In 1905 the British Viceroy split the huge Bengal Presidency, creating a new province of East Bengal and Assam with its capital at Dacca. Officials cited administrative convenience; nationalists saw divide and rule. Protest took the form of the Swadeshi movement (use Indian goods) and boycott of British goods, with Tagore urging people to tie rakhis as a sign of unity. The All-India Muslim League was founded in Dacca in 1906.
Key facts
- Took effect 16 October 1905; created East Bengal and Assam with Dacca as capital.
- Triggered the Swadeshi and Boycott movements; Tagore promoted rakhi-tying as a symbol of unity.
- Many Muslim leaders supported it; the All-India Muslim League was founded in Dacca in 1906.
- Annulled in 1911 at the Delhi Durbar; Bengal reunited, Bihar and Orissa separated, capital moved to Delhi.
Why exams ask about it
The Viceroy who ordered it, the date, the movement it sparked and the year it was undone are the usual questions.