Bengal: Difference between revisions

{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}

| name               = Bengal

| image_map         = Bengal in Asia.jpg

| map_caption       = Bengal region in Asia

| native_name       = {{unbulleted list

| type               = Region

| subdivision_type   = Continent

| subdivision_name   = [[Asia]]

| subdivision_type1 = Countries

| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Bangladesh}} <br /> {{flag|India}} ([[West Bengal]], [[Karimganj district]] of [[Assam]])  

| established_title = [[Iron Age India]], [[Vedic India]], [[Suhma kingdom]], [[Pundravardhana]], [[Vanga kingdom]]

| established_date   = 1500 – c. 500 BCE

| established_date1 = 500 – c. 350 BCE

| established_date2 = 4th century – 2nd century BCE

| established_date3 = 185–75 BCE, 3rd century CE – 543 CE, 6th–7th century

| established_date4 = 590–633 CE

| established_date5 = 8th–11th century, 11th–12th century, 12th–13th century

| established_date6 = 1204–1339 CE, 1338–1576 CE

| established_date7 = 1565–1717 CE, 1717–1765 CE

| extinct_title     = [[Bengal Presidency]] ([[British India]])

| extinct_date       = 1765–1947 CE

| official_name     =  

| parts_type         = Divisions

| parts_style       = list

| p1                 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Karimganj district|Karimganj]]

| p2                 = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Barisal division|Barisal]]

| p3                 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Burdwan division|Burdwan]]

| p4                 = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Chittagong Division|Chittagong]]

| p5                 = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Dhaka division|Dhaka]]

| p6                 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Jalpaiguri division|Jalpaiguri]]

| p7                 = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Khulna Division|Khulna]]

| p8                 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Malda division|Malda]]

| p9                 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Medinipur division|Medinipur]]

| p10               = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Mymensingh Division|Mymensingh]]

| p11               = {{flagicon|India}} [[Presidency division|Presidency]]

| p12               = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Rajshahi Division|Rajshahi]]

| p13               = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Rangpur Division|Rangpur]]

| p14               = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Sylhet Division|Sylhet]]

| area_total_km2     = 239021

| population_as_of   = 2022

| population_total   = 273,610,384

| blank_name_sec1   =  

| blank_info_sec1   =  

| blank_name_sec2   =  

| blank_info_sec2   =  

| blank2_name_sec2   = [[Demonym|Demonym(s)]]

| blank2_info_sec2   = [[Bengalis|Bengali]]

| blank3_name_sec2   = Time zone

| blank3_info_sec2   = [[UTC+5:30]], [[UTC+6:00]]

| blank4_name_sec2   = Internet [[top-level domain|TLD]]

| blank4_info_sec2   = [[.bd]], [[.in]] (English)<br />[[.বাংলা]], [[.ভারত]] (Bengali)

| blank5_name_sec2   = Largest urban areas

| blank5_info_sec2   = {{Collapsible list

[[File:Location-Bangla01.png|thumb|400px|Geographical distribution of the Bengali language]]

'''Bengal''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ɛ|n|ˈ|ɡ|ɔː|l}} {{respell|ben|GAWL}})<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Chambers Dictionary |publisher=Chambers |year=2003 |isbn=0-550-10105-5 |edition=9th |chapter=Bengal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/bengal |title=Oxford Dictionaries |access-date=22 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829074813/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/bengal |archive-date=29 August 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{efn|{{langx|bn|বঙ্গ|Bôṅgô}}, {{IPA|bn|ˈbɔŋɡo|pron|LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-বঙ্গ.wav}} or {{langx|bn|বাংলা|Bāṅlā}}, {{IPA|bn|ˈbaŋla|pron}}}} is a [[Historical geography|historical geographical]], [[ethnolinguistic]] and cultural term referring to a region in the [[Eastern South Asia|eastern part]] of the [[Indian subcontinent]] at the apex of the [[Bay of Bengal]]. The region of Bengal proper is divided between the modern-day sovereign nation of [[Bangladesh]] and the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]]s of [[West Bengal]], and [[Karimganj district]] of [[Assam]].

The ancient [[Vanga Kingdom]] is widely regarded as the namesake of the Bengal region.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Vanga |title=Vanga {{pipe}} ancient kingdom, India |website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> The [[Bengali calendar]] dates back to the reign of [[Shashanka]] in the 7th century CE. The [[Pala Empire]] was founded in Bengal during the 8th century. The [[Sena dynasty]] and [[Deva dynasty]] ruled between the 11th and 13th centuries. By the 14th century, Bengal was absorbed by [[Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent]]. An independent [[Bengal Sultanate]] was formed and became the eastern frontier of the [[Islamic world]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft067n99v9;brand=ucpress |title=The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/bengal |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/op-ed/2022/11/27/know-your-history |title=Know your history |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=27 November 2022}}</ref> During this period, Bengal's rule and influence spread to [[Assam]], [[Arakan]], [[Tripura]], [[Bihar]], and [[Odisha]] (formerly- Orissa).<ref name="auto6">David Lewis (31 October 2011). Bangladesh: Politics, Economy and Civil Society. Cambridge University Press. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-1-139-50257-3.</ref><ref>Perween Hasan (2007). Sultans and Mosques: The Early Muslim Architecture of Bangladesh. I.B.Tauris. pp. 16–17. ISBN 978-1-84511-381-0. "[Husayn Shah pushed] its western frontier past Bihar up to Saran in Jaunpur ... when Sultan Husayn Shah Sharqi of Jaunpur fled to Bengal after being defeated in battle by Sultan Sikandar Lodhi of Delhi, the latter attacked Bengal in pursuit of the Jaunpur ruler. Unable to make any gains, Sikandar Lodhi returned home after concluding a peace treaty with the Bengal sultan."</ref> [[Bengal Subah]] later emerged as a prosperous part of the [[Mughal Empire]].

The name of ''Bengal'' is derived from the ancient kingdom of [[Vanga Kingdom|Vanga]] (pronounced Bôngô),<ref>{{cite book |last=Rahman |first=Urmi |date=2014 |title=Bangladesh – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1HelAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT26 |publisher=Kuperard |pages=26– |isbn=978-1-85733-696-2}}</ref><ref name="britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Vanga |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Vanga |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730062030/https://www.britannica.com/place/Vanga |archive-date=30 July 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> the earliest records of which date back to the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' epic in the [[first millennium BCE]].<ref name="britannica" /> The reference to 'Vangalam' is present in an inscription in the [[Brihadisvara Temple]] at [[Thanjavur]], which is one of the oldest references to Bengal.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sengupta |first=Nitish K. |author-link=Nitish Sengupta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kVSh_TyJ0YoC |title=Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib |date=2011 |publisher=Penguin Books India |page=10 |isbn=978-0-14-341678-4|quote=Also, we have the reference to 'Vangalam' in an inscription in the Vrihadeshwara temple at Tanjore in south India as one among the countries overrun by the Cholas. This is perhaps the earliest reference to Bengal as such.}}</ref> The term ''Vangaladesa'' is used to describe the region in 11th-century South Indian records.<ref>{{cite book |last=Keay |first=John |author-link=John Keay |year=2000 |title=India: A History |publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press |page=220 |isbn=978-0-87113-800-2 |quote=In C1020 ... launched Rajendra's great northern escapade ... peoples he defeated have been tentatively identified ... 'Vangala-desa where the rain water never stopped' sounds like a fair description of Bengal in the monsoon.}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite book |last1=Allan |first1=J. |last2=Haig |first2=T. Wolseley |last3=Dodwell |first3=H. H. |year=1934 |editor-last=Dodwell |editor-first=H. H. |editor-link=H. H. Dodwell |title=The Cambridge Shorter History of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9_48AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA145 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=145}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra Nath |year=1999 |orig-year=First published 1988 |title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA281 |publisher=New Age International |page=281 |isbn=978-81-224-1198-0}}</ref> The modern term ''Bangla'' is prominent from the 14th century, which saw the establishment of the [[Sultanate of Bengal]], whose first ruler [[Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah]] was known as the ''[[Shah]] of Bangala''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hasan |first=Perween |author-link=Perween Hasan |date=2007 |title=Sultans and Mosques: The Early Muslim Architecture of Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uunyz4qFZwEC&pg=PA13 |publisher=I.B.Tauris |pages=13– |isbn=978-1-84511-381-0}}</ref> Arab geographers [[Ahmad ibn Majid]] and [[Sulaiman Al Mahri]] also mentions the region as {{'}}''Bangala''{{'}} and the 'land of Bang'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Siddiq |first=Mohammad Yusuf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4wQBCwAAQBAJ |title=Epigraphy and Islamic Culture: Inscriptions of the Early Muslim Rulers of Bengal (1205-1494) |date=19 November 2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-58745-3 |pages=29 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] referred to the region as ''Bengala'' in the [[Age of Discovery]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lach |first1=Donald F. |author1-link=Donald F. Lach |last2=Kley |first2=Edwin J. Van |date=1998 |title=Asia in the Making of Europe, Volume III: A Century of Advance. Book 3: Southeast Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M4t8S7BfgeIC&pg=PA1124 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |pages=1124– |isbn=978-0-226-46768-9}}</ref>

[[File:WLA lacma West Bengal Vase with Processional Scenes ca 100 BC.jpg|thumb|left|Pottery with processional scenes from the [[Chandraketugarh|Chandraketugarh region]] of West Bengal, India, c. 100 BC.]]

[[File:Durga Mahishasuramardini slaying the Buffalo Demon, Bengal, India, or Bangladesh, Pala dynasty, 1100s AD, phyllite - Dallas Museum of Art - DSC05056.jpg|thumb|left|Goddess Durga, Pala period, 10th century.]] [[File:Delhi Sultanate Coin from Gaur, Bengal in the British Museum.jpg|thumb|Coin featuring a horseman issued by the [[Delhi Sultanate]] celebrating the Muslim conquest of [[Lakhnauti]]|left]]

The ancient geopolitical divisions of Bengal included [[Varendra]], [[Suhma]], [[Anga]], [[Vanga Kingdom|Vanga]], [[Samatata]] and [[Harikela]]. These regions were often independent or under the rule of larger empires. The Mahasthan [[Brahmi]] Inscription indicates that Bengal was ruled by the [[Mauryan Empire]] in the 3rd century BCE.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Mahasthan_Brahmi_Inscription|title=Mahasthan Brahmi Inscription |website=Banglapedia}}</ref> The inscription was an administrative order instructing relief for a distressed segment of the population.<ref name="auto1"/> [[Punch-marked coins]] found in the region indicate that [[coin]]s were used as currency during the Iron Age.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Punch_Marked_Coins|title=Punch Marked Coins |website=Banglapedia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bb.org.bd/museum/collections/ancient.php|title=About Taka Museum|website=bb.org.bd}}</ref> The namesake of Bengal is the ancient Vanga Kingdom which was reputed as a naval power with overseas colonies. A prince from Bengal named [[Prince Vijaya|Vijaya]] founded the first kingdom in [[Sri Lanka]]. The two most prominent pan-Indian empires of this period included the Mauryans and the [[Gupta Empire]]. The region was a centre of artistic, political, social, spiritual and scientific thinking, including the invention of [[chess]], [[Indian numerals]], and the concept of [[zero]].<ref name="Murray 1913">{{cite book |last=Murray |first=H. J. R. |author-link=H. J. R. Murray |title=A History of Chess |publisher=Benjamin Press (originally published by Oxford University Press) |year=1913 |isbn=978-0-936317-01-4 |oclc=13472872 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofchess00murr }}</ref>

In 1204, the [[Ghurid Empire|Ghurid]] general [[Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji]] began the Islamic conquest of Bengal.<ref>{{cite book |last=Eaton |first=Richard M. |title=The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760 |url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft067n99v9&chunk.id=ch02&toc.depth=1&toc.id=ch02&brand=ucpress |year=1993 |publisher=University of California Press |quote=By the time Muhammad Bakhtiyar conquered northwestern Bengal in 1204}}</ref> The fall of Lakhnauti was recounted by historians circa 1243. Lakhnauti was the capital of the Sena dynasty. According to historical accounts, Ghurid cavalry swept across the Gangetic plains towards Bengal. They entered the Bengali capital disguised as horse traders. Once inside the royal compound, Bakhtiyar and his horsemen swiftly overpowered the guards of the Sena king who had just sat down to eat a meal. The king then hastily fled to the forest with his followers.<ref name="auto5">{{cite web |url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft067n99v9&chunk.id=intro&toc.depth=1&toc.id=intro&brand=ucpress | title=The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760 }}</ref> The overthrow of the Sena king has been described as a coup d'état, which "inaugurated an era, lasting over five centuries, during which most of Bengal was dominated by rulers professing the Islamic faith. In itself this was not exceptional, since from about this time until the eighteenth century, Muslim sovereigns ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent. What was exceptional, however, was that among India's interior provinces only in Bengal—a region approximately the size of England and Scotland combined—did a majority of the indigenous population adopt the religion of the ruling class, Islam".<ref name="auto5"/> Bengal became a province of the [[Delhi Sultanate]]. A coin featuring a horseman was issued to celebrate the Muslim conquest of Lakhnauti with inscriptions in Sanskrit and Arabic. An abortive [[Islamic invasion of Tibet]] was also mounted by Bakhtiyar. Bengal was under the formal rule of the Delhi Sultanate for approximately 150 years. Delhi struggled to consolidate control over Bengal. Rebel governors often sought to assert autonomy or independence. Sultan [[Iltutmish]] re-established control over Bengal in 1225 after suppressing the rebels. Due to the considerable overland distance, Delhi's authority in Bengal was relatively weak. It was left to local governors to expand territory and bring new areas under Muslim rule, such as through the [[Conquest of Sylhet]] in 1303.

The initial raids of Ilyas Shah saw the first Muslim army enter [[Nepal]] and stretched from [[Varanasi]] in the west to [[Orissa]] in the south to [[Assam]] in the east.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Iliyas_Shah | title=Iliyas Shah |website=Banglapedia}}</ref> The Delhi army continued to fend off the new Bengali army. The [[Bengal Sultanate-Delhi Sultanate War|Bengal-Delhi War]] ended in 1359 when Delhi recognised the independence of Bengal. Ilyas Shah's son [[Sikandar Shah]] defeated Delhi Sultan [[Firuz Shah Tughluq]] during the Siege of Ekdala Fort. A subsequent peace treaty recognised Bengal's independence and Sikandar Shah was gifted a golden crown by the Sultan of Delhi.<ref>Nitish K. Sengupta (2011). Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. Penguin Books India. p. 73. {{ISBN|978-0-14-341678-4}}.</ref> The ruler of [[Arakan]] sought refuge in Bengal during the reign of [[Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah]]. [[Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah]] later helped the Arakanese king to regain control of his throne in exchange for becoming a [[tributary state]] of the Bengal Sultanate. Bengali influence in Arakan persisted for 300 years.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rohuAAAAMAAJ|title=Bengal-Arakan Relations, 1430–1666 A.D.|first=Mohammed Ali|last=Chowdhury|date=25 November 2004|publisher=Firma K.L.M.|isbn=9788171021185}}</ref> Bengal also helped the king of Tripura to regain control of his throne in exchange for becoming a tributary state. The ruler of the [[Jaunpur Sultanate]] also sought refuge in Bengal.<ref name="Hasan2007p16-17">{{cite book |author=Perween Hasan |year=2007 |title=Sultans and Mosques: The Early Muslim Architecture of Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uunyz4qFZwEC&pg=PA16 |publisher=I.B.Tauris |pages=16–17 |isbn=978-1-84511-381-0 |quote="[Husayn Shah pushed] its western frontier past Bihar up to Saran in Jaunpur ... when Sultan Husayn Shah Sharqi of Jaunpur fled to Bengal after being defeated in battle by Sultan Sikandar Lodhi of Delhi, the latter attacked Bengal in pursuit of the Jaunpur ruler. Unable to make any gains, Sikandar Lodhi returned home after concluding a peace treaty with the Bengal sultan."}}</ref> The [[vassal state]]s of Bengal included Arakan, Tripura, [[Chandradwip]] and [[Pratapgarh Kingdom|Pratapgarh]]. At its peak, the Bengal Sultanate's territory included parts of Arakan, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, and Tripura.<ref name="auto6"/> The Bengal Sultanate experienced its greatest military success under [[Alauddin Hussain Shah]], who was proclaimed as the conqueror of Assam after his forces led by [[Shah Ismail Ghazi]] overthrew the [[Khen dynasty]] and annexed large parts of Assam. In maritime trade, the Bengal Sultanate benefited from [[Indian Ocean trade]] networks and emerged as a hub of [[re-export]]s. A giraffe was brought by African envoys from [[Malindi]] to Bengal's court and was later gifted to [[Imperial China]]. Ship-owing merchants acted as envoys of the Sultan while travelling to different regions in Asia and Africa. Many rich Bengali merchants lived in Malacca.<ref name="autogenerated185">Irfan Habib (2011). Economic History of Medieval India, 1200–1500. Pearson Education India. p. 185. ISBN 978-81-317-2791-1.</ref> Bengali ships transported embassies from [[Brunei]], [[Aceh Sultanate|Aceh]] and [[Malacca Sultanate|Malacca]] to China. Bengal and the [[Maldives]] had a vast trade in [[shell currency]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boomgaard |first=P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TXphAAAAQBAJ |title=Linking Destinies: Trade, Towns and Kin in Asian History |date=1 January 2008 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=9789004253995 |access-date=23 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106131821/https://books.google.com/books?id=TXphAAAAQBAJ |archive-date=6 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Sultan of Bengal donated funds to build schools in the [[Hejaz]] region of Arabia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Ghiyasia_Madrasa|title=Ghiyasia Madrasa |website=Banglapedia}}</ref>

[[Mughal Bengal]] had the richest elite and was the wealthiest region in the subcontinent. Bengal's trade and wealth impressed the Mughals so much that it was described as the ''Paradise of the Nations'' by the [[Mughal Emperor]]s.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Collection of Treaties and Engagements with the Native Princes and States of Asia: Concluded on Behalf of the East India Company by the British Governments in India, Viz. by the Government of Bengal Etc. : Also Copies of Sunnuds Or Grants of Certain Privileges and Imunities to the East India Company by the Mogul and Other Native Princes of Hindustan |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_J_1RAAAAcAAJ |access-date=23 August 2013 |year=1812 |publisher=United East-India Company |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_J_1RAAAAcAAJ/page/n55 28]}}</ref> A new provincial capital was built in [[Dhaka]]. Members of the imperial family were appointed to positions in Mughal Bengal, including the position of governor (''[[subedar]]''). Dhaka became a centre of palace intrigue and politics. Some of the most prominent governors included [[Rajput]] general [[Man Singh I]], Emperor [[Shah Jahan]]'s son Prince [[Shah Shuja (Mughal prince)|Shah Shuja]], Emperor [[Aurangzeb]]'s son and later Mughal emperor [[Muhammad Azam Shah|Azam Shah]], and the influential aristocrat [[Shaista Khan]]. During the tenure of Shaista Khan, the Portuguese and Arakanese were expelled from the port of Chittagong in 1666. Bengal became the eastern frontier of the Mughal administration. By the 18th century, Bengal became home to a semi-independent aristocracy led by the [[Nawabs of Bengal]].<ref name="google7">{{cite book |title=A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century |author=Ahmed, F. S. |date=2011 |publisher=Pearson |isbn=9788131732021 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sxhAtCflwOMC |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref> Bengal premier [[Murshid Quli Khan]] managed to curtail the influence of the governor due to his rivalry with Prince Azam Shah. Khan controlled Bengal's finances since he was in charge of the treasury. He shifted the provincial capital from Dhaka to [[Murshidabad]].

[[File:Krishna traveling to Mathura (Bengal painting).jpg|thumb|Bengali manuscript painting, 17th century.]]

Since the 16th century, European traders traversed the sea routes to Bengal, following the Portuguese conquests of Malacca and Goa. The Portuguese established a [[Portuguese Chittagong|settlement in Chittagong]] with permission from the Bengal Sultanate in 1528 but were later expelled by the Mughals in 1666. In the 18th century, the Mughal Court rapidly disintegrated due to [[Nader Shah's invasion of India|Nader Shah's invasion]] and internal rebellions, allowing European colonial powers to set up trading posts across the territory. The British East India Company eventually emerged as the foremost military power in the region; and defeated the last independent Nawab of Bengal at the [[Battle of Plassey]] in 1757.<ref name="google7" />

[[File:Lord Clive meeting with Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey.jpg|thumb|The [[Battle of Plassey]] in 1757 ushered British rule]]

with the [[Presidency of Fort William]] asserting greater control over the entire province of Bengal and neighbouring territories. [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] was named the capital of [[British territories in India]] in 1772. The presidency was run by a military-civil administration, including the [[Bengal Army]], and had the world's sixth earliest railway network. Between 1833 and 1854, the [[Governor of Bengal]] was concurrently the [[Governor-General of India]] for many years. Great [[Famines in India|Bengal famines]] struck several times during colonial rule (notably the [[Great Bengal famine of 1770]] and [[Bengal famine of 1943]]).<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/worst-atrocities-british-empire-amritsar-boer-war-concentration-camp-mau-mau-a6821756.html 5 of the worst atrocities carried out by the British Empire]. ''The Independent''. 19 January 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/29/winston-churchill-policies-contributed-to-1943-bengal-famine-study Churchill's policies contributed to 1943 Bengal famine – study]. ''The Guardian''. 29 March 2019.</ref> Under British rule, Bengal experienced the [[deindustrialisation]] of its pre-colonial economy.<ref name="ray">{{cite book |last=Ray |first=Indrajit |year=2011 |title=Bengal Industries and the British Industrial Revolution (1757–1857) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CHOrAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA7 |publisher=Routledge |pages=7–10 |isbn=978-1-136-82552-1}}</ref>

The Bengal Presidency was the largest administrative unit in the [[British Empire]]. At its height, it covered large parts of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1830, the British Straits Settlements on the coast of the [[Malacca Straits]] was made a residency of Bengal. The area included the erstwhile [[Prince of Wales Island (Malaysia)|Prince of Wales Island]], [[Province Wellesley]], [[Malacca]] and [[Singapore]].<ref name="autogenerated2"/> In 1867, [[Penang]], Singapore and Malacca were separated from Bengal into the [[Straits Settlements]].<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/bd541c73-58ef-4bb1-9de7-173f00913286 |title=The Straits Settlements becomes a residency – Singapore History |website=Eresources.nlb.gov.sg |access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref> [[British Burma]] became a province of India and a later a [[Crown colony]] in itself. Western areas, including the [[Ceded and Conquered Provinces]] and [[Punjab Province (British India)|The Punjab]], were further reorganised. Northeastern areas became [[Colonial Assam]].[[File:Khas Mahal (Agra Fort)-1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Bengal roofs]] seen on Mughal architecture, c. 1600s]]

[[File:People crossing Tanguar Haor in a boat.jpg|alt=|thumb|Tanguar Haor in [[Sunamganj District]], Bangladesh. Haor are a common sight in the Northeast of Bengal.|184x184px]]

Northeast Bengal<ref name="google">{{cite book |title=An Easy Introduction to the History and Geography of Bengal: For the Junior Classes in Schools |author=Lethbridge, E. |date=1874 |publisher=Thacker |url=https://archive.org/details/easyintroduction00lethrich |page=[https://archive.org/details/easyintroduction00lethrich/page/5 5] |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref> refers to the Sylhet region, which today comprises the [[Sylhet Division]] of Bangladesh and [[Karimganj district]] in the Indian state of [[Assam]]. The region is famous for its fertile land terrain, many rivers, extensive tea plantations, rainforests and wetlands. The [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]] and [[Barak River|Barak]] river are the geographic markers of the area. The city of [[Sylhet]] is its largest urban centre, and the region is known for its unique regional [[Sylheti language]]. The ancient name of the region is Srihatta and Nasratshahi.<ref name="en.banglapedia.org">{{cite book |last=Akhter |first=Nasrin |year=2012 |chapter=Sarkar |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Sarkar |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> The region was ruled by the [[Kamarupa]] and [[Harikela]] kingdoms as well as the [[Bengal Sultanate]]. It later became a district of the [[Mughal Empire]]. Alongside the predominant Bengali population resides a small [[Garo people|Garo]], [[Bishnupriya Manipuri]], [[Khasi people|Khasia]] and other tribal minorities.<ref name="en.banglapedia.org" />

[[File:Cox's Bazar beach 15.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Cox's Bazar]] has the longest uninterrupted sea beach in the world]]

Southeast Bengal<ref name="google2">{{cite book |title=A History of Early Modern Southeast Asia, 1400–1830 |author1=Andaya, B. W. |author2=Andaya, L. Y. |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-88992-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Rh2BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA220 |page=220 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google3">{{cite book |title=Modern World System and Indian Proto-industrialization: Bengal 1650–1800 |author=Singh, A. K. |date=2006 |volume=1 |publisher=Northern Book Centre |isbn=9788172112011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WwNUblS-jpwC&pg=PA225 |page=225 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google4">{{cite book |title=Islam in Bangladesh |author=Banu, U. A. B. Razia Akter |year=1992 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-09497-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyzqATEDPSgC&pg=PA6 |page=6 |access-date=7 January 2017 |quote=in Samatata (South-east Bengal) where the Buddhist Khadaga dynasty ruled throughout the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries AD.}}</ref> refers to the hilly-coastal [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]]-speaking and coastal Bengali-speaking areas of [[Chittagong Division]] in southeastern Bangladesh. The region is noted for its [[thalassocracy|thalassocratic]] and [[seafaring]] heritage. The area was dominated by the Bengali [[Harikela]] and [[Samatata]] kingdoms in antiquity. It was known to Arab traders as ''Samandar'' in the 9th century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rashid |first=M Harunar |year=2012 |chapter=Harikela |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Harikela |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> During the medieval period, the region was ruled by the [[Chandra dynasty]], the [[sultanate of Bengal]], the [[kingdom of Tripura]], the [[kingdom of Mrauk U]], the [[Portuguese Empire]] and the [[Mughal Empire]], prior to the advent of British rule. The [[Chittagonian language]], a sister of Bengali is prevalent in coastal areas of southeast Bengal. Along with its Bengali population, it is also home to [[Tibeto-Burman]] ethnic groups, including the [[Chakma people|Chakma]], [[Marma people|Marma]], [[Tanchangya people|Tanchangya]] and [[Bawm people|Bawm]] peoples.

[[Cox's Bazar]] in southeastern Bangladesh is home to the longest natural sea beach in the world with an unbroken length of 120&nbsp;km (75&nbsp;mi). It is also a growing [[surfing]] destination.<ref>{{cite news |title=World's longest natural sea beach under threat |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20699989 |publisher=BBC News |date=28 December 2012 |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113172432/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20699989 |archive-date=13 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[St. Martin's Island]], off the coast of Chittagong Division, is home to the sole [[coral reef]] in Bengal.

[[File:Bengali speaking zone.png|thumb|Today, [[Bengali language|Standard Bengali]] is still spoken in areas beside Bengal proper, including the Barak Valley, Tripura and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.]]

[[File:Eastern Lower Bengal and Chittagong with Arakan.jpg|thumb|Bengal and Arakan in 1638.]]

According to [[Pamela Gutman]], "Arakan was ruled by kings who adopted Indian titles and traditions to suit their own environment. Indian Brahmins conducted royal ceremonies, Buddhist monks spread their teachings, traders came and went and artists and architects used Indian models for inspiration. In the later period, there was also influence from the Islamic courts of Bengal and Delhi".<ref>[[Pamela Gutman]] and Zaw Min Yu,&nbsp;Burma's Lost Kingdoms: Splendours of Arakan&nbsp;(Orchid Press 2001). p. 8</ref> Arakan emerged as a [[vassal state]] of the [[Bengal Sultanate]].<ref name="google6">{{cite book |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Mohammed |title=Bengal-Arakan Relations, 1430–1666 A.D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rohuAAAAMAAJ |year=2008 |publisher=Firma K.L.M. |isbn=9788171021185 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> It later became an independent kingdom. The royal court and culture of the [[Kingdom of Mrauk U]] was heavily influenced by Bengal. [[Bengali Muslims]] served in the royal court as ministers and military commanders.<ref name="google6"/> [[Bengali Hindus]] and [[Bengali Buddhists]] served as priests. Some of the most important poets of medieval [[Bengali literature]] lived in Arakan, including [[Alaol]] and [[Daulat Qazi]].<ref name="Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka Tribune">{{cite news |author=Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka Tribune |url=https://scroll.in/article/1006362/the-history-of-the-rohingyas-that-myanmar-refuses-to-acknowledge |title=The history of the Rohingyas that Myanmar refuses to acknowledge |work=Scroll.in |date=29 September 2021 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> In 1660, [[Shah Shuja (Mughal prince)|Prince Shah Shuja]], the governor of Mughal Bengal and a pretender of the [[Peacock Throne]] of India, was forced to seek asylum in Arakan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lostfootsteps.org/en/history/the-indian-prince-who-fled-to-mrauk-u |title=The Indian Prince who fled to Mrauk-U |website=Lost Footsteps |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44138771 |jstor=44138771 |title=A Contemporary Dutch Account of Shah Shuja at Arakan |last1=Ray |first1=Aniruddha |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1974 |volume=35 |pages=112–118}}</ref> Bengali influence in the Arakanese royal court persisted until Burmese annexation in the 18th century.

[[File:Bengali-Assamese subbranches.png|thumb|Region of the [[Bengali-Assamese languages]].]]

[[File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|thumb|Bengal in 1880, including Bihar, Orissa and Assam.]]

Through trade, settlements and the exchange of ideas; parts of [[Maritime Southeast Asia]] became linked with Bengal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ghosh |first=Suchandra |year=2013 |title=Locating South Eastern Bengal in the Buddhist Network of Bay of Bengal (C. 7th Century CE-13th Century CE) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=74 |pages=148–153 |jstor=44158810}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/19480881.2019.1640577|title=Crossings and contacts across the Bay of Bengal: a connected history of ports in early South and Southeast Asia|first=Suchandra|last=Ghosh|date=2 September 2019|journal=Journal of the Indian Ocean Region|volume=15|issue=3|pages=281–296|via=Taylor and Francis+NEJM|doi=10.1080/19480881.2019.1640577|s2cid=202332142 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Language, literature, art, governing systems, religions and philosophies in ancient [[Sumatra]] and [[Java]] were influenced by Bengal. [[Indianized kingdom|Hindu-Buddhist kingdom]]s in Southeast Asia depended on the Bay of Bengal for trade and ideas. [[Islam in Southeast Asia]] also spread through the Bay of Bengal, which was a bridge between the Malay Archipelago and Indo-Islamic states of the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sunil S. Amrith|title=Crossing the Bay of Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eWwAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA37|date=7 October 2013|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-72846-2|page=37}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Formichi|first=Chiara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t-fWDwAAQBAJ|title=Islam and Asia: A History|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2020|isbn=978-1-107-10612-3|pages=75–79}}</ref> A large number of wealthy merchants from Bengal were based in Malacca.<ref name="autogenerated185"/> Bengali ships were the largest ships in the waters of the Malay Archipelago during the 15th century.<ref>Tapan Raychaudhuri; Irfan Habib, eds. (1982). The Cambridge Economic History of India. Vol. I. Cambridge University Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-521-22692-9.</ref>

[[File:Sepoy of the Indian Infantry, 1900 (c)..jpg|thumb|A sepoy of the [[Bengal Army]], which played a key role in the expansion of the Bengal Presidency into the northern reaches of India up to the [[Khyber Pass]].]]

[[File:রাতের বেলায় বঙ্গভবনের সৌন্দর্য্য! 02.jpg|thumb|[[Bangabhaban]] (the ''House of Bengal'') is the [[presidential palace]] of Bangladesh|331x331px]]

Between 1975 and 1990, Bangladesh had a [[presidential system]] of government. Since the 1990s, it was administered by non-political technocratic [[Caretaker government of Bangladesh|caretaker governments]] on four occasions, the last being under military-backed emergency rule in 2007 and 2008. The [[Awami League]] and the [[Bangladesh Nationalist Party]] (BNP) were the two most dominant political parties in Bangladesh until the [[July Revolution (Bangladesh)| July Revolution]] of 2024, which led to the ousting of [[Sheikh Hasina]] following mass protests and a nationwide uprising. In the aftermath, a non-partisan [[Yunus Ministry| interim government]] was formed under Nobel laureate [[Muhammad Yunus]] to restore democratic governance and oversee institutional reforms. Much like the technocratic caretaker governments between 1990 and 2008, this interim administration pledged neutrality and began preparations for constitutional changes and future elections.

Bangladesh is a member of the [[United Nations|UN]], [[World Trade Organization|WTO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], the [[World Bank]], [[Asian Development Bank|ADB]], [[Organization of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], [[Islamic Development Bank|IDB]], [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|SAARC]], [[Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation|BIMSTEC]] and the [[Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition|IMCTC]]. Bangladesh has achieved significant strides in [[List of countries by Human Development Index|human development]] compared to its neighbours.

[[File:Raj Bhaban 1.jpg|thumb|[[Raj Bhavan, Kolkata|Raj Bhavan]] the [[official residence]] of the [[Governor of West Bengal]], [[India]]]]

{{Main|Economy of Bangladesh|Economy of West Bengal}}

[[File:2.শাপলা চত্বর.jpg|thumb|Downtown [[Dhaka]]|310x310px]]

[[File:Kolkata Skyline pic.jpg|thumb|314x314px|[[Kolkata]] skyline consists of [[The 42 (Kolkata)|The 42]], the tallest building in Bengal region, and the tallest building in [[India]] outside [[Mumbai]].]]

! [[GDP|Real Economy (Nominal <br /> GDP Per Capita)]] in 2023–2024)

! Nominal Economy <br /> (Nominal GDP in 2023–2024)

! Population <br /> (2021)

| $70 Billion

| 1.4 crore

| $20 Billion

| 45 lakh

| $2,700

| $460 Billion

| 17 crore

*[[Dhaka Stock Exchange]]

*[[Chittagong Stock Exchange]]

*[[Calcutta Stock Exchange]]

*[[Port of Chittagong]]

*[[Port of Kolkata]]

*[[Port of Mongla]]

*[[Haldia Port|Port of Haldia]]

*[[Port of Payra]]

*[[Port of Pangaon]]

*[[Farakka Port|Port of Farakka]]

*[[Port of Narayanganj]]

*[[Port of Ashuganj]]

*[[Port of Barisal]]

*[[Matarbari Port]]

*Land port of [[Benapole]]-[[Petrapole]]

*[[Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry]]

*[[Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry]]

*[[Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry]] (FBCCI)

*[[Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry]]

*[[Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry]] (DCCI)

*[[Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka|Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry]] (MCCI)

| 0.5% || – || – || – || – || –  

|+ '''Bengal region religious diversity as per 2011 census'''<ref name=census2011>{{cite web|url=http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf|title=Population & Housing Census |year=2011 |author=[[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]] |publisher=Bangladesh Government |access-date=17 April 2015 |page=xiii |quote="Population By Religion (%) Muslim 90.39 Hindu 8.54 Buddhist 0.60 Christian 0.37 Others 0.14" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903181037/http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Data Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Census – Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://censusindia.gov.in |title=Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |publisher=Censusindia.gov.in |access-date=17 July 2021}}</ref>

| 159,274,952

| 86,138,190

| 250,118,816

The Bengal region is home to the some of [[List of urban areas by population|major urban areas]] of the world, [[Dhaka]] is the [[List of urban areas by population|4th largest urban areas]] of the world. [[Kolkata]] is [[List of urban areas by population|17th largest urban area]].{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

| data-sort-value="1" | 24,653,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dhaka, Bangladesh Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/20119/dhaka/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>

| data-sort-value="2" | 15,845,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calcutta, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21211/calcutta/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>

| data-sort-value="3" | 5,653,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chittagong, Bangladesh Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/20115/chittagong/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>

| data-sort-value="4" | 1,565,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asansol, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21170/asansol/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>

| data-sort-value="5" | 1,191,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Siliguri, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21405/siliguri/population |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>

Other important cities of West Bengal region such as [[Howrah]], [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]], [[Basirhat]], [[Kharagpur]], [[Durgapur]], [[Coochbehar]], [[Malda, West Bengal|Malda]], [[Chandannagar]], [[Bardhaman]], [[Darjeeling ]] etc.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Bengal (India): State, Major Agglomerations & Cities |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/india/cities/westbengal/ |website=CityPopulation.de |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Bengali letters.svg|thumb|left|[[Bengali alphabet|Bengali Letters]]]]

Bengali binds together a culturally diverse region and is an important contributor to regional identity. The 1952 [[Bengali Language Movement]] in East Pakistan is commemorated by [[UNESCO]] as [[International Mother Language Day]], as part of global efforts to preserve linguistic identity.

| caption2          = [[Mother Language Day]] Monument in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]] representing Language Matyrs on the lap of [[Bangamata]] (Mother Bengal) during [[Bangladesh Liberation War]].

[[File:CezanneGalleryofSaifulIslam2012.JPG|thumb|Bangladeshi paintings on sale at an art gallery in Dhaka]]

Islamic Bengal was noted for its production of the finest cotton fabrics and [[sari]]s, notably the [[Jamdani]], which received warrants from the Mughal court.<ref name="metmuseum">{{cite web |url=http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/ruminations/2015/bangladeshi-islamic-art |website=metmuseum.org |title=In Search of Bangladeshi Islamic Art {{pipe}} The Metropolitan Museum of Art |date=12 November 2015 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812083629/http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/ruminations/2015/bangladeshi-islamic-art |archive-date=12 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Bengal School of Art|Bengal School]] of painting flourished in [[Kolkata]] and [[Shantiniketan]] in the [[British Raj]] during the early 20th century. Its practitioners were among the harbingers of modern painting in India.<ref name="google13">{{cite book |title=Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850–1922: Occidental Orientations |author=Mitter, P. |date=1994 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-44354-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9mRTtkri8E0C |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref> [[Zainul Abedin]] was the pioneer of modern [[Bangladeshi art]]. The country has a thriving and internationally acclaimed [[contemporary art]] scene.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/arts/international/in-bangladesh-a-vibrant-contemporary-scene.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=In Bangladesh, a Vibrant Contemporary Scene |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821170739/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/arts/international/in-bangladesh-a-vibrant-contemporary-scene.html |archive-date=21 August 2017 |url-status=live |date=13 March 2014 |last1=Yee |first1=Amy}}</ref>

[[File:Momin Mosque after restoration.jpg|thumb|[[Bungalow]]s originated from [[Bengali architecture]]]]

[[File:Tharundas baul.jpg|thumb|A [[Baul]] musician. The Baul ballads of Bangladesh are classified by UNESCO as humanity's [[intangible cultural heritage]]]]

[[File:Frans Balthasar Solvyns - Budgerow.jpg|thumb|left|18th century painting of a [[budgerow]]]]

Bengali women commonly wear the ''[[sari|shaŗi]]'' , often distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. In urban areas, many women and men wear Western-style attire. Among men, European dressing has greater acceptance. Men also wear traditional costumes such as the ''panjabi''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarkar |first=Puja |date=5 May 2020 |title=Panjabi with a twist |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/ls-pick/news/panjabi-twist-1899448?amp |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> with ''[[dhoti]]'' or ''[[pyjama]]'', often on religious occasions. The [[lungi]], a kind of long skirt, is widely worn by Bangladeshi men.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Bangladesh has a diverse, outspoken and privately owned [[News media|press]]. English-language titles are popular in the urban readership.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bangladesh profile – Media |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12650946 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731160445/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12650946 |archive-date=31 July 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> West Bengal had 559 published newspapers in 2005,<ref name=rniindia>{{cite web |url=https://rni.nic.in/pii.htm |title=General Review |access-date=1 September 2006 |publisher=Registrar of Newspapers for India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927070139/https://rni.nic.in/pii.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> of which 430 were in Bengali, with the largest circulated [[Bengali-language newspapers|Bengali language newspapers]] and magazines in the world.<ref name=rniindia /> [[Cinema of Bangladesh|Bengali cinema]] is divided between the media hubs of Dhaka and Kolkata.

 

 

{{Wikivoyage|Bengal}}

[[Category:History of Bengal|B]]

[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]