Monday, December 28, 2009
The Pala dynasty of bd
Pala dynasty were the first independent Buddhist dynasty of Bengal. The name Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pal) means protector and was used as an ending to the names of all Pala monarchs. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. This event is recognized as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia since the time of the Mahā Janapadas. He reigned from 750-770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750-1120 AD) and ushered in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works of art as well as supported the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent.
Somapura Mahavihara in Bangladesh is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent, built by Dharmapala.
The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once more for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern day Afghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to Pala copperplate inscription Devapala exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lords of Gurjara, Pratiharas and the Dravidas.
Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala EmpireThe death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipala I rejuvenated the reign of the Palas. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern India.
The Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Palas were responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Pala had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java, Sumatra).
Sena dynasty
Main article: Sena Empire
The Palas were followed by the Sena dynasty who brought Bengal under one ruler during the twelfth century. Vijay Sen the second ruler of this dynasty defeated the last Pala emperor Madanapala and established his reign. Ballal Sena introduced caste system in Bengal and made Nabadwip the capital. The fourth king of this dynasty Lakshman Sen expanded the empire beyond Bengal to Bihar, Assam, and Orissa. Lakshman was later defeated by the Muslims and fled to eastern Bengal were he ruled few more years. The Sena dynasty brought a revival of Hinduism and cultivated Sanskrit literature in India. It is believed by some Bengali authors that Jayadeva, the famous Sanskrit poet and author of Gita Govinda, was one of the Pancharatnas (meaning 5 gems) in the court of Lakshman Sen.
Late Middle Ages - arrival of IslamIslam made its first appearance in Bengal during the twelfth century AD when Sufi missionaries arrived. Later occasional Muslim invaders reinforced the process of conversion by building mosques, madrassas and Sufi Khanqah. Beginning in 1202 a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, Bakhtiar Khilji, overran Bihar and Bengal as far east as Rangpur, Bogra and the Brahmaputra River. The defeated Laksman Sen and his two sons moved to a place then called Vikramapur (present-day Munshiganj District), where their diminished dominion lasted until the late thirteenth century.
Turkic rule
Khilji maliks
The period after Bakhtiar Khilji's death in 1206 devolved into infighting among the Khiljis - representative of a pattern of succession struggles and intra-empire intrigues during later Turkic regimes. Ghiyasuddin Iwaz Khalji prevailed and extended the Sultan's domain south to Jessore and made the eastern Bang province a tributary. The capital was made at Lakhnauti on the Ganges near the older Bengal capital of Gaur. He managed to make Kamarupa, Orissa and Trihut pay tribute to him. But he was later defeated by Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish.
Mameluk ruleThe weak successors of Iltutmish encouraged the local governors to declare independence. Bengal was sufficiently remote from Delhi that its governors would declare independence on occasion, styling themselves as Sultans of Bengal. It was during this time that Bengal earned the name "Bulgakpur" (land of the rebels). Tughral Togun Khan added Oudh and Bihar to Bengal. Mughisuddin Yuzbak also conquered Bihar and Oudh from Delhi but was killed during an unsuccessful expedition in Assam. Two Turkic attempts to push east of the broad Jamuna and Brahmaputra rivers were repulsed, but a third led by Mughisuddin Tughral conquered the Sonargaon area south of Dhaka to Faridpur, bringing the Sen Kingdom officially to an end by 1277. Mughisuddin Tughral repulsed two massive attacks of the sultanate of Delhi before finally being defeated and killed by Ghiyas ud din Balban.
Mahmud Shahi dynastyMahmud Shahi dynasty started when Nasiruddin Bughra Khan declared independence in Bengal. Thus Bengal regained her independence back. Nasiruddin Bughra Khan and his successors ruled Bengal for 23 years finally being incorporated into Delhi Sultanate by Ghyiasuddin Tughlaq.
Ilyas Shahi dynasty
Sixty Dome Mosque in Mosque city of Bagerhat was built in the 15th century and is the largest historical mosque in Bangladesh, as well as a World Heritage site.Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah founded an independent dynasty that lasted from 1342-1487. The dynasty successfully repulsed attempts by Delhi to conquer them. They continued to reel in the territory of modern-day Bengal, reaching to Khulna in the south and Sylhet in the east. The sultans advanced civic institutions and became more responsive and "native" in their outlook and cut loose from Delhi.
Considerable architectural projects were completed including the massive Adina Mosque and the Darasbari Mosque which still stands in Bangladesh near the border. The Sultans of Bengal were patrons of Bengali literature and began a process in which Bengali culture and identity would flourish. The Ilyas Shahi Dynasty was interrupted by an uprising by the Hindus under Raja Ganesha. However the Ilyas Shahi dynasty was restored by Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah. The dynasty was finally overthrown by the Habshi (Abyssinian) slaves of the sultanate.
Hussain Shahi dynasty
The Habshi rule gave way to the Hussain Shahi dynasty that ruled from 1494-1538. Alauddin Hussain Shah, considered as the greatest of all the sultans of Bengal for bringing cultural renaissance during his reign. He conquered Kamarupa, Kamata, Jajnagar, Orissa and extended the sultanate all the way to the port of Chittagong, which witnessed the arrival of the first Portuguese merchants. Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah gave refuge to the Afghan lords during the invasion of Babur though he remained neutral. However Nusrat Shah made a treaty with Babur and saved Bengal from a Mughal invasion. The last Sultan of the dynasty, who continued to rule from Gaur, had to contend with rising Afghan activity on his northwestern border. Eventually, the Afghans broke through and sacked the capital in 1538 where they remained for several decades until the arrival of the Mughals.
Suri dynasty
Sher Shah Suri established the Sur dynasty in Bengal. After the battle of Chausa he declared himself independent Sultan of Bengal and Bihar. Sher Shah was the only Muslim Sultan of Bengal to establish an empire in northern India. The Delhi Sultanate Islam Shah appointed Muhammad Khan Sur as the governor of Bengal. After the death of Islam Shah, Muhammad Khan Sur became independent. Muhammad Khan Sur was followed by Ghyiasuddin Bahadur Shah and Ghyiasuddin Jalal Shah. The Pashtun rule in Bengal remained for 44 years. Their most impressive achievement was Sher Shah's construction of the Grand Trunk Road connecting Sonargaon, Delhi and Peshawar.
Karrani dynasty
The Sur dynasty was followed by the Karrani dynasty. Sulaiman Khan Karrani annexed Orissa to the Muslim sultanate permanently. Daoud Shah Karrani declared independence from Akbar which led to four years of bloody war between the Mughals and the Pashtuns. The Mughal onslaught against the Pashtun Sultan ended with the battle of Rajmahal in 1576, led by Khan Jahan. However, the Pashtun and the local landlords (Baro Bhuyans) led by Isa Khan resisted the Mughal invasion.
Gangaridai Empire of bd
Though north and west Bengal were part of the Magadhan empire southern Bengal thrived and became powerful with her overseas trades. In 326 BCE, with the invasion of Alexander the Great the region again came to prominence. The Greek and Latin historians suggested that Alexander the Great withdrew from India anticipating the valiant counter attack of the mighty Gangaridai empire that was located in the Bengal region. Alexander, after the meeting with his officer, Coenus, was convinced that it was better to return. Diodorus Siculus mentions Gangaridai to be the most powerful empire in India whose king possessed an army of 20,000 horses, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots and 4,000 elephants trained and equipped for war. The allied forces of Gangaridai Empire and Nanda Empire (Prasii) were preparing a massive counter attack against the forces of Alexander on the banks of Ganges. Gangaridai according to the Greek accounts kept on flourishing at least up to the 1st century AD.
[edit] Early Middle Ages
The pre-Gupta period of Bengal is shrouded with obscurity. Before the conquest of Samudragupta Bengal was divided into two kingdoms: Pushkarana and Samatata. Chandragupta II had defeated a confederacy of Vanga kings resulting in Bengal becoming part of the Gupta Empire.
[edit] Gauda Kingdom
By the sixth century, the Gupta Empire ruling over the northern Indian subcontinent was largely broken up. Eastern Bengal became the Vanga Kingdom while the Gauda kings rose in the west with their capital at Karnasuvarna (Murshidabad). Shashanka, a vassal of the last Gupta Empire became independent and unified the smaller principalities of Bengal (Gaur, Vanga, Samatata) and vied for regional power with Harshavardhana in northern India. But this burst of Bengali power did not last beyond his death, as Bengal descended afterwards into a period marked by disunity and foreign invasion.
Proto-History of bd
Hindu scriptures such as the Mahabharata say that Bangladesh was divided among various tribes or kingdoms, including the Nishadas and kingdoms known as the Janapadas: Vanga (southern Bengal), Pundra (northern Bengal), and Suhma (western Bengal) according to their respective totems. These Hindu sources, written by Indo-Aryans in what is now Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, say that the peoples of Bangladesh were not Indo-Aryans. However, Jain scriptures identify Vanga and Anga in Bangladesh as Indo-Aryan. While western Bangladesh, as part of Magadha, became part of the Indo-Aryan civilization by the 7th century BCE, the Nanda Dynasty was the first historical state to unify all of Bangladesh under Indo-Aryan rule.
Overseas Colonization
The Vanga Kingdom was a powerful seafaring nation of Ancient India. They had overseas trade relations with Java, Sumatra and Siam (modern day Thailand). According to Mahavamsa, the Vanga prince Vijaya Singha conquered Lanka (modern day Sri Lanka) in 544 BC and gave the name "Sinhala" to the country. Bengali people migrated to the Maritime Southeast Asia and Siam (in modern Thailand), establishing their own colonies there.[
History of Bangladesh 1971
Bangladesh became one of the large nation states in 1971 when it seceded from Pakistan. Prior to the creation of Pakistan in 1947, modern-day Bangladesh was part of ancient, classical, medieval and colonial India. Since independence, the government has experienced periods of democratic and military rule. The father of the country and its first president was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His daughter Sheikh Hasina Wazed is currently the prime minister, as leader of the Awami League. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is led by Begum Khaleda Zia, who is the widow of the revered freedom fighter and former military ruler Ziaur Rahman.
Etymology
See also: History of Bengal
The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang/Banga that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE.[1][2] Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Vanga (bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. According to Mahabharata, Purana, Harivamsha Vanga was one of the adopted sons of king Vali who founded the Vanga kingdom. The Muslim Accounts refer that "Bong", a son of Hind (son of Hām who was a son of Prophet Noah/Nooh) colonized the area for the first time.[3] The earliest reference to "Vangala"(bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah took the title "Shah-e-Bangalah" and united the whole region under one government for the first time.
Pre-historic Bengal
Stone tools provide the earliest evidence of human settlements. Prehistoric stone implements have been discovered in various parts of West Bengal in the districts of Midnapur, Bankura and Burdwan. But it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the time when people using them first settled in Bengal. It might have taken place ten thousand years (or even more) ago. The original settlers spoke non-Aryan languages—they may have spoken Austric or Austro-Asiatic languages like the languages of the present-day Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara and Pulinda peoples. At a subsequent age, peoples speaking languages from two other language families—Dravidian and Tibeto-Burman—seem to have settled in Bengal. Archaeological discoveries during the 1960s furnished evidence of a degree of civilisation in certain parts of Bengal as far back as the beginning of the first millennium BC, perhaps even earlier. The discoveries at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the Ajay River (near Bolpur) in Burdwan district and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai Rivers have thrown fresh light on Bengal's prehistory. Pandu Rajar Dhibi represents the ruins of a trading township, which carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also—possibly indirectly—with the countries of the Mediterranean.
[edit] Bengal in mythology
Some deprecatory references indicate that the early people in Bengal were different in ethnicity and culture from the Vedic beyond the boundary of Aryandom and who were classed as 'Dasyus'. The Bhagavata Purana classes them as sinful people while Dharmasutra of Bodhayana prescribes expiatory rites after a journey among the Pundras and Vangas. Mahabharata speaks of Paundraka Vasudeva who was lord of the Pundrasand who allied himself with Jarasandha against Krishna. Mahabharata also speaks of Bengali kings called Chitrasena and Sanudrasena who were defeated by Bhima, Kalidas mentions Raghu defeated a coalition of Vanga kings who were defeated by Raghu and Raghu established a victory column in the Gangetic delta.
Etymology
See also: History of Bengal
The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang/Banga that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE.[1][2] Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Vanga (bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. According to Mahabharata, Purana, Harivamsha Vanga was one of the adopted sons of king Vali who founded the Vanga kingdom. The Muslim Accounts refer that "Bong", a son of Hind (son of Hām who was a son of Prophet Noah/Nooh) colonized the area for the first time.[3] The earliest reference to "Vangala"(bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah took the title "Shah-e-Bangalah" and united the whole region under one government for the first time.
Pre-historic Bengal
Stone tools provide the earliest evidence of human settlements. Prehistoric stone implements have been discovered in various parts of West Bengal in the districts of Midnapur, Bankura and Burdwan. But it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the time when people using them first settled in Bengal. It might have taken place ten thousand years (or even more) ago. The original settlers spoke non-Aryan languages—they may have spoken Austric or Austro-Asiatic languages like the languages of the present-day Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara and Pulinda peoples. At a subsequent age, peoples speaking languages from two other language families—Dravidian and Tibeto-Burman—seem to have settled in Bengal. Archaeological discoveries during the 1960s furnished evidence of a degree of civilisation in certain parts of Bengal as far back as the beginning of the first millennium BC, perhaps even earlier. The discoveries at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the Ajay River (near Bolpur) in Burdwan district and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai Rivers have thrown fresh light on Bengal's prehistory. Pandu Rajar Dhibi represents the ruins of a trading township, which carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also—possibly indirectly—with the countries of the Mediterranean.
[edit] Bengal in mythology
Some deprecatory references indicate that the early people in Bengal were different in ethnicity and culture from the Vedic beyond the boundary of Aryandom and who were classed as 'Dasyus'. The Bhagavata Purana classes them as sinful people while Dharmasutra of Bodhayana prescribes expiatory rites after a journey among the Pundras and Vangas. Mahabharata speaks of Paundraka Vasudeva who was lord of the Pundrasand who allied himself with Jarasandha against Krishna. Mahabharata also speaks of Bengali kings called Chitrasena and Sanudrasena who were defeated by Bhima, Kalidas mentions Raghu defeated a coalition of Vanga kings who were defeated by Raghu and Raghu established a victory column in the Gangetic delta.
History of Bangladesh
Bangladesh came to today's shape through a long history of political evolution. Bengal was probably the wealthiest part of the subcontinent up till the 16th century. The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. All of this was just a prelude to the unstoppable tide of Islam which washed over northern India at the end of the 12th century. Mohammed Bakhtiar Khalzhi from Turkistan captured Bengal in 1199 with only 20 men.
Under the Mughal viceroys, art and literature flourished, overland trade expanded and Bengal was opened to world maritime trade - the latter marking the death knell of Mughal power as Europeans began to establish themselves in the region. The Portuguese arrived as early as the 15th century but were ousted in 1633 by local opposition. The East India Company negotiated terms to establish a fortified trading post in Calcutta in 1690.
The decline of Mughal power led to greater provincial autonomy, heralding the rise of the independent dynasty of the nawabs of Bengal. Humble East India Company clerk Robert Clive ended up effectively ruling Bengal when one of the impetuous nawabs attacked the thriving British enclave in Calcutta and stuffed those unlucky enough not to escape in an underground cellar. Clive retook Calcutta a year later and the British Government replaced the East India Company following the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
The Britons established an organizational and social structure unparalleled in Bengal, and Calcutta became one of the most important centers for commerce, education and culture in the subcontinent. However, many Bangladeshi historians blame the British dictatorial agricultural policies and promotion of the semi-feudal zamindar system for draining the region of its wealth and damaging its social fabric. The British presence was a relief to the minority Hindus but a catastrophe for the Muslims. The Hindus cooperated with the Brits, entering British educational institutions and studying the English language, but the Muslims refused to cooperate, and rioted whenever crops failed or another local product was rendered unprofitable by government policy.
At the closure of World War II it was clear that European colonialism had run its course and Indian independence was inevitable. Independence was attained in 1947 but the struggle was bitter and divisive, especially in Bengal where the fight for self-government was complicated by internal religious conflict. The British, realizing any agreement between the Muslims and Hindus was impossible, decided to partition the subcontinent. That Bengal and Punjab, the two overwhelmingly Muslim regions, lay on opposite sides of India was only one stumbling block. The situation was complicated in Bengal where the major cash crop, jute, was produced in the Muslim-dominated east, but processed and shipped from the Hindu-dominated city of Calcutta in the west.
Inequalities between the two regions i.e. East and West Pakistan soon stirred up a sense of Bengali nationalism that had not been reckoned with during the push for Muslim independence. When the Pakistan government declared that `Urdu and only Urdu' would be the national language, the Bangla-speaking Bengalis decided it was time to assert their cultural identity. The drive to reinstate the Bangla language metamorphosed into a push for self-government and when the Awami League, a nationalistic party, won a majority in the 1971 national elections, the president of Pakistan, faced with this unacceptable result, postponed opening the National Assembly. Riots and strikes broke out in East Pakistan, the independent state of Bangladesh was unilaterally announced, and Pakistan sent troops to quell the rebellion.
The ensuing war was one of the shortest and bloodiest of modern times, with the Pakistan army occupying all major towns, using napalm against villages, and slaughtering and raping villagers. Bangladeshis refer to Pakistan's brutal tactics as attempted genocide. Border clashes between Pakistan and India increased as Indian-trained Bangladeshi guerrillas crossed the border. When the Pakistani air force made a pre-emptive attack on Indian forces, open warfare ensued. Indian troops crossed the border and the Pakistani army found itself being attacked from the east by the Indian army, the north and east by guerrillas and from all quarters by the civilian population. In 11 days it was all over and Bangladesh, the world's 139th country, officially came into existence. Sheikh Mujib, one of the founders of the Awami League, became the country's first prime minister in January 1972 ; he was assassinated in 1975 during a period of crisis
The ruined and decimated new country experienced famine in 1973-74, followed by martial law, successive military coups and political assassinations. In 1979, Bangladesh began a short-lived experiment with democracy led by the overwhelmingly popular President Zia, who established good relationships with the West and the oil-rich Islamic countries. His assassination in 1981 ultimately returned the country to a military government that periodically made vague announcements that elections would be held `soon'. While these announcements were rapturously greeted by the local press as proof that Bangladesh was indeed a democracy, nothing came of them until 1991. That year the military dictator General Ershad was forced to resign by an unprecedented popular movement led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League.
Democracy was re-established and the economy ticked along at a 4.5% growth rate, which hardly made it an 'Asian tiger' but was at least respectable. Political dog-fighting between the BNP and the Awami League became acrimonious in the run up to national elections in February 1996 leaving the country strike-ridden and rudderless. The election was marred by violence and boycotted by the three main opposition parties, resulting in a BNP shoo-in. However, low voter turnout and reports of ballot-box stuffing by polling officials raised serious questions about the government's legitimacy and in April 1996 Prime Minister Begum Khaleda agreed to stand down and appointed an interim caretaker administration, pending new elections scheduled for 12 June 1996.In the elections Awami League got the largest number of seats. Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the leader of the Awami League, was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government.
Under the Mughal viceroys, art and literature flourished, overland trade expanded and Bengal was opened to world maritime trade - the latter marking the death knell of Mughal power as Europeans began to establish themselves in the region. The Portuguese arrived as early as the 15th century but were ousted in 1633 by local opposition. The East India Company negotiated terms to establish a fortified trading post in Calcutta in 1690.
The decline of Mughal power led to greater provincial autonomy, heralding the rise of the independent dynasty of the nawabs of Bengal. Humble East India Company clerk Robert Clive ended up effectively ruling Bengal when one of the impetuous nawabs attacked the thriving British enclave in Calcutta and stuffed those unlucky enough not to escape in an underground cellar. Clive retook Calcutta a year later and the British Government replaced the East India Company following the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
The Britons established an organizational and social structure unparalleled in Bengal, and Calcutta became one of the most important centers for commerce, education and culture in the subcontinent. However, many Bangladeshi historians blame the British dictatorial agricultural policies and promotion of the semi-feudal zamindar system for draining the region of its wealth and damaging its social fabric. The British presence was a relief to the minority Hindus but a catastrophe for the Muslims. The Hindus cooperated with the Brits, entering British educational institutions and studying the English language, but the Muslims refused to cooperate, and rioted whenever crops failed or another local product was rendered unprofitable by government policy.
At the closure of World War II it was clear that European colonialism had run its course and Indian independence was inevitable. Independence was attained in 1947 but the struggle was bitter and divisive, especially in Bengal where the fight for self-government was complicated by internal religious conflict. The British, realizing any agreement between the Muslims and Hindus was impossible, decided to partition the subcontinent. That Bengal and Punjab, the two overwhelmingly Muslim regions, lay on opposite sides of India was only one stumbling block. The situation was complicated in Bengal where the major cash crop, jute, was produced in the Muslim-dominated east, but processed and shipped from the Hindu-dominated city of Calcutta in the west.
Inequalities between the two regions i.e. East and West Pakistan soon stirred up a sense of Bengali nationalism that had not been reckoned with during the push for Muslim independence. When the Pakistan government declared that `Urdu and only Urdu' would be the national language, the Bangla-speaking Bengalis decided it was time to assert their cultural identity. The drive to reinstate the Bangla language metamorphosed into a push for self-government and when the Awami League, a nationalistic party, won a majority in the 1971 national elections, the president of Pakistan, faced with this unacceptable result, postponed opening the National Assembly. Riots and strikes broke out in East Pakistan, the independent state of Bangladesh was unilaterally announced, and Pakistan sent troops to quell the rebellion.
The ensuing war was one of the shortest and bloodiest of modern times, with the Pakistan army occupying all major towns, using napalm against villages, and slaughtering and raping villagers. Bangladeshis refer to Pakistan's brutal tactics as attempted genocide. Border clashes between Pakistan and India increased as Indian-trained Bangladeshi guerrillas crossed the border. When the Pakistani air force made a pre-emptive attack on Indian forces, open warfare ensued. Indian troops crossed the border and the Pakistani army found itself being attacked from the east by the Indian army, the north and east by guerrillas and from all quarters by the civilian population. In 11 days it was all over and Bangladesh, the world's 139th country, officially came into existence. Sheikh Mujib, one of the founders of the Awami League, became the country's first prime minister in January 1972 ; he was assassinated in 1975 during a period of crisis
The ruined and decimated new country experienced famine in 1973-74, followed by martial law, successive military coups and political assassinations. In 1979, Bangladesh began a short-lived experiment with democracy led by the overwhelmingly popular President Zia, who established good relationships with the West and the oil-rich Islamic countries. His assassination in 1981 ultimately returned the country to a military government that periodically made vague announcements that elections would be held `soon'. While these announcements were rapturously greeted by the local press as proof that Bangladesh was indeed a democracy, nothing came of them until 1991. That year the military dictator General Ershad was forced to resign by an unprecedented popular movement led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League.
Democracy was re-established and the economy ticked along at a 4.5% growth rate, which hardly made it an 'Asian tiger' but was at least respectable. Political dog-fighting between the BNP and the Awami League became acrimonious in the run up to national elections in February 1996 leaving the country strike-ridden and rudderless. The election was marred by violence and boycotted by the three main opposition parties, resulting in a BNP shoo-in. However, low voter turnout and reports of ballot-box stuffing by polling officials raised serious questions about the government's legitimacy and in April 1996 Prime Minister Begum Khaleda agreed to stand down and appointed an interim caretaker administration, pending new elections scheduled for 12 June 1996.In the elections Awami League got the largest number of seats. Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the leader of the Awami League, was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government.
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 6
nothing but a slave on whom God showed favor (Surah 43:59); yet elsewhere in the
Qur'an we are told the Messiah is not a slave (Surah 4:172). The Qur'an tells us that
Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone's sins, although he was himself sinless (Surah
3:46) and is one of those who are near to God (Surah 3:45). Positively, the Qur'an
says that Jesus Christ performed miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110) and was the Messiah.
The Qur'an says Jesus did not die on a cross. Various Muslim traditions say that
Jesus either miraculously substituted Judas Iscariot for himself on the cross, or that
God miraculously delivered Him from the hands of the Romans and Jews before He
could be crucified. Most Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was taken bodily into
heaven without having died (Surah 4:157). However, Surah 19:33 says He died and
would be resurrected. Muhammad on the other hand died in his wife Aisha's home, not
long after he was poisoned by a slave girl. Muhammad's body was lowered into a hole
in Medina, and his dead body was covered by dirt and brickwork.
It is interesting to compare Jesus and Muhammad according to the Qur'an. Jesus did
miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110), but Muhammad did not (Surah 13:8: "thou art a warner [of
coming divine judgment] only"; also 6:37; 6:109; 17:59 and 17:90-93).
Jesus was sinless (Surah 3:46), but Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness
(Surah 40:55: "Ask forgiveness of thy sin"; 42:5: "Ask forgiveness for those on the
Earth"; 47:19: "Ask forgiveness for thy sin" ; 48:2: "that Allah may forgive thee of thy
sin").
Jesus was called "the Messiah" by Allah in the Qur'an. And Jesus was even born of a
virgin (Surah 3:45-57)! Yet Muhammad who had 12 wives, 2 concubines, and
participated in many attacks on innocent caravans and villages, and insisted on 20% of
all the booty from these raids -- is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets.
Both Muslim holy books (Qur'an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands for Muslims to
subjugate the world, militarily. Muhammad commanded Muslims to spread Islam
through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of non-Muslim lands. Muslims are also
commanded to take back any land that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or "holy warriors of Allah". Their
goal, like Islam's goal is to establish the entire world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah)
, which conforms to Islamic laws.
Radical Islam may be Satan’s final effort to take over the whole world and subject it to
his will.
An example of what Muslim children are taught in Muslim schools is this statement,
found in a Jordanian/Palestinian school book in 1998:
"This religion (Islam) will destroy all
other religions through the Islamic
Jihad fighters"
Qur'an we are told the Messiah is not a slave (Surah 4:172). The Qur'an tells us that
Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone's sins, although he was himself sinless (Surah
3:46) and is one of those who are near to God (Surah 3:45). Positively, the Qur'an
says that Jesus Christ performed miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110) and was the Messiah.
The Qur'an says Jesus did not die on a cross. Various Muslim traditions say that
Jesus either miraculously substituted Judas Iscariot for himself on the cross, or that
God miraculously delivered Him from the hands of the Romans and Jews before He
could be crucified. Most Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was taken bodily into
heaven without having died (Surah 4:157). However, Surah 19:33 says He died and
would be resurrected. Muhammad on the other hand died in his wife Aisha's home, not
long after he was poisoned by a slave girl. Muhammad's body was lowered into a hole
in Medina, and his dead body was covered by dirt and brickwork.
It is interesting to compare Jesus and Muhammad according to the Qur'an. Jesus did
miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110), but Muhammad did not (Surah 13:8: "thou art a warner [of
coming divine judgment] only"; also 6:37; 6:109; 17:59 and 17:90-93).
Jesus was sinless (Surah 3:46), but Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness
(Surah 40:55: "Ask forgiveness of thy sin"; 42:5: "Ask forgiveness for those on the
Earth"; 47:19: "Ask forgiveness for thy sin" ; 48:2: "that Allah may forgive thee of thy
sin").
Jesus was called "the Messiah" by Allah in the Qur'an. And Jesus was even born of a
virgin (Surah 3:45-57)! Yet Muhammad who had 12 wives, 2 concubines, and
participated in many attacks on innocent caravans and villages, and insisted on 20% of
all the booty from these raids -- is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets.
Both Muslim holy books (Qur'an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands for Muslims to
subjugate the world, militarily. Muhammad commanded Muslims to spread Islam
through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of non-Muslim lands. Muslims are also
commanded to take back any land that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or "holy warriors of Allah". Their
goal, like Islam's goal is to establish the entire world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah)
, which conforms to Islamic laws.
Radical Islam may be Satan’s final effort to take over the whole world and subject it to
his will.
An example of what Muslim children are taught in Muslim schools is this statement,
found in a Jordanian/Palestinian school book in 1998:
"This religion (Islam) will destroy all
other religions through the Islamic
Jihad fighters"
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 5
follow Him (Matthew 16:11-12) . Paul warned us when he wrote:
“But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a Gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:8).
Since Islam’s message differs fundamentally from the Gospel, it is clear what Paul taught
regarding the fate of Muhammad and those who propagate Islam. Islam bypasses the
sacrificial mediating work Jesus did for believers on the cross, thus negating the
forgiveness of sins. This condemns non-believers to die in their sins. Jesus said; "I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall
die in your sins." John 8:24
Jesus also predicted the current dilemma of Muslim intolerance and fanaticism. He
warned that the day was likewise coming when religious zealots will kill Christians and
think they are offering a service to God (John 16:2-4).
Dear Christians and Muslims. Jesus is committed to winning the spiritual Holy War. He
wants nobody to suffer an eternity without God, confined to a godless place. Know this,
that God Himself is calling out those Muslims with good hearts! Jesus (Isa) Himself is
appearing to many. A few years ago, Al-Jazeera reported that roughly six million Muslims
are leaving Islam and becoming followers of Jesus every year in Africa. In 2005, roughly
250,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Iran. Between 2003-2005, roughly 1 million
Muslims converted to Christianity in Arab countries. Muslims are coming to Christ in North
America, too, although not to the same extent as in Muslim countries. Tens of millions are
embracing Jesus every few years in India and in China. Chinese missionaries are now
gearing up to bring the Gospel of Jesus to dark Muslim places.
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) and Muslim Hadith are
unique among all the sacred writings in the entire world
-- because they alone counsel its followers to make war
on unbelievers. Any thoughtful reader will be forced to
admit that evil literally "drips" from their pages. One in
every 55 verses in the Muslim Qur'an consists of this
fake god Allah insisting that Muslims make war on
unbelievers.
As you will see below, the Qur'an is a made up book of
gibberish, of evil verses abrogating (superseding)
peaceful verses.
The Qur'an cannot be trusted because it contains
numerous "divinely inspired" contradictions. If God
has a history of abrogating (changing) his own
revelations as is done in the Qur'an, then how can we
be certain he will not abrogate it again in the future? If
Allah can abrogate his eternal speech, how can you
trust him with your eternal soul?
Comparing the Bible with the Qur'an "has likewise
brought the firm realization that the contrast is stark and
astounding. The superiority of the Bible is so transparently
evident that one is flabbergasted and dumbfounded that so
many human beings have embraced Islam in the last 1,400
years". .. "The Quran lacks this heavenly manifestation of
inspiration". The Quran Unveiled, page 254
Jesus Christ:
To the Muslim, Jesus Christ is merely one of the many prophets of Allah (Sura: 4:171;
5:74). According to Islam, the prophet Muhammad supersedes Jesus Christ. Islam
says Jesus Christ is not the Son of God or part of any Trinity (Surah 5:17; 5:116; 19:35)
. We are told by Islam that Jesus was the Messiah (Surah 3:45; 4:157; 171), but
“But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a Gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:8).
Since Islam’s message differs fundamentally from the Gospel, it is clear what Paul taught
regarding the fate of Muhammad and those who propagate Islam. Islam bypasses the
sacrificial mediating work Jesus did for believers on the cross, thus negating the
forgiveness of sins. This condemns non-believers to die in their sins. Jesus said; "I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall
die in your sins." John 8:24
Jesus also predicted the current dilemma of Muslim intolerance and fanaticism. He
warned that the day was likewise coming when religious zealots will kill Christians and
think they are offering a service to God (John 16:2-4).
Dear Christians and Muslims. Jesus is committed to winning the spiritual Holy War. He
wants nobody to suffer an eternity without God, confined to a godless place. Know this,
that God Himself is calling out those Muslims with good hearts! Jesus (Isa) Himself is
appearing to many. A few years ago, Al-Jazeera reported that roughly six million Muslims
are leaving Islam and becoming followers of Jesus every year in Africa. In 2005, roughly
250,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Iran. Between 2003-2005, roughly 1 million
Muslims converted to Christianity in Arab countries. Muslims are coming to Christ in North
America, too, although not to the same extent as in Muslim countries. Tens of millions are
embracing Jesus every few years in India and in China. Chinese missionaries are now
gearing up to bring the Gospel of Jesus to dark Muslim places.
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) and Muslim Hadith are
unique among all the sacred writings in the entire world
-- because they alone counsel its followers to make war
on unbelievers. Any thoughtful reader will be forced to
admit that evil literally "drips" from their pages. One in
every 55 verses in the Muslim Qur'an consists of this
fake god Allah insisting that Muslims make war on
unbelievers.
As you will see below, the Qur'an is a made up book of
gibberish, of evil verses abrogating (superseding)
peaceful verses.
The Qur'an cannot be trusted because it contains
numerous "divinely inspired" contradictions. If God
has a history of abrogating (changing) his own
revelations as is done in the Qur'an, then how can we
be certain he will not abrogate it again in the future? If
Allah can abrogate his eternal speech, how can you
trust him with your eternal soul?
Comparing the Bible with the Qur'an "has likewise
brought the firm realization that the contrast is stark and
astounding. The superiority of the Bible is so transparently
evident that one is flabbergasted and dumbfounded that so
many human beings have embraced Islam in the last 1,400
years". .. "The Quran lacks this heavenly manifestation of
inspiration". The Quran Unveiled, page 254
Jesus Christ:
To the Muslim, Jesus Christ is merely one of the many prophets of Allah (Sura: 4:171;
5:74). According to Islam, the prophet Muhammad supersedes Jesus Christ. Islam
says Jesus Christ is not the Son of God or part of any Trinity (Surah 5:17; 5:116; 19:35)
. We are told by Islam that Jesus was the Messiah (Surah 3:45; 4:157; 171), but
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