History of Bangladesh as a civilized nation goes back for more than four millennia to

the Chalcolithic. The country's early recorded history is characterized by a succession

of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms and empires that fought for control of the Bengal region.
Islam arrived during the 7th century AD and became dominant gradually since the early 13th century
with the conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji as well as activities of Sunni missionaries such as Shah
Jalal in the region. Later, Muslim rulers initiated the preaching of Islam by building mosques. From
the 14th century onward, it was ruled by the Bengal Sultanate, founded by Fakhruddin Mubarak
Shah, formulated an individual currency itching with his name. He conquered Chittagong for the first
time and merged with Bengal Sultanate. He constructed a high way from Chandpur to Chittagong for
the first time.[1] The Bengal Sultanate was extended by king Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, beginning a
period of the country's economic prosperity and military dominance over the regional empires, which
was referred by Europeans as the richest country to trade with.[2] Afterwards, the region came under
the Mughal Empire, as, according to historian C. A. Bayly, probably its wealthiest province.[3]
Following the decline of the Mughal Empire in the early 1700s, Bengal became a semi-independent
state under the Nawabs of Bengal, ultimately led by Siraj ud-Daulah. It was later conquered by
the British East India Company at the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Bengal directly contributed to
the Industrial Revolution in Britain but led to its deindustrialization.[4][5][6][7] The Bengal Presidency was
later established.
The borders of modern Bangladesh were established with the separation of Bengal between India
and Pakistan during Partition of India in August 1947, when the region became East Pakistan as a
part of the newly formed State of Pakistan following the end of British rule in the region.
[8]
Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence in March 1971 led to the nine-month long Bangladesh
Liberation War, that culminated with East Pakistan emerging as the People's Republic of
Bangladesh. In 1971, Bangladeshi independence was declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Ancient period[edit]
See also: Gangaridai, Magadha, Pundravardhana, Varendra, Anga, Vanga Kingdom, Harikela,
and Samatata

Prehistoric Bengal[edit]
Main article: South Asian Bronze Age

The ruins of Wari-Bateshwar in Narsingdi is believed to be from

the Copper Age. Suggesting a thriving culture in ancient Bengal

An ancient inscription from the site of Mahasthangarh
The Oxford History of India categorically claims that there is no definitive information about Bengal
before the third century BCE.[citation needed] It is believed that there were movements of Indo-Aryans,
Dravidians and Mongoloids, including a people called Vanga, into Bengal.[9] One view contends that
humans entered Bengal from China 60,000 years ago. Another view claims that a distinct regional
culture emerged 100,000 years ago.[citation needed] There is weak evidence for a prehistoric human
presence in the region.[10] There is scant evidence of a human presence during the Neolithic and
Chalcolithic eras.[9] This could be because of the shifts in the rivers' courses.[9] The Bengali climate
and geography is not suitable for tangible archaeological remains. Due to lack of stones the early
humans in Bengal probably used materials such as wood and bamboo that could not survive in the
environment. South Asian archaeologists have tended to focus on other parts of the subcontinent.
Archaeologists interested in Bengal have focused on more recent history.[10]
Archaeological discoveries are almost entirely from the hills around the Bengal delta. [citation
needed]
Industries of fossil-wood manufacturing blades, scrapers and axes have been discovered in
Lalmai, Sitakund and Chaklapunji.[citation needed] These have been connected with similar findings in
Burma and West Bengal.[citation needed] Large stones, thought to be prehistoric, were constructed in north
eastern Bangladesh and are similar to those in India's nearby hills.[citation needed] West Bengal holds the
earliest evidence of settled agrarian societies.[11]
Agricultural success gave ground in the fifth century BCE for a stationary culture and the emergence
of towns, cross-sea trade and the earliest polities. Archaeologists have uncovered a port at Wari-
Bateshwar which traded with Ancient Rome and Southeast Asia. The archaeologists have
discovered coinage, pottery, iron artefacts, bricked road and a fort in Wari-Bateshwar. The findings
suggest that the area was an important administrative hub, which had industries such as iron
smelting and valuable stone beads. The site shows widespread use of clay. The clay, and bricks,
were used to build walls.[12] The most famous terracotta plaques, made by clay, are from
Chandraketurgah and depicts deities and scenes of nature and ordinary life.[13] The early coinage
discovered in War-Bateshwar and Chandraketugarh (West Bengal, India) depict boats.[14]
Many of archaeological excavations in Bangladesh revealed evidences of the Northern Black
Polished Ware (NBPW or NBP) culture of the Indian Subcontinent (c. 700–200 BC), which was
an Iron Age culture developed beginning around 700 BC and peaked from c. 500–300 BC,
coinciding with the emergence of 16 great states or mahajanapadas in Northern India, and the
subsequent rise of the Mauryan Empire. The eastern part of ancient India, covering much of current
days Bangladesh was part of one of such mahajanapadas, the ancient kingdom of Anga, which
flourished in the 6th century BC.[15][verification needed]
Well developed towns had emerged by 300 BCE such as Tamralipti ( present-day Tamluk, West
Bengal, India), Mahasthan and Mainamati.[16] Instead of the seaside, main towns sprang up by the
riversides.[17] Mahasthan contains the earliest piece of writing in Bangladesh, a stone inscription. It
indicates that the site was an important town in the Maurya empire. Mahasthan is believed to have
then been a provincial centre.[16] The inscription, in Prakrit, apparently contains a command to stock
up supplies in case of an emergency.[18] The inscription is called the Mahasthan Brahmi Inscription.
[13]
Bengal was the eastern frontier of the Mauryan empire. Western Bengal with its port of Tamralipti
achieved importance under the Mauryas.[17]
A prominent view in scholarship is that the Mauryan and Gupta empires exercised authority over
most parts of the Bengal delta. The incomplete evidence which exists suggests that Bengal's
western rather than eastern regions were parts of larger empires.[19] The ancient zones in Bengal
were the Bhagirathi-Hooghly basin, Harikela, Samatata, Vanga and Varendra. [20] Vanga is believed to
be central Bengal, Harikela and Samitata were apparently Bengal's eastern zones and Varendra
was northern Bengal.[14] The names of sites indicate that Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic and
Dravidian languages were spoken by the majority of people. Indo-European languages became
prominent from 400 BCE.[13]
The Vanga Kingdom was a powerful seafaring nation of Ancient Bengal. They had overseas trade
relations with Java, Sumatra and Siam (modern day Thailand). According to Mahavamsa, the Vanga
prince Vijaya Singha conquered Lanka (modern day Sri Lanka) in 544 BC and gave the name
"Sinhala" to the country.[21] Bengali people migrated to the Maritime Southeast Asia and Siam (in
modern Thailand), establishing their own settlement there.[22]

Gangaridai Empire[edit]
Main article: Gangaridai

Asia in 323 BCE, the Nanda

Empire and Gangaridai Empire in relation to Alexander's Empire and neighbours.
Though north and west Bengal were part of the empire southern Bengal thrived and became
powerful with her overseas trades. In 326 BCE, with the invasion of Alexander the Great the region
again came to prominence. The Greek and Latin historians suggested that Alexander the Great
withdrew from India anticipating the valiant counter-attack of the Gangaridai empire that was located
in the Bengal region. Alexander, after the meeting with his officer, Coenus, was convinced that it was
better to return. Diodorus Siculus mentions Gangaridai to be the most powerful empire in India. The
allied forces of the Gangaridai Empire and Nanda Empire (Prasii) were preparing a massive counter-
attack against the forces of Alexander on the banks of the Ganges. Gangaridai, according to the
Greek accounts, kept on flourishing at least up to the 1st century CE. [23]

Early Middle Ages[edit]

Bengal was left on its own after Mauryan power declined. Little is known of the period after that
although parts of Bengal were probably under the Pataliputra-based Sunga dynasty. During this time
Pundra was still a significant Buddhist location. Local rulers retained power while paying tribute to
the Gupta Empire in the 300s and 400s. The Bengal delta became the kingdom of Samatata; its hub
near the contemporary Chandpur. A Gupta inscription indicates that the Gupta empire possessed
influence in Samatata without ruling it directly. Bengal remained a frontier despite its rare
associations with the Indian heartland. Several dynasties changed during the next few centuries.
While not much information is available about them, plates and other forms of evidence obtained
from the Comilla district indicate that Gopachandra ruled the area in the early 500s. The Khargas
became rulers in the next century. They were followed by the Deva dynasty, Harikela kingdom,
Chandras and the Varmans.[17] They were based in different sites of the Comilla district and Dhaka
district's Vikrampur.[24] Around that time, Bengalis first ruled in Varendra. Gaur was ruled by Sasanka
in the early 600s. He was based in Karnasuvarna in modern-day Murshidabad district.
Contemporary Chinese reports and coinage suggest that he was a firm Shaivite who was
vehemently opposed to Buddhism. Opposition to Buddhism and a commitment to Brahminism
apparently continued under the Sura dynasty, founded by Adisura around 700 CE. Around the
middle of the eighth century a firm Buddhist, Gopala, assumed power in Bengal, possibly supported
by Buddhist chiefs who were opposed to the effects of the Suras and Sasanka's faithful
Brahmanism.[24] During this time, the kingdoms of the Bay of Bengal were trading with the nations of
nearby South Asia and Southeast Asia,[25] thereby exporting Buddhism into Sri Lanka to the south
and both Hinduism and Buddhism into Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and
the Philippines to the east.[26]

Gauda Kingdom[edit]
Main article: Gauda Kingdom
By the 6th century, the Gupta Empire, which ruled over the northern Indian subcontinent had largely
broken up. Eastern Bengal splintered into the kingdoms of Vanga, Samatata and Harikela while
the Gauda kings rose in the west with their capital at Karnasuvarna (near
modern Murshidabad). Shashanka, a vassal of the last Gupta Emperor proclaimed independence
and unified the smaller principalities of Bengal (Gaur, Vanga, Samatata). He vied for regional power
with Harshavardhana in northern India after treacherously murdering Harsha's elder brother
Rajyavardhana. Harsha's continuous pressure led to the gradual weakening of the Gauda kingdom
founded by Shashanka and finally ended with his death. With the overthrow of Manava (his son),
Bengal descended into a period marked by disunity and intrude once more.[citation needed]

Pala dynasty[edit]
Main article: Pala Empire

Pala Empire and its neighbouring kingdoms.

The Pala dynasty ruled Bengal until the middle of the twelfth century and expanded Bengali power to
its farthest extent and supported Buddhism.[27] It was the first independent Buddhist dynasty of
Bengal. The name Pala (Bengali: পাল pal) means protector and was used as an ending to the
names of all Pala monarchs. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of
Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur, after being
elected by a group of feudal chiefs.[28][29] He reigned from 750 to 770 and consolidated his position by
extending his control over all of Bengal. He was succeeded by Dharmapala. The Palas promoted
Buddhism and opposed Brahmanism.[27] They provided support to Buddhist universities in
Vikramashila and Nalanda.[27] During the Pala dynasty the Vajrayana was developed in Bengal and
introduced to Tibet. The Palas patronised the arts.[30]

Somapura Mahavihara in Bangladesh is the

greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent, built by Dharmapala.
 Atisha was one of the most influential Buddhist priest during the Pala
dynasty in Bengal. He was believed to have been born in Bikrampur
The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire
into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once more for the control of the
subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire considerably. The Pala
inscriptions credit him with extensive conquests in hyperbolic language. The Badal pillar inscription
of his successor Narayana Pala states that he became the suzerain monarch or Chakravarti of the
whole tract of Northern India bounded by the Vindhyas and the Himalayas. It also states that his
empire extended up to the two oceans (presumably the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal). It also
claims that Devpala defeated Utkala (present-day Orissa), the Hunas, the Dravidas,
the Kamarupa (present-day Assam), the Kambojas and the Gurjaras.[31] Historian B. P. Sinha wrote
that these claims about Devapala's victories are exaggerated, but cannot be dismissed entirely.
Besides, the neighbouring kingdoms of Rashtrakutas and the Gurjara-Pratiharas were weak at the
time, which might have helped him extend his empire.[32] Devapala is also believed to have led an
army up to the Indus river in Punjab.[31] Devapala shifted the capital from Monghyr to Pataliputra.
Although they were Bengali the dynasty considered the Ganges valley as the centre of its power. [27]

Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala Empire

The dynasty's power declined after Devapala's death. During the rule of Mahipala I the South Indian
Chola dynasty challenged the Palas.[27]
During the later part of Pala rule, Rajendra Chola I of the Chola Empire frequently invaded Bengal
from 1021 to 1023 to get Ganges water and in the process, succeeded in humbling the rulers and
acquiring considerable booty.[33] The rulers of Bengal who were defeated by Rajendra Chola were
Dharmapal, Ranasur and Govindachandra of the Candra Dynasty who might have been feudatories
under Mahipala of the Pala Dynasty.[33] The invasion by the south Indian ruler Vikramaditya VI of the
Western Chalukya Empire brought his countrymen from Karnataka into Bengal which explains the
southern origin of the Sena Dynasty.[34][35] Around the 1150s the Palas lost power to the Senas.[27]
Chandra dynasty[edit]
Main article: Chandra dynasty
The Chandra dynasty were a family who ruled over the kingdom of Harikela in eastern Bengal
(comprising the ancient lands of Harikela, Vanga and Samatata) for roughly a century and a half
from the beginning of the 10th century CE. Their empire also encompassed Vanga and Samatata,
with Srichandra expanding his domain to include parts of Kamarupa. Their empire was ruled from
their capital, Vikrampur (modern Munshiganj) and was powerful enough to militarily withstand the
Pala Empire to the north-west. The last ruler of the Chandra Dynasty, Govindachandra, was
defeated by the south Indian Emperor Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century. [36]

Sena dynasty[edit]
Main article: Sena dynasty
The Sena dynasty started around 1095 but only finally defeated the Palas around 1150. They
apparently originated in Karnataka. Vijayasena took control of northern and western Bengal,
removed the Palas from the former regions and based his rule in Nadia. The greatest ruler from the
dynasty was Lakshmanasena. He established the dynasty's writ in Orissa and Benares. In 1202,
Ikhtiyarrudin Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji took Nadia from the Senas, already having taken Bihar.
Lakshmanasena left for Vikrampur in southeastern Bengal.[37] His sons inherited the dynasty, which
came to an end around 1245 because of feudal revolts and Muslim pressure.[38]
The dynasty has been staunchly Brahminist and had attempted to restore Brahminism to Bengal.
They also established the system of kulinism in Bengal; through which higher caste males could take
lower caste brides and enhance the status of these women's children. Some postulate that the
dynasty's suppression of Buddhism became a cause for the conversions to Islam, especially in
eastern Bengal.[39]

Deva Kingdom[edit]
Main article: Deva dynasty
The Deva Kingdom was a Hindu dynasty of medieval Bengal that ruled over eastern Bengal after the
collapse Sena Empire. The capital of this dynasty was Bikrampur in present-day Munshiganj
District of Bangladesh. The inscriptional evidences show that his kingdom was extended up to the
present-day Comilla-Noakhali-Chittagong region. A later ruler of the dynasty Ariraja-Danuja-
Madhava Dasharathadeva extended his kingdom to cover much of East Bengal.[40]

Late Middle Ages[edit]

Main article: Bengal Sultanate
Muslim rule in the region was inaugurated with the taking of Nadia in 1202. Initially, Bengal was
administered by the Delhi Sultanate's governors, then by independent sultanates and then was
under the rule of the Mughal empire. While Muslims had advanced into Sindh in the 700s, it was in
Afghanistan that the ultimate Muslim conquest of South Asia originated from, starting with the raids
by Mahmud of Ghazni in the early 11th century. The Afghanistan-based Ghurids replaced the
Ghaznavids and they started expanded into the Ganges region. As part of this eastward expansion
Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad Bakhtiar Khan defeated the Palas in Bihar and in 1202 was victorious over
the Senas in Nadia. In 1206, the Delhi Sultanate was created. It was not a true dynasty but the rulers
was known as Mamluk. The Sultanate continued till 1290. The conquest of Nadia did not entail swift
conversions to Islam. The authority of the Senas persisted in Vikrampur till 1245 and a large part of
eastern Bangladesh had neither been conquered nor converted.[41]
Four dynasties based in Delhi succeeded the Slave dynasty. The Khaljis ruled from 1290 to 1320.
The Tughluq dynasty's rule lasted until 1413. Sayyid rule ran from 1414 to 1451. The Lodhi dynasty
ruled in the 1451-1526 period. But the writ of the Delhi Sultanate had been weak in its outer regions
and Bengal like other similar areas turned into an independent region.[42] Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah
became the ruler of independent Bengal in 1342 and his dynasty ruled until 1486, barring a short
interlude. He had come to power after a Bengali revolt against the Tughluq dynasty's governor.
Shamsuddin drove up the Ganges to contest Tughluq rule. The Tughluqs, in return drove Ilyas Shah
out of Pandua into eastern Bengal. Shamsuddin reclaimed Pandua and continued ruling Bengal.
Shamsuddin's heir repelled Tughluq incursions and like his predecessor expanded the dynasty's
authority into Bihar.[42]
The dynasty constructed grand buildings in Pandua. They built India's biggest mosque, the Adina
mosque. Richard Eaton cites diplomatic accounts about the grandeur of Pandua's buildings. Eaton
observes the influence of both Islamic and pre-Islamic Persian courts.[42] Hindu landlords possessed
a large quantity of land even under the Muslim rulers. The Hindu domination was opposed by the
Muslim leadership, exemplified by the Faraizi campaign and leaders like Titu Mir in the 1800s. [42]
When the dynasty's third ruler died in 1410 there was a conflict over the throne. Raja Ganesh, who
was a Hindu feudal, used the successorship conflict to seize control of Bengal. He repelled an
incursion on Bengal by the Jaunpur sultanate in north India. His son, who embraced Islam, and then
his grandson ruled after him. In 1433, the latter was assassinated and the Ilyas Shahi dynasty was
restored.[42]
The dynasty began importing Abyssinian slaves. This population became more significant. They
became so important that in 1486 an Abyssinian, Barbak Shahzada, seized power from Jalaluddin
Fateh Shah. Barbak Shahzada's dynasty was short, lasting for the next seven years. [42] The last
Abyssinian ruler, Shamsuddin Muzaffar Shah, lost power to the Arab principal minister, Alauddin
Husain.[43]
The initiation in 1493 of the Hussain Shahi dynasty brought a period which has been considered
Bengal's golden age. The government was genuinely Bengali[44] and while land ownership remained
concentrated in Hindu hands, both religious groups had pivotal roles in the government. The
sultanate expanded to acquire Cooch Behar and Kamrup. The Sultanate also dominated Orissa,
Tripura and the Arakan region.[45]