Bengal Presidency

Bengal Presidency, also known as the Presidency of Fort William, was one of the three major administrative divisions of British India, alongside the Bombay Presidency and Madras Presidency. It was the largest and most influential presidency, extending at its height over present-day West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.^[1]

Establishment and Growth

The Bengal Presidency began as a commercial outpost of the British East India Company in the 17th century, centered around Fort William in Calcutta (now Kolkata). The Company gained political control over Bengal after the decisive victory in the Battle of Plassey (1757), led by Robert Clive against Siraj ud-Daulah.^[2]

After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the Company secured the Diwani rights (revenue collection) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa from the Mughal emperor. This marked the beginning of formal British rule in India, with Bengal as the administrative and economic heart of the empire.^[3]

Administration and Structure

The Presidency was governed from Calcutta, which served as the capital of British India until 1911. The Governor of Bengal had both administrative and military control. The structure included:

Districts overseen by Collectors
Law enforcement by Magistrates
Revenue collection through Zamindars (under the Permanent Settlement of 1793)^[4]

Bengal also became a center for judicial reforms under Warren Hastings, who established the Supreme Court at Calcutta in 1774.

Economic and Cultural Significance

Bengal was one of the richest provinces under the Mughals and remained economically vital under British rule. It was known for its jute, indigo, opium, silk, and cotton industries. The Presidency also became a hub for trade with China and Europe.

Culturally, the region witnessed the Bengal Renaissance in the 19th century, with prominent figures such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Rabindranath Tagore. English education, printing press, newspapers, and reformist movements thrived in Bengal.

Partition and Dissolution

In 1905, the British government, under Lord Curzon, partitioned Bengal into two provinces — Eastern Bengal and Assam, and Western Bengal — citing administrative convenience. This led to intense protests and the rise of the Swadeshi Movement. The partition was reversed in 1911.

With the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and subsequent administrative changes, the Bengal Presidency lost its unified identity. It was formally abolished after India’s independence in 1947, leading to the creation of West Bengal (India) and East Bengal (later Bangladesh).^[5]

Notable Cities

Calcutta – Capital and administrative center
Dhaka – Capital of East Bengal during 1905 partition
Patna, Cuttack, Murshidabad – Major commercial and regional centers

Legacy

The Bengal Presidency laid the groundwork for modern bureaucracy, education, and political activism in eastern India. It produced generations of civil servants, intellectuals, and freedom fighters who played critical roles in India’s independence struggle.

References

[1] ttps://www.britannica.com/place/Bengal-historical-region-Asia

[2] ttps://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/india/battle.htm

[3] ttps://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-economic-history-of-india/8A1BDB2C113D71B7E6A8E7852C1BAF8B

[4] ttps://www.historydiscussion.net/british-india/permanent-settlement-in-india/1723

[5] ttps://www.sahapedia.org/partition-bengal-1905

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]