Partition of Bengal (1905) & Annulment.

In 1905, the then Borolat of India Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (known as Lord Curzon)
partitioned the province of Bengal, known in history as 'Partition of Bengal'. Through this, on
October 16 of the same year, undivided Bengal's Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong, Chittagong
Hill Tracts and Malda districts were merged with Chief Commissioner Shasit Assam to form
a new province called East Bengal and Assam. However, in just 6 years, the partition of Bengal
was canceled on 12 December 1911. The history of Bengal from 1905-1911 is eventful.
The disunity of Bengal's two main religious communities, Hindus and Muslims, started in
contrast to the long-standing unity of Bengal's partition and abolition. It has a great impact on
the politics of Bengal. As a result, the Muslim awakening began in the Indian subcontinent.

Causes of Partition of Bengal

British officials including Meckley, Ridgeley, Ibbetsen, and Lord Curzon felt that Bengal had
been partitioned for administrative reasons. On the other hand, most of the Bengali historians
and nationalist leaders of West Bengal think that the purpose of partition of Bengal is purely
political. However, economic and social reasons also existed behind the partition of Bengal.
The main causes are described below:
Administrative Reasons
Since the beginning, administrative reasons have been given priority as the reason for the
partition of Bengal. Lord Curzon took responsibility and started working for the partition of
Bengal to increase administrative facilities and efficiency.
For example –
First, After the establishment of British rule, the administration shifted from Murshidabad to
Calcutta. Large areas of East Bengal have been neglected for a long time due to population
growth in East Bengal, traffic problems and pressure on the administrative system within the
province. Administration was not efficient and active. The money spent in this area for public
welfare and development was very less than the actual need.
Secondly, the communication, police and postal system of East Bengal was very traditional in
nature. Due to underdeveloped communications and administrative weakness, theft, robbery
and illegal activities were frequent in the vast Char and Howar regions and islands of South
and East Bengal. People's safety was threatened. So the province behind the division of Bengal
establishing peace and order is also a priority.
Thirdly, according to Ridgely’s letter, the administrative responsibility of a large province, the
Bengal government has to deal with the complex problems of revenue collection, growing
population, industrial and commercial development and many more.
 Political reasons:
According to Sumit Sarkar, Home Office documents and personal correspondence of
administrators clearly prove that the British rulers took the decision of partition of Bengal
motivated by political motives. However, the political agenda of the British authorities had
few goals as follows:
Destruction of Bengali Nationalist Spirit:
At this time, the nationalist movement took root, the center of which was Calcutta. It was led
by Hindu Bengali middle class leaders. Therefore, the British bureaucrats thought that if the
unity and solidarity of the Bengali nation could be destroyed by dividing Bengal, the
nationalist movement would be weakened.
On February 7, 1904, Home Secretary Ridgely said more clearly, “A united Bengal is a
strength; What is not a divided Bengal, our main objective is to divide it and thus weaken the
opposition to our rule.”
Weakening of Congress Power:
Ever since the founding of the Indian National Congress in 1885, the political consciousness
of the people of India has increased. Congress leaders took a stand against the partition of
Bengal from the very beginning. One of his comments on May 24, 1905 bears testimony to
this. Curzon said, "The Congress' dislike of Bengali Partition is the biggest guarantee of the
political advantage of our Bengali Partition proposal."
Divide and rule policy:
Partition of Bengal was a continuation of divided and Rule policy. As a result, on the one
hand, the religious nationalism of East Bengal Muslims will be awakened and they can be
happy. On the other hand, this policy will create mistrust and suspicion between Bengali
Hindus and Muslims and destroy the long-standing unity and solidarity. As a result, nationalist
and anti-British movements will be weakened

Economic reasons
Eliminating Economic Disparity:
As the capital of India, all kinds of economic development, trade, education, communication
and administrative development activities of the province of Bengal are conducted around
Calcutta. On the other hand, long-term neglect, indifference and Due to the lack of effective
projects, the condition of the people in the eastern region is deteriorating day by day and hence
the secession movement has become a matter of great interest among the people of this region.
Emancipation from tyranny of landlords:
Although there was a zamindari system, the Zamindar stayed in Calcutta. In their absence,
their appointees exploited the innocent East Bengal peasants. The money spent on the comforts
of the zamindars was collected from the peasants in East Bengal. The money of the East was
thus spent in the West. British government on the peasants, inspired the neglected East
Bengalis to agitate for the partition of Bengal.
Improvement of communication:
The government did not see the expansion of foreign trade of Assam and East Bengal centered
on Chittagong port. The big rivers of Bangladesh such as the Meghna River were not used for
the navigation of large ships. The communication system of Chittagong with the trade center
Dhaka Division has not been improved.

Social and religious reasons

In 1905, the Muslim community of East Bengal strongly supported the British government's
proposal for the partition of Bengal in the hope of restoring their glory. Apart from this, the
vocal appeals of various thinkers about the demands of disenfranchised Muslims make them
self-conscious. As a result, the Bengal partition movement formed to form a Muslim-majority
province with East Bengal and Assam became increasingly intense among the Muslims of this
area.
Implementation of Bengal partition plan
As per Lord Curzon's plan with Assam, Chittagong, Dhaka, Rajshahi divisions formed
“Eastern Bengal and Assam Province”. Dhaka was made the capital of East Bengal and Assam.
Sir Bamfield Fuller was appointed the first Chotolat (Governor) of East Bengal and Assam
Province.
On the other hand, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa form the province of Bengal, with Kolkata
as its capital. It has an area of 1 lakh 41 thousand 580 square miles and a population of 5 Crore
40 lakhs. The Partition of Bengal was implemented on 16 October 1905.

Reaction to the partition of Bengal

Reaction of Middle-Class :
Common middle-class Bengali Hindus and caste Hindus based in Calcutta opposed the
partition of Bengal. The educated middle class and upper caste Hindus of Calcutta especially
landlords, politicians, industrialists, businessmen, lawyers and journalists all took a stand in
favor of this movement. They termed it communal as the British government's bias towards
Muslims and attempts to establish Muslim supremacy. Namashudras were the majority among
the Hindu community in East Bengal. They found no interest in the political aspirations of
caste Hindus, so they supported the partition of Bengal.
Congress response:
With the support and cooperation of the Hindu community, the Indian National Congress
launched an all-out movement against the partition of Bengal. Congress leaders participated
in each of the protest meetings and demanded the annulment of the Partition of Bengal. Despite
being a non-communal party, Congress gradually lost its identity as a non-communal
organization by joining this movement. To strengthen the movement, the Congress called for
a Swadeshi movement in a public meeting in Calcutta on 7 August, two months before the
Partition of Bengal took effect.
Newspaper response:
Most of the newspaper owners in Calcutta were then middle class or landlords. They thought
that if new newspapers and magazines were published from Dhaka, the capital of the new
province, their business and influence would gradually decrease. For this reason, the Hindu-
owned newspapers played an anti-partition role from the beginning and pressured the British
government to cancel the partition. Bengali newspapers under the leadership of Surendranath
Banerjee characterized the partition of Bengal as a serious national disaster. Besides, the
newspaper 'Jugantar' edited by Bhupendranath Das raised public opinion against the partition
of Bengal and supported the Swadeshi movement.
Lieutenant Governor of East Bengal and Assam Province, to resign in 1906.
Muslim Reaction:
With some exceptions, the majority of East Bengal Muslims were in favor of the partition of
Bengal. Since 1905, when the strong movement against the partition of Bengal started, Nawab
Salimullah of Dhaka played a role in forming the Muslim public opinion in favor of the
partition of Bengal. On his initiative in 1906, Muslim political party named 'Muslim League'
was formed. This manifesto appealed to the Muslims not to join the anti-partition meetings of
Swadeshi or in any other name. In this way, the partition of Bengal created a lot of excitement
in the Muslim society of East Bengal.