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History

The area currently known as Bangladesh has a rich history as a result of the immigration of different cultures. Around the year 1200, the Hindu and Buddhist monarchies were ousted by Muslim suppressors. They converted most of the eastern population to the Islam, which has played a crucial role in the country's history and politics ever since.
During the 16th century, the area was made part of the enormous Mogul Empire.

During the second half of the 15th century, Portuguese merchants and missionaries reached Bangladesh. They were followed by representatives of the Dutch V.O.C., the French and the English.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the English succeeded in expanding their administrative influence. In 1859, the area was placed under British command as part of a colony that ran from the river Indus in current Pakistan in the west up to current Bangladesh in the east.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Muslim and Hindu leaders pleaded with the British government to allow the area a certain degree of independence. This movement was led by the Hindu Indian National Congress. Since this movement focused mainly on the Hindu part of the population, the Muslim leader decided to found the All-India Muslim League in 1906.
Although both movements had the same goal, they failed to agree on religious, economic and political rights of the Muslim population. In the following years, tension grew between the different ethnic groups.

In the 1930s, the idea for an independent Muslim state was born. An increasing amount of Muslims in British India supported this plan. On 23 March 1940, Muhammed Ali Jinnah openly suggested a separate Muslim state within the Pakistan Resolution for those areas were Muslims made up the majority of the population. After World War II, the international community increased pressure on the United Kingdom to make India independent. However, the Congress Party and the Muslim League were unable to agree on a constitution and an interim government.
In 1947, British India was divided into two independent countries: India and Pakistan. Pakistan consist of five provinces: four in western Pakistan and one in the eastern part of former British India, 1600 km further east.

The first 25 years of Pakistani history were characterized by political instability and economic difficulties. The government consisted mainly of elites from western Pakistan and virtually all funds were used to encourage the development of the western provinces. This led to tension between the eastern and western part of the country.

When the eastern Pakistani Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, held 167 out of 313 seats in Parliament and wanted to give greater sovereignty to the eastern province, the army intervened. Mujibur Rahman was taken captive and the Awami League was forbidden.
Over 10 million Bengalis fled to India, where a provincial government was formed. All this led to a bloody and terrifying war in November 1971. On December 16th of that year, the western Pakistanis surrendered and eastern Pakistan became an independent country: Bangladesh.