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History of Bangladesh

Bangladesh became a sovereign nation on 16 December 1971 after a war of independence fought by the Mukti Bahini.. 6 eras, 750 CE to today.

Pala Empire, 750 CE–1174 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and Bihar. The empire was founded with the election of Gopāla by the chiefs of Gauda in the late 8th century CE. At its zenith under emperors Dharmapala and Devapala in the early ninth century, the Pala Empire was the dominant power in northern India. In the 12th century the Hindu Senas rose as a sovereign power and the Palas were expelled from Bengal, marking the end of the last major Buddhist imperial power in the subcontinent.

Seat of power: Pataliputra

Sultanate of Bengal, 1352–1576 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Bengal Sultanate was a late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th centuries. It was the dominant power of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, with a network of mint towns spread across the region. The sultanate controlled large parts of eastern South Asia under its five unrelated dynasties, reaching its peak under Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah. Its decline began with an interregnum by the Sur Empire, followed by Mughal conquest and disintegration into petty kingdoms.

Seat of power: Sonargaon

Bengal Subah, 1576–1757 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Bengal Subah was the largest subdivision of the Mughal Empire, encompassing much of the Bengal region, which includes modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, between the 16th and 18th centuries. The province was established following the dissolution of the Bengal Sultanate, when the region was absorbed into the Mughal Empire. By the 18th century, Bengal emerged as a de facto independent state under the rule of the Nawabs of Bengal, who acted on Mughal sovereignty. In 1757 and 1764, the British East India Company defeated the Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey and the Battle of Buxar, and Bengal came under British influence.

Seat of power: Murshidabad

British Raj, 1858–1947 Draft, not yet reviewed

The British Raj was the period of rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, lasting from 1858 to 1947. The system was instituted on 28 June 1858, when, after the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the rule of the East India Company was transferred to the Crown in the person of Queen Victoria. It lasted until 1947, when it was partitioned into two sovereign dominion states, the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan.

Seat of power: Kolkata

Rulers

East Pakistan, 1955–1971 Draft, not yet reviewed

East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1956 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. By 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman emerged as the preeminent opposition leader in Pakistan and launched the six-point movement for autonomy and democracy. In 1970, Yahya Khan organised Pakistan's first federal general election, and the Awami League emerged as the single largest party. The military junta stalled in accepting the results, leading to civil disobedience, the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971 Bangladesh genocide and persecution of Biharis.

Seat of power: Dhaka

Bangladesh, 1971 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Bangladesh became a sovereign nation on 16 December 1971. After independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the country until his assassination in 1975; Ziaur Rahman, who later came to power, was himself assassinated in 1981. The 1980s were dominated by the dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who was overthrown in a mass uprising in 1990. After more than 15 years of rule, Hasina was ousted in another mass uprising in 2024.

Seat of power: Dhaka

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.