L-3 Bangladesh Political History Part-I

A survey of Archaeological evidences and sites in Bengal or Bangladesh:

Bangladesh is regarded as the largest delta of the world having farmed with
fertile silt came down form the Himalayan highlands by the mightiest rivers of Asia such
as the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. While flowing downwards from the melting
Himalayan glaciers, these streams deposit enormous amount of rich fertilizing silt before
flowing into Bay of Bengal. This rich alluvium of the rivers enriches the lands which in
fact sustain a teaming multitude of population. The characteristics of these rivers are
such that it sustains a teaming population, but at the same time since the rivers change
their courses to such an extent that while doing so engulf or devour the established
prosperous human settlements located on their either side of their banks.

Early History:

Pre-history of Bangladesh is extremely nebulous and in the present stage of

knowledge is unevenly spread and imperfectly understood. Chronologically, this
comprises the period from the beginning of the Mauryans to the decline of the guptas if
roughly from 300 B.C. to the middle or the third quarter of the sixth century A.D. The
existing historical knowledge of this period is perhaps dominated by inscription,
coins, sculptures, terracotas and a few architechiral examples. Somehow they
throw some light on the spread of early historical occupation in Bangladesh.
Archaeologically the early historical level has been reached at only one site
Mahasthangarh in the Bagura district; I quote “The archaeological reconstruction
of the early historical period in Bangladesh is a singularly unsatisfactory task”.

According to the Archaeologists “what is known today is greatly

overweighed by what is unknown”-(Nazim uddin Ahmed) A few stray Neolithic
artifacts of fossil wood by accident were picked up from time to time by some
amateurs in 1950’s in the hilly region of Sitakunda, Chittagong, Rangamati and Comilla,
together with a couple of dozen polished cells were saved during regular excavations
at the Salbon Vihara in Mainamoti hill range in 1960. However, a recent excavations
in the mainamati Lalmai range in Comilla by a group of Archaeologists in 1990-91.
However, successes in collecting more than 230 fossil artifacts of the middle and
late stone Ages. All these evidences truely indicate to the fact that the footsteps of
the early man were found in this region. It is absolutely necessary that a systematic
and more explanation of the river valleys and peripheral areas of Bangladesh are
certainly going to unfold clearer the picture of the Stone Age in Bangladesh.

In recent time, an unpretentious highly interesting proto and early historic sites,
on waribates war, Raingartak and Marjal villages of Shibpur upazella in Narsingdi
district has yielded important archaeological riches. It has been noticed that it
located about 20 miles north-east of Dhaka on the “western-trans-Meghna Basin”, a

Courtesy By: Kaisar Syed 1

L-3 Bangladesh Political History Part-I

large scattered area of about a mile from north to south and east to west. In fact it is an
extention of the “ Qasi lateristic highland” of the “Bhawal Tract”, characterized by
deep reddish soil mixed with nodules of iron ingots.

To the north and north-east of these villages there were two abandoned river-
beds of a branch of the gist N1K1 Bhattasali in 1931 collected from these villages over
259 silver punch marked and east copper coins. Recently a group of Archaeologists
surveyed the areas and collected a few more like hundreds of the same types of silver
punch marked coins, Carnelian, agate and other precious stones, beads, buttons and
above all astounding assemblage of over 500 Neolithic stone axes, cleavers and so
called iron hand-axes. These ‘stone-Age’ periods was followed by ‘Iron-Age’.
These were followed by iron-axes, iron-plates, iron-ring stone mortar and pestle, string
balls of stones, tentatively dated to about 800 B.C. and pre-dated the punch marked
silver coins dated 400 B.C.

Importance of Bangladesh: Early Historical period :( 1)

During the 3rd country B.C. Bangladesh formed part of the great Mauryan
Empire. So from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. the northern and western
parts of the Bengal were ruled by the Mauryans the guptas, the palas and the senas,
who ruled successively until the sena’s rule suddenly replaced by the Muslim rule in the
early 13th century A.D. On the other hand the southern and the eastern part of the
century known as Samatata whish was situated in the Trans-Meghna region was then
ruled independently by a succession of Buddhist dynastic between the 7th to the 12th
centuries known as the Khadgas, the Devas and the Chandra rulers. They were the
devout Buddhists as were the contemporary Devas and Chandra kings of samatata in
the south. Under their royal patronage countless Buddhists Monasteries, Stupas and
shrines sprang up all over the empire. It is well known that the four centuries of Pala
rule may very rightly be called as the “Golden Age or Epoch” in the history of Bengal.
For it not only brought peace after a century of political anarchy in the country, but
developed various architectural and artistic activities within their kingdom. It was also
noticed that from the 8th century A.D. onwards under their patronage Mahayana
Buddhism become a dynamic international farce displayed profound influence from
Tibet in the north to the Malayan Archipelago in the south.

Islamic Period:

After the conquest of Bengal from the Hindu Mahayana Laksmana sena in
1205 A.D. by Ikhtiyaruddin Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khalji, a Turkish adventurer, the
whole of Bengal was gradually ruled by Muslim rulers either semi-independently or as
independent rulers from the Delhi Sultanate which lasted for two centuries. Because of

Courtesy By: Kaisar Syed 2

L-3 Bangladesh Political History Part-I

isolatim from the Delhi Sultanate and its influence, Bengal developed strong regional
individuality in art and architecture.

The Mughal conquest of Bengal brought about a constructive and a uniform

administration in the art and architecture of the province, which gained a new dimension
from an age-old regionalism in style. Bengal remained a rich province of the Mughal
Empire until the death of the last great Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707 A.D. But it
declined sharply after his death, with the emergence of the foreign power of the west,
particularly the French, the British, the Dutch and the Portuguese. However, on the 23rd
June 1757, the rule in Bengal was swept away by the East India Company at the battle
of Plassey. On that night the fate of Bengal was sealed by the murder of Bengal’s
young Nawab Serajud Doula in the hands of the British rulers for next two hundred
years.

Monuments and sites:

During more than two thousand years of its eventful history a large number of
prosperous urban centers, fortified palaces, various historical ground Temples, Stupas,
monumental gates and gateways, mosques and public buildings were built by various
rulers of the country. Most of these architectural sites and buildings were perished with
the passage of times and by the ravages of wars and climate conditions.

Courtesy By: Kaisar Syed 3