Hinduism: Details about 'East Bengal'
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East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly included the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved the violent partition of Bengal.
First Partition, 1905–1912Also see Indian Independence MovementThe first instance of the name was during the British rule of India. British governance of large swathes of Indian territory began with Robert Clive's victory over the nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula, at the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The victory gave the British East India Company dominion over Bengal, which became the headquarters of British administration in the sub-continent. After the Indian rebellion of 1857 (known as the "Mutiny"), the British government took direct control away from the East India Co., and established its imperial capital at Calcutta, the city founded by the Company. By 1900, the British province of Bengal constituted a huge territory, stretching from the Burmese border to deep into the Ganges valley. With the assumption of Lord Curzon to the office of Governor-General of India, British India was finally put under the charge of a man who considered himself an expert in Indian affairs. Curzon, seeing the logistical problems of adminstering such a large province, proposed to divide Bengal. Bengal, henceforth, would encompass Calcutta and the western territories, roughly comprising modern West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. East Bengal, the new province, would roughly encompass modern Bangladesh and the northeastern states of India (then all grouped under the heading of Assam). While Curzon claimed the action was one merely founded upon administrative principles, the growing nationalist movement, which originated with the educated elite of Calcutta and the Bengali aristocracy, took the action as an attempt to cut off Bengal's Hindu intellectual leaders (based in Calcutta) from the majority Muslim agriculturalists of the east, dividing the nationalist movement along lines of class and religion. The partition of Bengal, effected in July 1905, sparked a firestorm in the nationalist movement. The partition was revoked in 1912, but it was accompanied by slicing off the non-Bengali portions of the province -- creating two additional provinces, Assam and Bihar and Orissa (both themselves further subdivided after Indian independence) -- and the shifting of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. In the now divided Bengal, East Bengal comprised an area of 196,540 sq. miles that included 18 million muslims and 12 million hindus. The (old) bengal area had 141,580 sq miles with a majority of 42 million hindus and 9 million muslims. Second Partition, 1947–presentBengal was divided into two provinces on 3rd July 1946 in preparation for the Partition of India - the Hindu-majority West Bengal and the Muslim-majority East Bengal. The two provinces each had their own Chief Minister. In August 1947 West Bengal became part of India and East Bengal became part of Pakistan. Tensions between East Bengal and the western wing of Pakistan led to the One-Unit policy. In 1955, most of the western wing was combined to form a new West Pakistan province while East Bengal became the new province of East Pakistan. This system lasted until 1971 when East Pakistan declared independence during the Liberation War of Bangladesh and the new nation of Bangladesh was formed. However Pakistan did not recognise Bangladesh until diplomatic relations were established in 1974. GovernmentThe province of East Bengal was administered by ceremonial Governor and an indirectly-elected Chief Minister. During the year from May 1954 to August 1955, executive powers were exercised by the Governor and there was no Chief Minister.
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