16 October - The provincial state of Bengal was partitioned

 

On October 16, 1905, the British colonial government in India officially partitioned the province of Bengal. The partition of Bengal was a significant event in the history of British India and had far-reaching consequences, both socially and politically.

The partition divided the province of Bengal into two separate entities: West Bengal, which included the majority Hindu population, and East Bengal, which included the majority Muslim population. The official reason given for the partition was administrative efficiency, but it was widely seen as an attempt to "divide and rule" by the British, who believed that it would weaken the growing nationalist and anti-colonial movements in Bengal.

The partition of Bengal led to widespread protests and opposition, as it was perceived as a deliberate attempt to sow division along religious lines. Prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress and other political and social groups vehemently opposed the move. The Swadeshi Movement, a boycott of British goods, and various other forms of civil disobedience and protest activities were launched in response to the partition.

Due to the widespread agitation and protests against the partition, it was eventually reversed in 1911. Bengal was reunified as a single province, but with some territorial adjustments. While the partition was formally undone, it left a lasting impact on the communal and political dynamics of the region, which would continue to influence Indian politics in the decades that followed.