Bengal 1st partition 1905

1. First Partition of Bengal
&
Reaction of Elite Hindus
Ashfaq-Ur-Rahman Khan
Istiaque Ahmed
Mohammad Pabel Ahmed
Masood Al Rasheed

2. Sequence
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 2
• Partition
• Reasons for Partition
• Demography of Partition
• Bengalis view on Partition
• Reaction of Elite Hindus
• Reasons for Reaction
• Aftermath
Ashfaq
Istiaque
Pabel
• Partition
• Reason for Partition
• Demography of Partition
• Bengalis view on Partition
• Reaction of Elite Hindus
• Reasons for Reaction
• Aftermath

3. First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus
To know the History of the Emergence of Bangladesh, a
clear knowledge on the First partition is very important.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 3

4. First Partition of Bengal
• The first Partition of Bengal (বঙ্গভঙ্গ) was a
territorial reorganization of the Bengal
Presidency implemented by the authorities of
the British Raj in 1905.
• Lord Curzon served as Governor General and
Viceroy of India, planned to split Bengal due to
administrative inefficiency.
• The partition separated the largely Muslim
eastern areas from the largely Hindu western
areas on 16 October 1905 after being
announced on 19 July 1905
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 4

5. Reasons for The First Partition of Bengal
• The British government denoted three reasons of
partition:
1. To ensure more efficient administration in the
remote districts.
2. To promote the development of backward Assam
by enlarging its jurisdiction to provide it with an
outlet to the sea.
3. To unite the scattered sections of the Uriya-
speaking population under a single administration.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 5

6. • Lord Curzon planned to split Orissa
and Bihar and join fifteen eastern
districts of Bengal with Assam.
• Chhota Nagpur was to be taken
away from Bengal and incorporated
with the Central Provinces.
• Chittagong and the districts of Dhaka
(then Dacca) and Mymensigh from
Bengal and attach them to Assam,
will be called as Eastern Bengal and
Assam.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 6
Demography

7. Demography
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 7

8. Bengalis view on Partition
• At that time Bengal was a promising province of British Colony
in terms of educational advancement and intellectuality.
• British Raj wanted to have total control on India.
• Lord Curzon's intention was to follow the divide and rule
strategy by dividing Bengalis.
• At that time he also believed that the Congress was an
ineffective force and this strategy will be a successful endeavor.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 8

9. Reaction of Elite Hindus
• But Congress strongly opposed the proposal of partition and
took strong stance against it.
• They arranged meetings where petitions against the partition
were collected.
• Bengali Hindus were upset with their minority status in the
new province.
• The partition triggered radical nationalism.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 9

10. Reaction of Elite Hindus
• They also started the movement “swadeshi” by boycotting
British goods.
• On 16 October 1905, the day of partition, schools and shops
were under strict blockade.
• They began an angry agitation, featuring terrorism, bombings,
shootings and assassinations.
• Nationalists all over India supported the Bengali.
• The protest spread to Bombay, Poona and Punjab.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 10

11. Reasons of Reaction by Elite Hindus
• The leadership of the Indian National Congress viewed the
partition as an attempt to 'divide and rule'
• Mother-goddess worshipping Bengali Hindus believed that the
partition was tantamount to the vivisection of their 'Mother
province‘
• 'Bande-Mataram' (Hail Motherland), became the main slogan of
Bengalis nationalism.
• The educated Bengali Hindus felt that partition was the prime
object of the government to encourage the growth of a Muslim
power to counteract the growing strength of the educated Hindu
community.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 11

12. Reasons of Reaction by Elite Hindus
• The Calcutta lawyers apprehended Court of Appeal at Dacca
will diminish the importance of their own High Court
• Journalists feared the appearance of local newspapers, would
restrict the circulation of Calcutta Press
• The business community of Calcutta visualized the shift of
trade from Calcutta to Chittagong.
• The Zamindars who owned vast estates both in west and east
Bengal, have to pay both Calcutta and Dhaka.
First Partition of Bengal & Reaction of Elite Hindus 12

13. Aftermath
• Muslims led by the Nawab Sallimullah of Dhaka supported the
partition and Hindus opposed it.
• Though Partition took place on 16 October of 1905.
• In 1909, separate elections were established for Muslims and
Hindus.
• In order to appease Bengali sentiment, Bengal was reunited by
Lord Hardinge in 1911
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14. Aftermath
• The Partition of Bengal in 1905 created a significant impact on
the political history of India.
• The partition triggered radical nationalism.
• This identified the exploitation and differences between
Hindus towards Muslim in the region.
• Nationally, Muslims begin to demand two separate election
and two independent states based on religion.
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15. Sumup
• Partition
• Reason for Partition
• Demography of Partition
• Bengalis view on Partition
• Reaction of Elite Hindus
• Reasons for Reaction
• Aftermath
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16. Thank you
BRITISH COLONIAL BENGAL: (1857-1935) 16