political extremism
 • Boycotting the bristish goods was the main weapon to make Swadeshi movement
sucessful
• Rising of Samiti (another achievement )

Some important faces of Swadeshi movement:

• Sir Aurobindo Ghosh

• Surendranath Banerjea
• Ashwin Kumar Dutta
• Rabindranath Tagor
• Lal,Bal,Pal(3 persons)

Division in 1905(1st partition of Bengal)

Who did it and when?

October 16,1905 by lord Curzone(Proposal_1903)

In 1905, the British divided the huge province of Bengal into a western part (Bengal) and an
eastern part (eastern Bengal and Assam). This is called the division in 1905

Reasons

The province was spread over a huge area which was

too vast to manage by one government. The
government could not make a tour for the whole
Administrative reason
province due to its vastness. For example, the British
government failed to send relief to the affected people
during the great famine in Orissa in 1866
The people of eastern Bengal had to go to Kolkata for
different purposes. So, the British authority thought
that, if they could divide the province and make Dhaka
as the capital of eastern part, it would help them to
Economic develop their economic condition. For example, the
Chittagong port would export and import crash crops
which would develop business of Eastern
Bengal.Desired to promote the development of
backward Assam was another economic reason
The people of Kolkata used to dominate the people of
eastern Bengal. So the British wanted to remove this
Social discrimination by developing eastern Bengal.In
addition,bristish wanted to unite the abandon sections
of the Uriya speaking people
The British thought if they could break the united
Political reason(real reason)
Bengal, they could break the unity of Bengali people.
Muslim’s response

It received a favorable response from the Muslims. It was thought that it would bring the
emancipation of Muslims socially and economically. The Muslims welcomed the partition of
Bengal for the following reasons:

• In the majority province of east Bengal the Muslims would be free from Hindu
dominance in economic field. They would get opportunities of services and
advancement agriculture
• The city of Dhaka where the Muslim were in majority was the centre of Muslim
culture. In Dhaka Muslim had a great chance of success for social and cultural
advantage than in Calcutta.
• The partition could result in political uplift and securing represent action in the
government.
• The partition of Bengal relieved the Muslims from competing with Hindus , who were
more advanced in every field of life

Hindu’s response

The Hindu did not accept it, as it death a telling blow to their monopolies and exclusive hold
on economic, social, political life of the whole of Bengal. They called it as a deliberate
attempt by British government.

• The partition of Bengal had brightened possibility of betterment of Muslim; while the
Hindu landlords, capitalistic and traders wanted status quo and to continue the
exploitation of the Muslims
• Hindu lawyers also reacted to this partition of Bengal because they thought that the
new province would have its separate courts and thus their practice would be affected
• Hindu press was not different from that of Hindu advocates. Hindu had their
monopoly over almost whole of the province press. They were afraid that new
newspaper would be established which would decrease their income
• The Hindu launched Swadeshi movement whose intention was to boycott of British
goods.

Swadeshi movement

It entitled a boycott of British goods, education and administration and advocated self
help in the form of establishing India-own industries, reviving handloom and craft
production, setting up national schools and developing village improvement scheme.

Political assassination

• First developed in revolutionary youth groups

• Used public display of violence against high ranking British individuals.
• The camping proved highly successful
 ✓ Some of the revolutionary heroes were
• Khudiram Basu
• Mastarda Surya Sen
• Pritilata Waddadar

Result

• Muslim League was found

• Protest of Hindus and other royal classes lead the British to annul the partition

Cancelation of the partition-

• After the 1st partition of Bengal the Hindus celebrated National Mourn Day in
disrespect to the partition
• Then the Hindu decided to form Rakhi Bandhan and Ganpoti puja celebration to show
the brotherhood among them
• The Hindu leaders of that time tried to shift the movement of Swadeshi Andalan to
Bangavanga in order to show the protest against the partition.
• After that The Hindu people started Guerrilla attack to the British and those attracts
were conducted by their Guerrilla organization named “Jugantor”.
• Then 1911, The British King George V and the Hindu leader from Indian National
Congress convince the lord Curzon to cancel the amended of Bangavanga.

reasons of 1911 Annulment

• Hindus opposed it
• Royal classes like Jaminders, Lawyers, Businessmen and also the news agencies went
against it
• Majority of the elite Hindus wanted the annulment and it was safe to Britain to be in
their favor

Reasons of 1943 famine

• World War II
• Disruption of food supply from Burma
• Destruction of 60,000 boats by the British army
• Selling reserved food at high price rate by the British

KPP party

AK Fazlul Haque found that Congress and Muslim Leagueare dominated by elite Hindus and
Muslims. Common people were depriving of their opportunity of politics. So, he formed
Krishok –Proja Party for the common lower class people which quickly became popular. His
tagline was Daal-Bhat for all‟ which was very catchy.
Lahore Resolution / Two Nation Theory

In 1940 Mohammed Ali Jinnah called a general session of all India Muslim League in Lahore
to discuss the situation that had arisen due to the outbreak of second World war and the
government of India joining the war without taking the opinion of Indian leaders and also to
analyze the reason behind the defeat of Muslim league in general election of 1937 in the
Muslim Majority province. A.K. Fazlul Haque arrived Lahore on 22 nd march and he formally
discussed the Lahore Resolution that run as follows;-
There will be two nation based on religion one for Muslim and other for Hindu. The areas
where the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the Northwestern and Eastern zones
of India should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent States’ in which the constituent
units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
This Lahore Resolution was espoused by Mohammed Ali Jinnah. This is known astwo
Nation Theory

Reason why Pakistan was very special state

Key points Description

Pakistan was the first country who founded their country
Founded upon religious
based on religion. The only other modern example of
nationalism
relgiously based nation-state being Israel.
Pakistan was a state The east Pakistan and the west Pakistan were separated
administreting two discrete from each other by about 1500 km of Indian territory.
territories
Pakistan did not become heir
to any of the colony’s central
state institution

Language movement

Key point Description

The Pakistan educational conference of November 1947 proposed
urdu as the national language, a suggestion that was opposed by
Declared Urdu as
representatives from east Pakistan. A few months later an east
the state language in
Pakistan member of the constituent assembly tables an amendment
1947
to allow the Bengali language to be used in the assembly alongside
Urdu.
When student in east Pakistan came to know about the plan to
Formation of first
make Urdu the national language, they held meeting and
language action
demonstrations and then formed the first Language Action
 committee in Committee in December 1947. Things came to a head in march
December 1947 1948 when general strikes were observed in east Pakistan’s town
and the movement’s leaders were arrested and injured. Muhammad
Ali Jinnah government general of Pakistan at the time, visited
Dhaka for a few days later. Addressing a large audience, he stated
that the state language of Pakistan is going to be Urdu and no
other language. He also added that anyone who would deny Urdu
as the state language of Pakistan, will be considered as the enemy
of Pakistan.
When the new prime minister of Pakistan Khwaja Nazimuddin,
came to Dhaka and announced that the people of east Pakistan
could decide what would be the provincial language but only Urdu
would be Pakistan’s state language, there were a very angry
Declaration of Urdu
reaction. Students responded with the slogan We demand Bangali
as the state
as a national language!. Dhaka university went on strike and a
language of
number of organizations called a protest meeting, chaired by
Pakistan by Khwaja
Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. The meeting sharply
Nazimuddin
denounced the decision to make utdu the state language and also
rejected a government plan to introduce Arabic script for written
Bengal. It decided to call a general strike or hortal and
demonstrations throughout East Pakistan on 21 February 1952.
The government imposed a ban in these demonstrations in Dhaka,
and although some organizers hesitated to violate it, many students
were determined to preserve. Thousand of boys and girls from
school and college all over Dhaka assembled on the campus of
Dhaka university together with university students. They then
started marching and shouting slogans. As soon as they passed the
21st February: a
campus gates armed policeman baton-charged them. The students
black day
retaliated by throwing bricks, upon which the police used tear gas
and then fired into the crowd. Many were injured, five people,
including a nine year old boy were killed. Over the next few days
more demonstrations, killing and arrests occurred, and a memorial
was hastily eracted on the spot where the first killing had taken
place.
This memorial was removed by the authorities and recreated
Removal of the
several time before it was replaced by a concrete monument, the
memorial
Martyrs’ memorial or sohid minar in 1962.

1954 election

Candidates :
• Muslim league
• Jukta Front

Jukta Front
in a pre electoral strategy to draw maximum support from the people and find strength in
unity , the opponents of the Muslim League formed a powerful alliance which effected far
reacing political changes. The ensuring Jukta Front or United front.
 Partners of Jukta Front
• Krishak Sramik party
• Ganatantri Dal
• Nizam-i-Islami
• Several leftist groups

Leaders
• Suhrawardy
• Bhasani
• Fazlul Huq
• Sheikh Mujib
•
Ingredients of the Jukta Front : 21-point programme

21 point programme
It was the unyielding manifestation of the Bengali plank for politics, were the unyielding
manifestation of the Bengali plank for political autonomy under a federal structure and the
rejection of west Pakistani domination.

Result of the election: Jukta Front won. Muslim League returned only ten seats.

Conspiracy
The United front ministry got entangled with Karachi on the issue of constitution and
autonomy of east Bengal. Within six weeks of his assumption of office Fazlul Haq was
abruptly removed from his office on charges of treason and conspiracy to bring about the
secession of East Bengal from the state of Pakistan. The ministry was also accused of
failureto maintain law and order. This rbitary interference of the centre in replacing the
elected government by governor’s ruler under a total bureaucratic control was intended by
the power elite to disintegrate the united front, faction and interests in the front were
awkwardly counterpoised against each other with promises of power and other avtanges.

1956 constitution

Date : March 26, 1956

Features
• Recognized Bengali as one of the two state language
• Granted a dose of provincial(local) autonomy(independence) to placate( calm
down) East Pakistan
• Deferred any decision on the introduction of separate electorate
• Pakistan became an Islamic republic country
Supported leaders : Suhrawardy
Leaders who opposed :
The left winders of the party, with other numbering 22, not only refused to sign it but
walked out of the assembly protesting the Islamic nomenclature of the constitution.
Result
• Awami League assumed power both in East Bengal and at the centre
• Suhrawardy became the prime minister
 • Ataur Rahman Khan of the Awami League formed a coalition ministry in East
Bengal
• East Bengal gained some access to Pakistan’s power structure

Basic democracy

The basic definition of BDO is to elect president and there will be 40000 people from the
East Pakistan and 40000 people from West Pakistan will be elected by the local people and
this 80000 people will elect the president of Pakistan.

Introducer : Ayub Khan

Expectation
• The system would mobilize the masses of the people
And give them a sense of active participation in local affair
• The system would localize politics and diminish interest in national politics leading
to political fragmentation and gradual elimination in national leadership.
• The system was designed to exclude party politics and bypass its urban base

Six point demand

The six point demands were introduced by Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman in 1966 in order to
save the Bangali from the absorption and governance of East Pakistan. The aim of Sheikh
Mujhibur Rahman was to save the East Pakistan from the discrimination of West Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman rose his voice for the six point demand after the Indo-Pakistan
war as the West Pakistan didn’t aware about the security and sovereignty of East Pakistan.
In 1966, the leader of the opposition party arranged a conference and the top leader of
Awami League came to Lahor along with Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman. At that conference,
SMR told about the six point

The demands of six points

• a federal parliamentary system of government elected by direct federal
parliamentary system of government elected by direct universal adult suffrage with
legislative (governmental) representation on the basic of population
• The federal government to be responsible only for foreign affairs and defence
• Freely convertable separate currencies for each wing(east and west Pakistan)
• Power of taxation and revenue of collection to be vasted in the provinces with
guarantees of adequate funding for the federal government
• separate foreign exchange accounts for each wing
• each wing to rise and maintain a militia
How six point demand influenced liberation war

Key point description

Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman gave his valuable speech in different
place in order to rise the voice for six point demand from mass
Public opinion
people. As he could convince the people of East Pakistan, the six
point demand became very popular at that time
As the six point demand gradually became very popular among the
mass people, the Ayub government wanted to neutralize the
Conspiracy of Ayub
revolution. So they started to imprison the top leader of Awami
government
League. Moreover, he came to East Pakistan and tried to prove the
six point as a rebellion against the state of Pakistan.
As West Pakistan government failed to eliminate the demand of six
Imprison of Sheikh point, they arrested Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman on 9th may, 1966. As
Mujhibur Rahman a result, the mess people of East Pakistan called of strike all over
the country and caused several people death.
Walkout of As several people were killed during strike, the provincial
provincial council government walkout their activity.
Sheikh Mujhibur Rahman were arrested in the conspiracy case but
Agartala conspiracy
he was released after the mass rising of East Pakistan in 1969
In the election of 1970, the six point demand got the most
1970 election popularity but the Pakistan government didn’t let the demands to
be actualized.
After this entire incident, the West Pakistan didn’t let the demands
conclusion to be actualized. So the Bengali people moved for liberation war.
This is how the six point demands influenced in liberation war.

The Agartala conspiracy

The Agartala conspiracy case was instituted in January 1968 and total 28 persons were
arrested in this conspiracy case which included 6 Bengali civil servants and military
personnel. Sheikh Mujib was already in prison and he was
Charged with master minding conspiracy. In the trail of the case government side they
brought the charge of high treason for involvement in secessionist conspiracy with India
but at the end the tribunal couldn‟t establish their claim.
Then in 1969, 22 January Sheikh Mujib and other opposition leaders got released from the
case due to the mass upsurge.
[tui to fail korbi]

Legal framework order

on march 30, 1970 Yahya unilaterally promulgated a legal framework order outlining the
transitional arrangements for the election rules of procedures for the national assembly and
certain provisions to be incorporated in the constitution.

Features
• Envisioned a federation of constituent provinces and territories and ensured that the
unity of the federation is not any way impaired.
 • Adhered to the fundamental principles of democracy by providing direct and free
periodical election to the federal and provincial legislatures on the basic of
population and adult franchise.
• Within a specified period economic and all other disparities between the provinces
and between different areas in a province were to be removed by the adoption of
statutory (legal) and other measures.
• The order left no scope for secularization of the state. It read Pakistan shall be an
Islamic republic

Government –in-exile

Date : 17 April
Aim : Sound management of liberation war
Place : Mujibnagar(Baddayanattala)

The Government-in-exile were built with a declaration of independence, the constituent

assembly proclaimed the sovereignty of Bangladesh, electing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as
president and Syed Nazrul Islam as Vice-President
Leaders
Name Position
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman president
Syed Nazrul Islam Vice-President
Tajuddin Ahmed Prime Minister
Khandokar Mushtaq Minister in charge of foreign affair

❖ According to the term of the declaration, the vice president was empowered to act
as president of Bangladesh in the absence of Sheikh Mujib.

Teliapara Document:

Bangladesh Government-in-exile as well as by Indian staff officers.

Approved by:
• Mjaor Safiullah
Leaded by: • Major Khaled Musharraf
• Colonel Usmani
• A large guerrilla force would be raised and trained. The task of
this force would be to liquidate (pay a debt) collaborators of the
Pakistan army, destroy communication lines to immobilise the
Pakistan force, and engage in “hit and run” operations against
convoys and isolated posts of the Pakistan forces to create
Strategies: preparation tension for them.
• The regular units of the Mukti Bahini would be enlarged, divided
into sector troops, and placed in different areas to give cover to
guerrilla operation.
• The best material among the regular units of the Mukti Bahini
and guerrillas would be recruited to form a regular force which
 would launch full scale direct attack on the Pakistan army
strongholds once guerrillas and sector troops had demoralised
them and cut off their lines of logistic support.

Pakistani soldiers’ Young educated men.

favorite target:
Who joined the School, college and university students especially those living border
camps? areas, crossed into India.
How many More than 250,000 for training.
volunteers?
Awami league MNAs and MPAs with the help pf officers of the
Who led the camps? Bangladesh-in-exile.

❖ The Indian government’s decision to help the Bangladesh liberation struggle was
conditional on its being led by the Awami League, whose general ideological
position was similar to that of Indian’s ruling congress party.

Sector and the leader’s name

Sector
Area Comander
name
1st: Major Ziaur Rahman
One Chittagong to Feni river
2nd: Major M. Rafiq
Noakhali, Comilla(Akhaura to voirob rail 1st: Major Khaled Musharraf
Two
station), Faridpur and Dhaka 2nd: Major M. Haider
1st: Major Shafiullah
Sylhet division(Mohokuma, Kishorgonj,
Three 2nd: Major Mohammad
Akhaura-Voirob
Nuruzzaman*
Four Major Chittaranjan Dutta
Five Major Mir Shakawat Ali
Wing Commander M.K.
Six
Bashar
Seven Major Nuruzzaman*
1st: Major Osman Chowdhury
Eight 2nd: Lieutenant-Colonel
Mohammad Manzur
Nine Major M.A. Jalil
Ten Major Joinal Abedin
Eleven Major Abu Taher

Three brigade forces:

Name Led by
Z force Major Ziaur Rahman
K force Khaled Musharraf
S force M. Shafiullah
MujibBahini:

Training by Indian Army

leaders • Tofael Ahmed
• Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni
• Serajul Alam Khan
• Abdur Razzak
Training place Dehra Dun (in Uttar Pradesh) and Haphlong (in Assam)
Training period 45 Days
Political Course Mujibism*
Communication They have own wireless system and special code for communication
System maintained a separate existence outside the command of Bangladesh
Government-in-exile and Mukti Bahini.
*Mujibism: Projected as SeikhMujibur Rahman’s ideas on nationalism, secularism,
socialism and democracy.

KaderiaBahini:

leader Abdul Kader Siddiqui

Reason When a column of the Pakistan Army moved towards Mymensingh,
an EPR-led force put up resistance unsuccessfully near Kalahati.
Kader who had participated in the Kalahati battel with a few friends,
then moved around in rural areas and began to collect arms and to
organize a resistance force. In the meantime, the young man of
Tangail, who were special targets of the Pakistan forces, began to
pour into Mohammadpur. It was the pressure of these young men
flocking to Mohammadpur that encouraged Kader further; he began
to build a large force in a planned manner.
Shelter taken at A jungle terrain between MadhupurGhar and BhawalGhar
Achivements #Killed 16 Pakistan soldiers by making a surprise attack on a Pakistan
outpost.
#Attacked a Pakistan boat, carrying a large number of arms and
ammunition to North Bengal, with sten-guns, light machine-guns and
mortars. 100 soldiers on boat were killed.
Communication Kader established contact with the government-in-exile and the
System Indian Army and received some wireless sets.
Specialties Most of the members were school and college students of the age-
group 14-24. The majority of the 95 company commandars of the
Kaderia Bahini were college stidents in the age-group 20-24

Why Indian government agreed to participate in liberation war?

Key points Details

* Could never go Unless Bangladesh became an independent sovereign state, the
back evacuees could never go to their back home. If the evacuees were
* Preventing riot to stay permanently in India, it would have been difficult for the
* Refugees crisis Indian government to prevent serious communal riots between
Hindus and Muslims in Eastern India. In Assam and Tripura, where
tension between Bengalis and non-Bengalis had long existed, fresh
settlements of refugees would probably have renewed the
movement of “Bengali Kheda” on a massive scale.