History of Bangladesh: A Subcontinental Civilisation

This is a book on the history of Bangladesh in five parts covering the period from pre-historic times of Indian civilisation to 1975. In Pundravardan the known history of Bangladesh began about 700 years later. Maurya and Gupta dynasties held their sway here. Raja Shashanka (AD 606-637) and then the Palas of Bengal (750-1155) had a glorious time. The Muslims from the north under the Ghuri, Qutub, Khilji and Tugluq dynasties ruled Bengal from 1204 and then there were independent Sultans followed by the Mughals from 1576. The British East India Company entered Bengal as traders in the seventeenth century and by 1757 established the Company Raj. The Indian War of Independence began in 1857 but was crushed in 1858. Queen Victoria became the Empress of India and the colonial rule lasted for the following 190 years. The nationalist movement in British India began in Bengal towards the end of the nineteenth century and the British left India in 1947 transferring power to India and Pakistan. Bangladesh entered a new phase in its history as the eastern part of Pakistan and struggled for democracy and economic freedom for 23 years. In 1971 it shook off Pakistani bondage fighting a nine-month long bloody war of liberation.“The author’s earlier study—Bangladesh: Emergence of a Nation discusses with supporting documents and statistics the grievance of East Bengal against the Central authority based in West Pakistan leading to the War of Liberation and the emergence of Bangladesh. In the present volume, the author attempts to trace in the all-India context the growth and development of Bangladesh's nationhood from ancient times. Here lies the importance of the book.”— Prof. K.M. Mohsin Vice-Chancellor International University, Dhaka.