History of Bangladesh

 The history of Bangladesh stretches back more than four thousand years to the Chalcolithic period. Early Bengal saw a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms and empires that contested control of the fertile delta. Islam reached the region in the 8th century and gradually expanded, becoming dominant by the early 13th century through the conquests of Bakhtiyar Khalji and the missionary activities of Sufi saints such as Shah Jalal. Muslim rulers encouraged its spread by building mosques and fostering Islamic learning. From the 14th century, Bengal was ruled by the Bengal Sultanate, founded by Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah, who introduced a distinct currency. Under leaders such as Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, Bengal became prosperous and militarily strong, earning a reputation among Europeans as one of the richest and most desirable regions for trade. Later, the territory was absorbed into the Mughal Empire, where, according to historian C. A. Bayly, it likely stood as the empire’s wealthiest province.

With the decline of Mughal power in the early 18th century, Bengal fell under the rule of the Nawabs of Bengal, culminating in the reign of Siraj ud-Daulah. Following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, Bengal was conquered by the British East India Company. While Bengal became central to the Industrial Revolution in Britain, it simultaneously suffered severe deindustrialization and economic exploitation. Under British rule, it was organized as the Bengal Presidency, a key administrative unit of the colonial system.

The modern borders of Bangladesh were shaped in 1947, when British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Bengal was divided, and its eastern part became East Pakistan, the most populous wing of the new Pakistani state. Mounting political and cultural discrimination by West Pakistan eventually led to the Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence in March 1971, sparking a nine-month Liberation War. With the support of the Mukti Bahini and Indian forces, Bangladesh emerged as a sovereign nation on 16 December 1971.

Post-independence, Bangladesh faced the immense challenges of reconstruction, political instability, and social transformation. The country experienced military takeovers and authoritarian rule, particularly under General Ziaur Rahman and later General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. The return of parliamentary democracy in the 1990s saw power alternate between the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

In recent decades, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable economic growth, ranking among the world’s fastest-growing economies, powered by its garment industry, remittances, and infrastructure development. Yet, the nation continues to grapple with political instability, human rights challenges, and climate change vulnerabilities. Since the Awami League’s return to power in 2009 under Sheikh Hasina, the country has seen significant development but also growing concerns about authoritarianism and shrinking democratic space. Bangladesh has also played a vital role in regional affairs, notably by hosting over a million Rohingya refugees, underscoring both its humanitarian commitment and the strain on its resources.