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| year = 1989 | year = 1989
}}</ref> }}</ref>

The word could also be derived from the word '']'' which was a kingdom in Bengal region during the times of ] as mentioned in ].<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/623011/Vanga</ref> The word could also be derived from the word '']'', which was a kingdom in Bengal region during the times of ] as mentioned in ].<ref></ref>


Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from ''Bongo'' ({{lang|bn|বঙ্গ}} ''bônggô''), which came from the ] word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. The word ''Banga'' and other words speculated to refer to Bengal (such as ]) can be found in ancient Indian texts including the ]s, ] texts, the ] and ]s. The earliest reference to "Bongal" ({{lang|bn|বঙ্গাল}} ''bônggal'') has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of ] ] which speak of ] as the king of Vangala.<ref>M.A. Amitabha Bhattacharyya, ''Historical Geography of Ancient and Early Mediaeval Bengal'', Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 1977, pp. 61–62.</ref> Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from ''Bongo'' ({{lang|bn|বঙ্গ}} ''bônggô''), which came from the ] word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. The word ''Banga'' and other words speculated to refer to Bengal (such as ]) can be found in ancient Indian texts including the ]s, ] texts, the ] and ]s. The earliest reference to "Bongal" ({{lang|bn|বঙ্গাল}} ''bônggal'') has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of ] ] which speak of ] as the king of Vangala.<ref>M.A. Amitabha Bhattacharyya, ''Historical Geography of Ancient and Early Mediaeval Bengal'', Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 1977, pp. 61–62.</ref>


Some accounts claim that the word may derive from ''bhang'', a preparation of ] which is used in some religious ceremonies in Bengal.<ref>{{cite book|last=Robinson|first=Rowan |title=The great book of hemp|publisher=Inner Traditions |year=1995|page=107|url=http://books.google.com/?id=Qq-A4A0KB0kC&pg=PA107|isbn=978-0-89281-541-8}}</ref><ref>http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/inhemp/4chapt9.htm</ref> Some accounts claim that the word may derive from ''bhang'', a preparation of ] that is used in some religious ceremonies in Bengal.<ref>{{cite book | last=Robinson | first=Rowan | title=The great book of hemp | publisher=Inner Traditions | year=1995 | page=107 | url=http://books.google.com/?id=Qq-A4A0KB0kC&pg=PA107 | isbn=978-0-89281-541-8}}</ref><ref>http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/inhemp/4chapt9.htm</ref>

] migrated to Bengal from the south, while ] peoples migrated from the ].<ref name=settlements>{{cite web ] migrated to Bengal from the south, while ] peoples migrated from the ].<ref name=settlements>{{cite web
| url = http://www.banglapedia.net/HT/S_0221.HTM | url = http://www.banglapedia.net/HT/S_0221.HTM
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| work = ] | work = ]
| publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071007093807/http://www.banglapedia.net/HT/S_0221.HTM <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 7 October 2007}}</ref> followed by the ] from north-western ]. The modern ] are a blend of these people resulting in a hybrid race. <ref name="note">In 1994, geneticist ] of ] divided a principal coordinant map of 42 Asian populations into three groupings: Asian ], ] and ]n and ]n. Along Southeast Asia, Cavalli-Sforza said there is a separation between northern and southern Mongoloids. To the West, Cavalli-Sforza said there is an approximate boundary between ] and Mongoloids from the ] to ]. |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071007093807/http://www.banglapedia.net/HT/S_0221.HTM <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 7 October 2007}}</ref>followed by the ] from north-western ]. The modern ] are a blend of these people resulting in a hybrid race.<ref name="note">In 1994, geneticist ] of ] divided a principal coordinant map of 42 Asian populations into three groupings: Asian ], ] and ]n and ]n. Along Southeast Asia, Cavalli-Sforza said there is a separation between northern and southern Mongoloids. To the West, Cavalli-Sforza said there is an approximate boundary between ] and Mongoloids from the ] to ]. Along this boundary there has been ], causing a Caucasoid-Mongoloid gradient. Bengali people and ] in the East India are one of in whom visible mongoloid features like salient cheek-bones and a different ] as noticeable with white-wheatish ] skin tone. ''Cavalli-Sforza, L.L., Menozzi, P. & Piazza, A. (1994). The History and Geography of Human Genes. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.''</ref>
Along this boundary there has been ], causing a Caucasoid-Mongoloid gradient. Bengali people and ] in the East India are one of in whom visible mongoloid features like salient cheek-bones and a different ] as noticeable with white-wheatish ] skin tone. ''Cavalli-Sforza, L.L., Menozzi, P. & Piazza, A. (1994). The History and Geography of Human Genes. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.''</ref> Smaller numbers of ], ], ]s and ] also migrated to the region in the ] while spreading ].


==History== ==History==
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| work = ] | work = ]
| publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
}}</ref>
}}</ref> After a period of anarchy, the native ] ] ruled the region for four hundred years, and expanded across much of the ] into ] during the reigns of ] and ]. The Pala dynasty was followed by the reign of the ] ] ]. Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12th century when ] missionaries arrived.{{cn|date=August 2013}} Later, occasional Muslim raiders reinforced the process of conversion by building mosques, ], and Sufi ]. Beginning in 1202 a military commander from the ], ], overran ] and Bengal as far east as ], ], and the ].{{cn|date=August 2013}} Although he failed to bring Bengal under his control, the expedition managed to defeat ] and his two sons moved to a place then called ] (present-day ]), where their diminished dominion lasted until the late 13th century.

During the 14th century, the former kingdom became known as the ], ruled intermittently with the ] as well as powerful ] and ]-].{{cn|date=August 2013}} The Hindu ] ruled over eastern Bengal after the collapse ]. The ] was interrupted by an uprising by the Hindus under ]. The Ganesha dynasty began in 1414, but his successors converted to Islam.{{cn|date=August 2013}} Bengal came once more under the control of Delhi as the ] conquered it in 1576. There were several independent Hindu states established in Bengal during the ] like those of ] of ] and ] of ].{{cn|date=August 2013}} These kingdoms contributed a lot to the economic and cultural landscape of Bengal. Extensive land reclamations in forested and marshy areas were carried out and trade as well as commerce were highly encouraged.{{cn|date=August 2013}} These kingdoms also helped introduce new music, painting, dancing, and sculpture into Bengali art forms.{{cn|date=August 2013}} Also, many temples were constructed during this period. Militarily, they served as bulwarks against Portuguese and Burmese attacks. ] in the northern Bengal, flourished during the period of 16th and the 17th centuries as well as weathered the Mughals and survived till the advent of the British.

In 1534, the ethnic Afghan Pashtun ] succeeded in defeating the forces of the ] under ] at Chausa (1539) and ] (1540).{{cn|date=August 2013}} Sher Shah fought back and captured both ] and ] and established a kingdom stretching far into ]. Sher Shah's administrative skill showed in his public works, including the ] connecting ] in Bengal with ] in the ]. Sher Shah's rule ended with his death in 1545.

Shah Suri's successors lacked his administrative skill, and quarrelled over the domains of his empire. ], who then ruled a rump Mughal state, saw an opportunity and in 1554 seized ] and Delhi. Humayun died in January of 1556. By this time ] (also called ]), the then Hindu prime minister-cum- Chief of Army, of the ], had already won Bengal in the battle at Chapperghatta.{{cn|date=August 2013}} In this battle Hemu killed Muhammad Shah, the then ruler of Bengal. This was Hemu's 20th continuous win in North India. Knowing of Humanyun's death, Hemu rushed to ] to win ] and later on Delhi. Hemu established 'Hindu Raj' in North India on 6 Oct 1556, after 300 years of Muslim rule, leaving Bengal to his Governor Shahbaz Khan. ], the greatest of the ] emperors, defeated the ] rulers of Bengal in 1576. Bengal became a Mughal ] and ruled through ]s (governors). Akbar exercised progressive rule and oversaw a period of prosperity (through trade and development) in Bengal and northern India.

Bengal's trade and wealth impressed the Mughals so much that they called the region the ''Paradise of the Nations.'' Administration by governors appointed by the court of the ] court (1575–1717) gave way to four decades of semi-independence under the ], who respected the nominal sovereignty of the ] in Delhi. The Nawabs granted permission to the ] to establish a trading post at ] in 1673, and the ] at ] in 1690. The most notable among them is ], who was succeeded by ].


==Maratha incursions and subjugation== ==Maratha incursions and subjugation==
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==Economy== ==Economy==
Agriculture is the leading occupation in the region. Rice is the staple food crop. Other food crops are ], potato, maize, and ]. ] is the principal ]. Tea is also produced commercially; the region is well known for ] and other high-quality teas.


Historically, Europe once regarded Bengal as "the richest country to trade with".<ref> Historically, Europe once regarded Bengal as "the richest country to trade with".<ref>
Line 429: Line 421:
] celebration in ]]] ] celebration in ]]]
] in ]]] ] in ]]]

The common ] and culture anchors the shared tradition of two parts of politically divided Bengal. Bengal has a long tradition in folk literature, evidenced by the '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' or '']''. Bengali literature in the medieval age was often either religious (e.g. ]), or adaptations from other languages (e.g. ]). During the ] of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, ] was modernised through the works of authors such as ], ], ], ] and ].


The ] tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music.<ref name=baulbengalonline>{{cite web The ] tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music.<ref name=baulbengalonline>{{cite web
Line 446: Line 436:
| work = ] | work = ]
| publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
}}</ref>
}}</ref> Other folk music forms include ], ] and ]. Folk music in Bengal is often accompanied by the ], a one-stringed instrument. Other instruments include the ], ], ], and ]. The region also has an active heritage in ].

Bengal had also been the harbinger of ] in ]s. 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 in course of time had produced many important Indian artists like ], ], ], ] and ]. In the post-independence era, Bengal had produced important artists like ], ] and ].


Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali, ''mach ar bhaath bangali baanaay'', that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".<ref name=machhe>{{cite web Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali, ''mach ar bhaath bangali baanaay'', that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".<ref name=machhe>{{cite web
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| publisher = Aqua KE Government | publisher = Aqua KE Government
|format=PDF}}</ref> Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes ] preparations, a favourite among Bengalis. Bengalis make distinctive ] from milk products, including '']'', ''Chômchôm'', and several kinds of '']''. |format=PDF}}</ref> Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes ] preparations, a favourite among Bengalis. Bengalis make distinctive ] from milk products, including '']'', ''Chômchôm'', and several kinds of '']''.

Bengali women commonly wear the '']'' and the ], 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 '']'' with '']'' or '']'', often on religious occasions. The ], a kind of long skirt, is widely worn by Bangladeshi men.


The greatest religious festivals are the two ] (] and ]) for the Muslims, and the autumnal ] for Hindus.<ref name=durgapuja>{{cite web The greatest religious festivals are the two ] (] and ]) for the Muslims, and the autumnal ] for Hindus.<ref name=durgapuja>{{cite web
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:* :*
:* :*
*


{{Countries of South Asia}} {{Countries of South Asia}}

Revision as of 07:10, 12 August 2013

For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation).

Bengal
বাংলা, বঙ্গ

Map of the Bengal region: West Bengal and Bangladesh
Largest Cities Dhaka
23°25′N 90°13′E / 23.42°N 90.22°E / 23.42; 90.22 (Dhaka)
Kolkata
23°20′N 88°13′E / 23.34°N 88.22°E / 23.34; 88.22 (Kolkata)
Main language Bengali (Bangla)
Area 232,752 km² 
Population (2001) 245,598,679
Density 951.3/km²
Infant mortality rate 55.91 per 1000 live births
Websites West Bengal Government Website
Bangladesh Government Website

Template:Contains Bangla text

Bengal /bɛŋˈɡl/ (Template:Lang-bn Bangla, বঙ্গ Bongo or Bônggô) is a geographical region in the east region of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, which was politically divided in 1947, and the region today compromises of the nation of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous kingdoms of Bengal are now part of the neighbouring Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkand and Odisha. The region of Bengal is natively inhabited by Bengali people (বাঙালি Bangali) who speak the Bengali language (বাংলা Bangla).

The region of Bengal is one of the most densely populated regions on Earth, with an estimated population of more than 250 million people and 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. In the southern part of the delta lies the Sundarbans—the world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Bengal tiger. In the coastal southeast lies Cox's Bazar, the world's longest beach with a length of 120 km (75 mi). Though the population of the region is mostly rural and agrarian, two megacities, Kolkata (previously Calcutta) and Dhaka (previously Dacca); are located in Bengal. The Bengal region is renowned for its rich literary and cultural heritage; as well as its immense political and intellectual contribution to South Asian history, through the Bengal Renaissance and revolutionary activities; and its central role in the Indian independence movement; the Bengali language movement and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Etymology

Main article: Bengali people

The exact origin of the word বাংলা Bangla and বঙ্গ Bongo or Bengal is unknown, though the word is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe called Bang that settled in the area around the year 1000 BC.

The word could also be derived from the word Vanga, which was a kingdom in Bengal region during the times of Mahabharata as mentioned in Sanskrit literature.

Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Bongo (বঙ্গ bônggô), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. The word Banga 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 "Bongal" (বঙ্গাল bônggal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala.

Some accounts claim that the word may derive from bhang, a preparation of cannabis that is used in some religious ceremonies in Bengal.

Dravidians migrated to Bengal from the south, while Tibeto-Burman peoples migrated from the Himalayas.followed by the Indo-Aryans from north-western India. The modern Bengali people are a blend of these people resulting in a hybrid race.

History

Main article: History of Bengal
Bengal

Remnants of Copper Age settlements in the Bengal region date back 4,300 years. After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga, and Magadha were formed by the 10th century BC, located in the Bihar and Bengal regions. Magadha was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Buddha and consisted of several Janapadas. One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is the mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Greeks around 100 BC, located in an area in Bengal. From the 3rd to the 6th centuries AD, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire.

The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka who reigned in the early 7th century.

Maratha incursions and subjugation

Around the early 1700s, the Maratha Empire led expeditions in Bengal. The leader of the expedition was Maratha Maharaja Raghuji of Nagpur. Raghoji was able to annexe Odisha and parts of Bengal permanently as he successfully exploited the chaotic conditions prevailing in the region after the death of their Governor Murshid Quli Khan in 1727. The expeditions resulted in Bengal becoming a tributary region of the Marathas.

European incursions and subjugation

Portuguese traders arrived late in the fifteenth century, once Vasco da Gama reached India by sea in 1498. 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 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 famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives. Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. 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. Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.

Bengal has played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups were dominant. Armed attempts to overthrow the British Raj reached a climax when Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army against the British. Bengal was also central in the rising political awareness of the Muslim population—the Muslim League was established in Dhaka in 1906. In spite of a last-ditch effort to form a United Bengal, when India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. 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). The circumstances of partition were bloody, with widespread religious riots in Bengal.

Post-1947 history

The area of Bengal expanded somewhat around this time. First, most of the Sylhet area joined East Bengal from Assam, and then Puruliya was transferred to West Bengal from Bihar. The post-partition political history of East and West Bengal diverged for the most part. Starting from the Bengali Language Movement of 1952, political dissent against West Pakistani domination grew steadily. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, emerged as the political voice of the Bengali-speaking population of East Pakistan by 1960s. In 1971, the crisis deepened when Rahman was arrested and a sustained military assault was launched on East Pakistan. 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.

West Bengal, the western part of Bengal, became a state in 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. The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure. West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) governed the state for over three decades. 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 Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in 2000. In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011,in West Bengal, CPI(M) alliance with 62 seats suffered a setback after 34 years of continuous rule, losing to Trinamool Congress led alliance's 226 seats led by Mamata Banerjee. Its Chief Minister candidate who was also an incumbent Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also lost from his Jadavpur assembly constituency.

Geography

See also: Geography of West Bengal and Geography of Bangladesh

Most of the Bengal region is in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The total area of Bengal is 232,752  km²—West Bengal is 88,752 km (34,267 sq mi) and Bangladesh 147,570 km (56,977 sq mi).

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). 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. 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 1997, this region was declared endangered.

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 state has a total area of Template:Unit area. The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (Template:Unit length)—the highest peak of the state. The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.

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 (micro gram per litre) or 50 parts per billion and the untreated water is unfit for human consumption. The water causes arsenicosis, skin cancer and various other complications in the body. Arsenic is four times as poisonous as mercury.

Major cities

The following are the largest cities in Bengal (in terms of population):

List of major cities in Bengal
Rank City Country Population
1 Kolkata India 14,617,882
2 Dhaka Bangladesh 11,664,093
3 Chittagong Bangladesh 4,079,862
4 Narayanganj Bangladesh 1,572,386
5 Khulna Bangladesh 1,490,835
6 Gazipur Bangladesh 1,279,660
7 Howrah India 1,072,161
8 Rajshahi Bangladesh 842,701
9 Siliguri India 603,940
10 Durgapur India 557,603
Source: World Gazetteer 2012
This is a list of each city's urban populations and does not indicate total district populations

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Bangladesh and Demographics of West Bengal

About 252 million people live in Bengal, around 64% of them in Bangladesh and the remainder in West Bengal. The population density in the area is more than 900/km²; making it among the most densely populated areas in the world.

Bengali is the main language spoken in Bengal. English is often used for official work. There are small minorities who speak Hindi, Urdu, Chakma. There are several tribal languages including Santhali.

Life expectancy is around 63 years, and is almost the same for men and women. In terms of literacy, West Bengal leads with 77% literacy rate, in Bangladesh the rate is approximately 53.5%. The level of poverty and illiteracy is high, the proportion of people living below the poverty line is more than 30%.

About 20,000 people live on chars. Chars are temporary islands formed by the deposition of sediments eroded off the banks of the Ganges in West Bengal which often disappear in the monsoon season. They are made of very fertile soil. The inhabitants of chars are not recognised by the Government of West Bengal on the grounds that it is not known whether they are Bengalis or Bangladeshi refugees. Consequently, no identification documents are issued to char-dwellers who cannot benefit from health care, barely survive due to very poor sanitation and are prevented from emigrating to the mainland to find jobs when they have turned 14. On a particular char it was reported that 13% of women died at childbirth.

Economy

Historically, Europe once regarded Bengal as "the richest country to trade with".

West Bengal

Main article: Economy of West Bengal

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. State industries are localised in the Kolkata region and the mineral-rich western highlands. Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of major steel plants. As of 2003–2004 West Bengal had the third-largest economy in India, with a net state domestic product of US$ 21.5 billion. During 2001–2002, the state's average SDP was more than 7.8%—outperforming the National GDP Growth. The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly occurred in the software and electronics fields; Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the information technology (IT) industry. Owing to the boom in Kolkata's and the overall state's economy, West Bengal as of 2005 had the third-fastest-growing economy in India.

Bangladesh

Main article: Economy of Bangladesh

In December 2005, the Central Bank of Bangladesh projected GDP growth around 6.5%. Although two-thirds of Bangladeshis are farmers, more than three quarters of Bangladesh’s export earnings come from the garment industry, which began attracting foreign investors in the 1980s due to cheap labour and low conversion cost. In 2002, the industry exported US$5 billion worth of products. The industry now employs more than 3 million workers, 90% of whom are women. A large part of foreign currency earnings also comes from the remittances sent by expatriates living in other countries.

The provision of microcredit by Grameen Bank (founded by Muhammad Yunus) and by other similar organisations has contributed to the development of the economy of Bangladesh. Together, such organisations had about 5 million members by late 1990s.

Culture

Part of a series on the
Culture of Bengal
History
People
Languages
Traditions
Mythology and folkloreMyths

Lores
Cuisine
Festivals
Art
Literature

Genres

Institutions

Awards

Music and performing arts

Folk genres

Devotional

Classical genres

Modern genres

People

Instruments

Dance

Theater

Organizations

People

Media
Sport
Main articles: Culture of West Bengal and Culture of Bangladesh
Bengali artists performing a traditional dance.
Baul singers at Basanta-Utsab, Shantiniketan
Pohela Baishakh celebration in Dhaka
Mahashtami Puja during Durga Puja in Kolkata

The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bangla folk music. The scholar saint Sri Anirvan loved Baul music, and in fact described himself as a simple Baul.

Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali, mach ar bhaath bangali baanaay, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali". Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes Hilsa preparations, a favourite among Bengalis. Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, and several kinds of Pithe.

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. Christmas (called Bôŗodin (Great day) in Bangla), Buddha Purnima are other major religious festivals. Other festivities include Pohela Baishakh (the Bengali New Year), Basanta-Utsab, Nobanno, and Poush parbon (festival of Poush).

Around 200 dailies are published in Bangladesh, along with more than 1800 periodicals. West Bengal had 559 published newspapers in 2005, of which 430 were in Bangla. Cricket and football are popular sports in the Bengal region. Local games include sports such as Kho Kho and Kabaddi, the later being the national sport of Bangladesh. An Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games has been organised among the athletes of the Bengali speaking areas of the two countries.

Intra-Bengal relations today

Geographic, cultural, historic, and commercial ties are growing, and both countries recognise the importance of good relations. During and immediately after Bangladesh's struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971, India assisted refugees from East Pakistan, and intervened militarily to help bring about the independence of Bangladesh. 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). Despite overlapping historic, geographic and cultural ties, the relation between West Bengal and Bangladesh is still well below the potential. The pan-Bengali sentiment among the people of the two parts of Bengal was at its height during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. 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.

Frequent air services link Kolkata with Dhaka and Chittagong. A bus service between Kolkata and Dhaka is operational. The primary road link is the Jessore Road which crosses the border at Petrapole-Benapole about 175 km (109 mi) north-west of Kolkata. The Train service between Kolkata and Dhaka, which was stopped after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, was resumed in 2008.

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. India has a liberal visa policy and nearly 500,000 visas are issued every year to Bangladeshi students, tourists, health-tourists and others who visit West Bengal and often transit to other parts of India.

Undocumented immigration of Bangladeshi workers is a controversial issue championed by right-wing nationalist parties in India but finds little sympathy in West Bengal. India has fenced the border to control this flow but immigration is still continuing.

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.

Gallery

See also

Notes

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  12. In 1994, geneticist Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza of Stanford University divided a principal coordinant map of 42 Asian populations into three groupings: Asian Caucasoids, Northeast and East Asian and Southeast Asian. Along Southeast Asia, Cavalli-Sforza said there is a separation between northern and southern Mongoloids. To the West, Cavalli-Sforza said there is an approximate boundary between Caucasoids and Mongoloids from the Urals to the eastern part of India. Along this boundary there has been hybridization, causing a Caucasoid-Mongoloid gradient. Bengali people and Assamese people in the East India are one of in whom visible mongoloid features like salient cheek-bones and a different Epicanthal fold as noticeable with white-wheatish Aryan skin tone. Cavalli-Sforza, L.L., Menozzi, P. & Piazza, A. (1994). The History and Geography of Human Genes. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
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References

External links

Geo Links for Bengal

Maps

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

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