Bengal
Map of the Bengal region: West Bengal and Bangladesh
Largest city	Kolkata[1] 23.42° N 90.22° E
Main language	Bengali
Area	232,752 km²
Population (2001)	209,468,404[2][3]
Density	951. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/km²[2][3]
Infant mortality rate	55. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births 91 per 1000 live births[4][5]
Websites	bangladesh.gov.bdand wbgov.com

Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ Bôngo, বাংলা Bangla, বঙ্গদেশ Bôngodesh or বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh), is a historical and geographical region in the northeast of South Asia. Today it is mainly divided between the independent nation of Bangladesh (previously East Bengal), and the Indian federal republic's constitutive state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous kingdoms of Bengal (during local monarchical regimes and British rule) are now part of the neighboring Indian states of Bihar, Tripura and Orissa. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially East Bengal ( Bengali: পূর্ববঙ্গ Purbobôngo) was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. ( Bengali script: ত্রিপুরা is a state in North-East India. Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. The majority of Bengal is inhabited by Bengali people (বাঙালি Bangali) who speak Bengali (বাংলা Bangla). The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating

The region of Bengal is one of the most densely populated regions on earth, with a population density exceeding 900/km². Most of the Bengal region lies in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta, the world's largest delta. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh In the southern part of the delta lies the Sundarbans—the world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Bengal tiger. The Sundarbans (সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn) is the largest single block of tidal halophytic Mangrove forest in the world Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) is a Subspecies of Tiger primarily Though the population of the region is mostly rural and agrararian, two megacities, Kolkata (previously Calcutta) and Dhaka, are located in Bengal. A megacity is generally defined as a Metropolitan area with a total Population in excess of 10 million people Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. The Bengal region is notable for its contribution to the socio-cultural uplift of Indian society in the form of the Bengal Renaissance, and revolutionary activities during the Indian independence movement. The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the The Revolutionary movement for Indian independence is often a less-highlighted aspect of the Indian independence movement -- the underground revolutionary factions The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant

Etymology and ethnology

The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE. ^[6]

Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Vanga(বঙ্গ bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. The Austric language superfamily is a large theoretical grouping of languages primarily spoken in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the eastern Indian subcontinent The word Vanga and other words speculated to refer to Bengal (such as Anga) can be found in ancient Indian texts including the Vedas, Jaina texts, the Mahabharata and Puranas. The earliest reference to Angas (अंग occurs in the Atharava Veda (V "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The earliest reference to "Vangala" (বঙ্গাল bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. The Rashtrakuta Dynasty ( Sanskrit: राष्ट्रकूट rāṣṭrakūṭa, Kannada: ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಕೂಟ was a royal Govinda III (793 - 814 CE was a famous Rashtrakuta king who succeeded his illustrious father Dhruva Dharavarsha. Dharamapala (ধর্মপাল Dhôrmopal) (rule 770 AD - 810 AD was the second ruler of the Pala Empire of Bengal. ^[7]

Some accounts claim that the word may derive from bhang, a preparation of cannabis which is used in some religious ceremonies in Bengal. Bhang (ਭੰਗ pa بھنگ /pə̀ŋg/ ভাং /bɦaŋ/ is the leaf and flower of a female Cannabis sativa plant as consumed in the This article is about cannabis used as an Entheogenic drug in a spiritual or Religious context [1][2]

The Proto-Australoids were one of the earliest inhabitants of Bengal. The Proto-Australoids were a hypothetical ancient Hunter-gatherer people descended from the first major wave of modern humans to leave Africa 100000 years ago ^[8] Dravidians migrated to Bengal from the south, while Tibeto-Burman peoples migrated from the Himalayas,^[8] followed by the Indo-Aryans from north-western India. Dravidian peoples refers to the peoples that natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. The Tibeto-Burman family of languages (often considered a sub-group of the Sino-Tibetan Language family) is spoken in various central and south Asian countries including India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The modern Bengali people are a blend of these people. The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating Pathans, Iranians, Arabs and Turks also migrated to the region in the late Middle Ages while spreading Islam. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries (AD 1300–1499

History

Main article: History of Bengal

Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala Empire

Robert Clive, of British East India Company, after winning the
Battle of Plassey in 1757. See also History of Bangladesh The history of Bengal (including Bangladesh and West Bengal) dates back four millennia Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The Pala Empire was a dynasty in control of the northern and eastern Indian subcontinent, mainly the Bengal and Bihar regions from the 8th to Clive of India redirects here For the film see Clive of India (film. The Battle of Plassey (পলাশীর যুদ্ধ Pôlashir Juddho) was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal

The Bengal Presidency at its greatest extent in 1858

Map of the Bengal province, 1893

Remnants of Copper Age settlements in the Bengal region date back 4,300 years,^[9][10] when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic peoples. The Chalcolithic (Greek khalkos + lithos ' Copper stone' period or Copper Age period known as the '''Eneolithic''' ('''Æneolithic''' is a Dravidian peoples refers to the peoples that natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. The Tibeto-Burman family of languages (often considered a sub-group of the Sino-Tibetan Language family) is spoken in various central and south Asian countries including The Austro-Asiatic languages are a large Language family of Southeast Asia, and also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga and Magadha were formed by the 10th century BCE, located in the Bihar and Bengal regions. The earliest reference to Angas (अंग occurs in the Atharava Veda (V The vangas are a group of little-known small to medium-sized Passerine Birds restricted to Madagascar. Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. Magadha was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Buddha and consisted of several Janapadas. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The Janapadas are the major realms or kingdoms of Vedic ( Iron Age) India, by the 6th century BC evolving into the sixteen classical ^[8] One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is the mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Greeks around 100 BCE, located in an area in Bengal. Gangaridai was the name of a kingdom in 300 BC in what is now the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions ^[11] From the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire. The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C

The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around early 7th century. Shashanka (শশাঙ্ক Shôshangko) Shashanka the first important king of ancient Bengal, occupies a prominent place in history of the region ^[12] After a period of anarchy, the native Buddhist Pala Empire ruled the region for four hundred years, and expanded across the northern Indian subcontinent into Afghanistan during the reigns of Dharmapala and Devapala. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Pala Empire was a dynasty in control of the northern and eastern Indian subcontinent, mainly the Bengal and Bihar regions from the 8th to This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Dharamapala (ধর্মপাল Dhôrmopal) (rule 770 AD - 810 AD was the second ruler of the Pala Empire of Bengal. Devapala (rule 810 AD - 850 AD was a powerful king of Pala dynasty of Bengal. The Pala dynasty was followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The Sena dynasty ( Bengali সেন Shen) ruled Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. Islam was introduced to Bengal in the twelfth century by Sufi missionaries. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout the region. The initial Arab Muslim conquests (632–732 (فتح Fatah, literally opening, also referred to as the Islamic conquests or Arab ^[13] Bakhtiar Khilji, a Turkic general of the Slave dynasty of Delhi Sultanate, defeated Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and conquered large parts of Bengal. Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji ( Bengali ইখতিয়ার উদ্দিন মুহম্মদ বখতিয়ার খলজী Persian The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty ( Urdu: غلام خاندان Hindi: ग़ुलाम ख़ानदान served as the first Sultans of The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए Lakshman Sen (c 1178-1206 AD ( Bangla: লক্ষ্মণ সেন was the third king of the Sen dynasty who ruled for about 28 years Consequently, the region was ruled by dynasties of sultans and feudal lords under the Delhi Sultanate for the next few hundred years. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings In the sixteenth century, Mughal general Islam Khan conquered Bengal. Shaikh Alauddin Chisti (? - 1613 was a Subahdar and general of the army of the Mughal empire in Bengal, and the first governor of the city of Dhaka However, administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire gave way to semi-independence of the area under the Nawabs of Murshidabad, who nominally respected the sovereignty of the Mughals in Delhi. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most A Nawab or Nawaab ( Urdu: نواب Hindi: नवाब was originally the Subedar (provincial governor or viceroy of a WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Murshidabad (মুর্শিদাবাদ is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population The most notable among them is Murshid Quli Khan, who was succeeded by Alivardi Khan. Murshid Quli Khan was grandson of famous maratha general Mohammed Quli Khan (formerly Netaji Palkar from his Iranian wife Nusrat Banu daughter of Mughal Vazir Asad Khan,Murshid Quli Khan Birth Ali Vardi was born on 10 May 1671. He was named Mirza Muhammad Ali the son of Shah Quli Khan Mirza Muhammad Madani and the daughter of Nawab Aqil

Portuguese traders arrived late in the fifteenth century, once Vasco da Gama reached India by sea in 1498. The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta Dom Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira ('vaʃku dɐ 'gɐmɐ ( Sines or Vidigueira, Alentejo, Portugal, ca European influence grew until the British East India Company gained taxation rights in Bengal subah, or province, following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab, was defeated by the British. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or A Subah is a Province of the former Mughal Empire. The governor of a subah was known as a subahdar, which later became Subedar The Battle of Plassey (পলাশীর যুদ্ধ Pôlashir Juddho) was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal Mîrzâ Mohammad Sirâjud Dawla, more popularly known as Siraj ud-Daulah (1733 &ndash July 2, 1757) was the last independent Nawab of ^[14] The Bengal Presidency was established by 1766, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab. The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal was a colonial region of British India, which comprised undivided Bengal which is present day Bangladesh The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives. The Bengal famine of 1770 (Bengali ৭৬-এর মন্বন্তর Chhiattōrer monnōntór; lit The Famine of '76) was a catastrophic Famine between ^[15] Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the Brahmo Samaj ( Bengali ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ Bramho Shômaj) is the societal component of Brahmoism. The failed Indian rebellion of 1857 started near Calcutta and resulted in transfer of authority to the British Crown, administered by the Viceroy of India. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and ^[16] Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones. The Partition of Bengal in 1905, was made on 16 October by then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. ^[17]

Bengal has played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups were dominant. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant The Revolutionary movement for Indian independence is often a less-highlighted aspect of the Indian independence movement -- the underground revolutionary factions Armed attempts against to overthrow the British Raj reached a climax when Subhash Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945 The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists Bengal was also central in the rising political awareness of the Muslim population—Muslim League was established in Dhaka in 1906. The All India Muslim League ( Urdu: آل انڈیا مسلم لیگ Bengali:?????? ??? founded at Dhaka in 1906 was a political party in British In spite of a last ditch effort to form a United Bengal,^[18] when India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The History of the Republic of India began on August 15, 1947 when India became an independent Dominion within the British Commonwealth The Partition of Bengal in 1947 part of the Partition of India, was a partition that divided Bengal into the two separate entities of West Bengal ^[19] The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan, giving rise to Bangladesh in 1971). Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and East Bengal ( Bengali: পূর্ববঙ্গ Purbobôngo) was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded East Pakistan ( Bengali: পূর্ব পাকিস্তান Purbo Pakistan, Urdu: مشرقی پاکستان Mashriqi Pakistan) was ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The circumstances of partition was bloody, with widespread religious riots in Bengal. ^[19][20]

The post-partition political history of East and West Bengal diverged for the most part. Starting from the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement (ভাষা আন্দোলন Bhasha Andolon) was a political effort in Bangladesh ^[21] political dissent against West Pakistani domination grew steadily. West Pakistan was the popular and sometimes official (1955&ndash1970 name of the western wing of Pakistan until 1971 when the eastern wing became independent Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, emerged as the political voice of the Bengali-speaking population of East Pakistan by 1960s. The Bangladesh Awami League ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ also translated Bangladesh People's League) is the mainstream Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান ''Shekh Mujibur Rôhman'' ^[22] In 1971, the crisis deepened when Rahman was arrested and a sustained military assault was launched on East Pakistan. Operation Searchlight was a planned military pacification carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in erstwhile East Pakistan ^[23] Most of the Awami League leaders fled and set up a government-in-exile in West Bengal. The guerrilla Mukti Bahini and Bengali regulars eventually received support from the Indian Armed Forces in December 1971, resulting in a decisive victory over Pakistan on 16 December in the Bangladesh Liberation War or Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc Mukti Bahini (মুক্তি বাহিনী "Liberation Army" also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs collectively refers to the armed organizations Organization and command structure The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major military conflict between India and Pakistan. ^[24] The post independence history of Bangladesh was strife with conflict, with a long history of political assassinations and coups before parliamentary democracy was established in 1991. Since then, the political environment has been relatively stable.

West Bengal, the western part of Bengal, became a state in India. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. In the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist-Naxalite movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation. Naxalite or Naxalism is an informal name given to Communist groups that were born out of the Sino-Soviet split in the Indian communist movement The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure. The Bangladesh Liberation War (i ( Bengali: মুক্তিযুদ্ধ Muktijuddho) was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (later ^[25] West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. BamfronttripuraJPG|thumb|right| West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura]] The Left Front ( Bengali: বাম ফ্রন্ট Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The Left Front, led by CPI(M) has governed for the last three decades. The Communist Party of India (Marxist (abbreviated CPI(M or CPM) is a Political party in India. ^[26] The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India were introduced in the mid-1990s by the central government, aided by election of a new reformist Chief Minister in 2000. Economic reforms in India is something which is under close study A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e

Geography

See also: Geography of West Bengal

The Bengal Tiger

Most of the Bengal region is in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. The Meghna River (মেঘনা নদী is an important river in Bangladesh, one of the three that forms the Ganges Delta, the largest on earth fanning out The total area of Bengal is 232752  km²—West Bengal is 88,752 km² and Bangladesh 144,000 km².

Most parts of Bangladesh are within 10 meters (33 ft) above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if the sea level were to rise by 1 metre (3 ft). ^[27] Because of this low elevation, much of this region is exceptionally vulnerable to seasonal flooding due to monsoons. The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 metres (3,451 ft) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the southeast of the country. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The Chittagong Hill Tracts ( Bengali: পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম Parbotto Chôṭṭogram) comprise an area of 13180 km2 ^[28] A major part of the coastline comprises a marshy jungle, the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Jungle usually refers to a dense Forest in a hot climate such as a Tropical rainforest. The Sundarbans (সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn) is the largest single block of tidal halophytic Mangrove forest in the world Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) is a Subspecies of Tiger primarily In 1997, this region was declared endangered. ^[29]

West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The state has a total area of 88,752 km² (34,267 sq mi). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. ^[30] The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. Darjeeling Himalayan hill region is situated on the North-Western side of the state of West Bengal in India. This region contains Sandakfu (3,636 m (11,929 ft))—the highest peak of the state. Sandakfu or Sandakphu (3636 m is the highest peak in the state of West Bengal, India. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit ^[31] The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. Rarh region (রাঢ় of West Bengal is the region that intervenes between the Western plateau and high lands (bordering Chhotanagpur plateau) The Western plateau and highlands is the eastern border of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta. The Sundarbans (সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn) is the largest single block of tidal halophytic Mangrove forest in the world Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. At least nine districts in West Bengal and 42 districts in Bangladesh have arsenic levels in groundwater above the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit of 50 µg/L. See also Water pollution Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a natural occurring high concentration of Arsenic in deeper levels of Groundwater ^[32]

Demographics

Main article: Bengali people

About 210 million people live in Bengal, around 60% of them in Bangladesh and the remainder in West Bengal. The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating ^[2][33] The population density in the area is more than 900/km²; making it among the most dnsely populated areas in the world. ^[2][3]

Bengali is the main language spoken in Bengal. English is often used for official work. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States There are small minorities who speak Hindi, Urdu, Chakma, and several other tribal languages. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The Chakma language ( Changma Vaj or Changma Khoda) is an Indo-European language spoken in southeastern Bangladesh and neighboring areas of Nepali is spoken primarily by the Gorkhas of Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma Darjeeling, is the northern most district of West Bengal state in eastern India.

66% of the total Bengali population is Muslim, and 33% is Hindu. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical In Bangladesh 89. 7% of the population is Muslim and 9. 2% are Hindus (Bangladesh Census 2001). In West Bengal, Hindus are the majority with 72. 5% of the population while Muslims comprise 25%, and other religions make up the remainder. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion ^[34] Other religious groups include Buddhists, Christians, and Animists. Buddhism is the third largest religion in Bangladesh with about 0 Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals About 2% of the population is tribal. ^[35]

Life expectancy is around 63 years, and are almost same for the men and women. ^[36][37] In terms of literacy, West Bengal leads with 69. 22% literacy rate,^[2] in Bangladesh the rate is approximately 41%. ^[38] The level of poverty is high, the proportion of people living below the poverty line is more than 30%. ^[39][35]

Economy

Worker in a paddy, a common scene all over Bengal

Agriculture is the leading occupation in the region. A paddy field is a flooded parcel of Arable land used for growing Rice and other semiaquatic crops. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Rice is the staple food crop. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Other food crops are pulses, potato, maize, and oil seeds. Pulses are annual leguminous crops yielding from one to twelve Grains or Seeds of variable size shape and color within a Pod, according The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Jute is the principal cash crop. Jute is a long soft shiny Vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse strong threads In Agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for Money. Tea is also produced commercially; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high quality teas. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market For other teas grown in Darjeeling see Darjeeling tea (disambiguation. The service sector is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of West Bengal, contributing 51% of the state domestic product compared to 27% from agriculture and 22% from industry. ^[40] State industries are localized in the Kolkata region and the mineral-rich western highlands. Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of major steel plants. ^[41] West Bengal has the third largest economy (2003–2004) in India, with a net state domestic product of US$ 21. The Net Domestic Product (NDP equals the Gross Domestic Product (GDP minus Depreciation on a country's Capital (economics goods The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 5 billion. ^[40] During 2001–2002, the state's average SDP was more than 7. 8%—outperforming the National GDP Growth. ^[42] The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly come in the software and electronics fields;^[43] Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the Information technology (IT) industry. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support Owing to the boom in Kolkata's and the overall state's economy, West Bengal is now the third fastest growing economy in the country. ^[44]

Since 1990, Bangladesh has achieved an average annual growth rate of 5% according to the World Bank, despite the hurdles. The middle class and the consumer industry have seen some growth. The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. Consumers refers to individuals or households that use goods and services generated within the economy. Bangladesh has seen a sharp increase in foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country A number of multinational corporations, including Unocal Corporation and Tata, have made major investments, the natural gas sector being a priority. Multinational corporation ( MNC) or transnational corporation ( TNC) is a Corporation or enterprise that manages Production or delivers Union Oil Company of California dba Unocal is a defunct company that was a major petroleum explorer and marketer in the late 19th century through the 20th century and into the early Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, In December 2005, the Central Bank of Bangladesh projected GDP growth around 6. Bangladesh Bank is the Central bank of Bangladesh. History After the liberation war, and the eventual independence of Bangladesh 5%. ^[45] Although two-thirds of Bangladeshis are farmers, more than three quarters of Bangladesh’s export earnings come from the garment industry,^[46] which began attracting foreign investors in the 1980s due to cheap labour and low conversion cost. Textile manufacturing is one of the oldest human industries The oldest known Textiles date back to about 5000 B In 2002, the industry exported US$5 billion worth of products. ^[47] The industry now employs more than 3 million workers, 90% of whom are women. ^[48] A large part of foreign currency earnings also comes from the remittances sent by expatriates living in other countries. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing

One significant contributor to the development of the economy of Bangladesh has been the widespread propagation of microcredit by Grameen Bank and other similar orgamizations. This article is specific to small loans For financial services to the poor see Microfinance. The Grameen Bank (গ্রামীণ ব্যাংক is a Microfinance organization and Community development bank started in Bangladesh that Together, these organizations had about 5 million members by late 1990s. ^{[49] [50]}

Culture

Baul singers at Basanta-Utsab, Shantiniketan

Pohela Baishakh celebration in Dhaka

Bride and groom wearing traditional Bengali wedding costumes

The common Bengali language and culture anchors the shared tradition of two parts of politically divided Bengal. Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Santiniketan ( Bangla: শান্তিনিকেতন Shantiniketôn) is a small town Bengali New Year ( Bengali: নববর্ষ Nôbobôrsho) or Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh or পয়লা Bengali wedding refers to both Muslim Wedding and Hindu wedding in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature, evidenced by the Charyapada, Mangalkavya, Shreekrishna Kirtana, Maimansingha Gitika or Thakurmar Jhuli. The Charyapada ( Bangla: চর্যাপদ Assamese: চৰ্যাপদ is a collection of 8th-12th century Vajrayana Buddhist Caryagiti Shreekrishna Kirtana Kabya (Bengali শ্রীকৃষ্ণকীর্তন কাব্য or Sri Krishna Kirtana Kabya is a pastoral Vaishnava drama in verse Maimansingha gitika or Môemonshingha gitika is a collection of folk Ballads from the region of Mymensingh and around of Bangladesh Thakurmar Jhuli ( Tales my Grandmother Told Me) (ঠাকুরমার ঝুলি is a collection of Bengali folk tales and fairy tales Bengali literature in the medieval age was often either religious (e. g. Chandidas), or adaptations from other languages (e. Chandidas ( Bangla: চন্ডীদাস (born 1408 CE refers to (possibly more than one medieval poet of Bengal. g. Alaol). Alaol ( Bangla: আলাওল (1607?-1680? CE was a medieval poet in Bengal. During the Bengal Renaissance of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Bengali literature was modernized through the works of authors such as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the The term Bengali literature refers to literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and Indian province of West Bengal Bankim Chandra Chatterjee ( 27 June[[ 838]] - 8 April[[ 894]] (বঙ্কিম চন্দ্র চট্টোপাধ্যায় Bôngkim For the Bangladeshi politician see Syed Nazrul Islam Kazi Nazrul Islam (কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম Kazi Nozrul Islam

The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music. Bauls (বাউল are a group of mystic Minstrels from Bengal, which comprises Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal ^[51] Other folk music forms include Gombhira, Bhatiali and Bhawaiya. Gambhira ( Bangla: গম্ভীরা is a type of song (originating in Chapai Nawabganj in the Northern region of Bangladesh) Bhatiali is a form of Folk music in Bangladesh. It mostly is sung in the Mymensingh District along the Brahmaputra River or the Bhati Bhawaiya (ভাওয়াইয়া is a musical form popular in Northern Bangladesh, especially Rangpur District and in North Bengal specially in Folk music in Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. Ektara (একতারা ਇਕ ਤਾਰ also called iktar, ektar or gopichand) is a one string instrument used in Pakistan, India Other instruments include the dotara, dhol, flute, and tabla. The dotara (or dotar) is a two or four stringed Musical instrument resembling a small Guitar. The dhol (ਢੋਲ ڈھول; ढोल ڈھول) dohol ( دهل) is a Drum (a percussion Musical instrument The flute is a Musical instrument of the Woodwind family Unlike other woodwind instruments a flute is a Reedless wind instrument that produces its This article is about the Indian drum For the drum with the same name in Arabic, see Goblet drum. The region also has an active heritage in North Indian classical music. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت

Bengal had also been the harbinger of modernism in Indian fine arts. Modernism describes an array of Cultural movements rooted in the changes in Western society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Abanindranath Tagore, one of the important 18th century artist from Bengal is often referred to as the father of Indian modern art. He had established the first non-British art academy in India known as the Kalabhavan within the premises of Santiniketan. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Santiniketan ( Bangla: শান্তিনিকেতন Shantiniketôn) is a small town Santiniketan in course of time had produced many important Indian artists like Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Benode Bihari Mukherjee and Ramkinkar Baij. See Tagore for disambiguation Gaganendranath Tagore (গগনেন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর ( September 18, 1867 --1938 was Nandalal Bose ( Bengali: নন্দলাল বসু ( December 3, 1883 - April 16, 1966) was a noted Indian painter Jamini Roy (যামিনী রায়(April 11 1887-April 24 1972 was an Indian painter from Kolkata (Calcutta in West Benodebehari Mukherjee (বিনোদ বিহারী মুখার্জি (1904 - 1980 was an Indian / Bengali artist Ramkinkar Baij (রামকিন্কর বেজ (May 20 1906 - August 2 1980 is an Indian sculptor, known as the Pioneer of Modern Indian Sculpture In the post-independence era, Bengal had produced important artists like Somenath Hore, Meera Mukherjee and Ganesh Paine. Somnath Hore (1921-2006 was an Indian sculptor and printmaker noted for his passionate rendering of human conditions

Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali, mach ar bhaath bangali baanaay, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali". ^[52] Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes Hilsa preparations, a favorite among Bengalis. Hilsa (ইিলশ Ilish) is the national fish of Bangladesh, also popular in India 's Assamese - Bengali - and Oriya Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, and several kinds of Pithe. Confectionery is a set of Food items that are rich in Sugar; modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well Rasgulla (Rasagolla রসগোল্লা Rôshogolla; Rasgulla is a syrupy Dessert of Orissa and Bengal. Pithe or Piţha are a kind of rice cuisine of Assam, Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and the general Northeast Indian

Bengali women commonly wear the shaŗi and the salwar kameez, often distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. for the town in Nepal see Sari Nepal A sari or saree or shari is a female garment in the Indian subcontinent Salwar kameez ( also spelled shalwar kameez or shalwar qameez) is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in Southern Asia. 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 with dhuti or pyjama, often on religious occasions. A kurta ( Persian / Urdu: کرتا, Hindi: कुरता কুর্তা also called a panjabi in Bengali (or kurti The pancha in Telugu, called dhoti or doti in Hindi, Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam Kids in pajamasjpg|thumb| Boys in pyjamas]] Pajamas or pyjamas (see also spelling differences) is a word with several different related meanings in The lungi, a kind of long skirt, is widely worn by Bangladesh men. The lungi ( Bengali: লুঙ্গি) is a Garment worn around the waist in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar

The greatest religious festivals are the two Eids (Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha) for the Muslims, and the autumnal Durga Puja for Hindus. Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr) often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim Holiday that marks the end of Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā, Urdu: بقرعید or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess ^[53] Christmas (called Bôŗodin (Great day) in Bangla), Buddha Purnima are other major religious festivals. Vesak is an annual holiday observed by practicing Buddhists in many Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Other festivities include Pohela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year), Basanta-Utsab, Nobanno, and Poush parbon (festival of Poush). Bengali New Year ( Bengali: নববর্ষ Nôbobôrsho) or Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh or পয়লা Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, Nobanno ( Bangla: নবান্ন is the festival of harvest in Bengal. Poush ( Bangla: পৌষ is the 9th month of both the Bangla calendar and the Nepali Calendar.

Bengali cinema are made both in Kolkata and Dhaka. The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s when the first " Bioscopes quot were shown in theatres in Calcutta. The Kolkata film industry is older and particularly well known for its art films. An Art film (also called an “art cinema” “art movie” or in the U Its long tradition of film making has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, while contemporary directors include Buddhadev Dasgupta and Aparna Sen. A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. Satyajit Ray (সত্যজিত রায় or সত্যজিৎ রায়) (2 May 1921–23 April 1992 was a Bengali Indian Filmmaker. Buddhadeb Dasgupta ( Bengali: বুদ্ধদেব দাশগুপ্ত Buddhodeb Dashgupto) is a Poet and prominent contemporary Dhaka also has a vibrant commercial industry and more recently has been home to critically acclaimed directors like Tareque Masud. Tareque Masud ( Bangla: তারেক মাসুদ is an independent film director from Bangladesh. Mainstream Hindi films of Bollywood are also quite popular in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India Around 200 dailies are published in Bangladesh, along with more than 1800 periodicals. West Bengal had 559 published newspapers in 2005,^[54] of which 430 were in Bangla. ^[54] Cricket and football are popular sports in the Bengal region. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Local games include sports such as Kho Kho and Kabaddi, the later being the national sport of Bangladesh. Kho Kho is an Indian sport played by teams of twelve players who try to avoid being touched by members of the opposing team only 9 players of the team enter the field Kabaddi (sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi) (கபடி otherwise known as சடுகுடுకబడ్డీ ਕਬੱਡੀ कबड्डी कबड्डीکبڈی An Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games has been organized among the athletes of the Bengali speaking areas of the two countries. ^[55]

Intra-Bengal relations today

India is Bangladesh's most important neighbor. ^[56] Geographic, cultural, historic, and commercial ties are strong, and both countries recognize the importance of good relations. During and immediately after Bangladesh's struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971, India assisted refugees from East Pakistan, intervened militarily to help bring about the independence of Bangladesh, and furnished relief and reconstruction aid. ^[56] Of the Indo-Bangladesh border length of 4,095 km (2,545 mi), West Bengal has a border length of 2,216 km (1,377 mi). ^[57] Despite overlapping historic, geographic and cultural ties, the relation between West Bengal and Bangladesh is still well below the potential. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially ^[58] The pan-Bengali sentiment among the people of two parts of Bengal was at its height during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. ^[59] While the government radio and national press in India might have backed the struggle out of strategic considerations, the Bengali broadcast and print media went out of its way to lend overwhelming support. ^[59]

Frequent air services link Kolkata with Dhaka and Chittagong. Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. Chittagong ( Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম Chôţţogram) is Bangladesh 's main Seaport and its second-largest city A bus service between Kolkata and Dhaka is operational. Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. The primary road link is the Jessore Road which crosses the border at Petrapole-Benapole about 175 km north-west of Kolkata. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Petrapole is the Indian side of Petrapole- Benapole border checkpoint between India and Benapole is the Bangladesh side of the Petrapole -Benapole border checkpost between Bangladesh and India. The Train service between Kolkata and Dhaka, which was stopped after Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, was resumed in 2008. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of Skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. ^[60]

Visa services are provided by Bangladesh's consulate at Kolkata's Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Road and India's high commissions in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi. Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. Chittagong ( Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম Chôţţogram) is Bangladesh 's main Seaport and its second-largest city Rajshahi ( Bangla: রাজশাহী is a city in Rajshahi District in northwestern Bangladesh. India has a liberal visa policy and nearly 500,000 visas^[58] are issued every year to Bangladeshi students, tourists, health-tourists and others who visit West Bengal and often transit to other parts of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The word student is etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation Verb "studēre" Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel West Bengalis visit Bangladesh for limited numbers of tourism, pilgrimage, trade, expatriate assignments; there is significant potential for growth as Bangladesh's stability, economy, moderation in religion and tourist infrastructure improves. In addition West Bengal hosts the celebrated and controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. Born Nasrin Jahan Taslima to Rajab Ali and Idul Ara Taslima Nasrin (তসিলমা নাসরিন also spelled Taslima Nasreen and popularly referred to as 'Taslima'

Undocumented immigration of Bangladeshi workers is a controversial issue^[58] championed by right-wing nationalist parties in India but finds little sympathy in West Bengal. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. India has fenced the border to control this flow but immigration is still continuing. ^[61] A rallying cry for the right-wing Hindu parties in India is that the demographics changed such as in West Bengal's border district of Malda from Hindu-majority to Muslim-majority. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> English Bazar, better known as Malda, is a city and a Municipality in Malda district

The official land border crossing at Petrapole-Benapole is the primary conduit for the over $1 billion trade between the two halves of Bengal. The volume of unofficial exports to Bangladesh from India is reportedly in the range of $350–500 million each year. ^[62] Bangladesh argues with merit that India needs to open up its border more to Bangladeshi exports. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Other landports between the two Bengals are Changrabandha-Burimari and Balurghat-Hili.

Cultural exchanges between the two parts of Bengal have been somewhat (but not fully) impacted by ups and downs in India-Bangladesh relations and in the influence of extremist Islamist groups in Bangladesh. West Bengal singers and actors complained about being rejected visas in previous years. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. Bangladesh television channels are widely watched in West Bengal. West Bengal media have an audience in Bangladesh. In foreign countries such as the U.S., Canada, UK, and UAE, it is common for Bengalis from both sides to form joint cultural associations and friendships, although inter-marriage is not significant, especially across religious barriers. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

See also

• Bangladesh
• Bengali people
• Bangals and Ghotis
• List of Bengalis
• Bengali language
• Bengali cuisine
• Music of Bangladesh
• Music of Bengal
• Bengali cinema
• East Bengal
• West Bengal
• Bengal architecture

Notes

References

• Baxter, C (1997), Bangladesh, From a Nation to a State, Westview Press, 0813336325, ISBN 185984121X
• Bennett, A & J Hindle (1996), London Review of Books: An Anthology, Verso, 63-70, ISBN 185984121X

External links

• Banglapedia- specialised site
• www.hostkingdom.net- List of rulers of Bengal
• WorldStatesmen- here India

Maps

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at University of Texas at Austin Libraries

• India from The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923
• India 1760 from The Public Schools Historical Atlas edited by C. Colbeck. Longmans, Green, and Co. 1905
• India 1882 from A Dictionary Practical, Theoretical, and Historical of Commerce and Commercial Navigation by J.R. M'Culloch. Longmans, Green and Co. London, 1882

• Art and artists of Bengal