Waubonsee Community College

A history of Bangladesh, by Willem van Schendel

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 311-333) and index

mapsillustrations

index present

non fiction

A history of Bangladesh

bibliography

268793222

by Willem van Schendel

"Bangladesh is a new name for an old land whose history is little known to the wider world. A country chiefly famous in the West for media images of poverty, underdevelopment, and natural disasters, Bangladesh did not exist as an independent state until 1971. Willem van Schendel's history reveals the country's vibrant, colourful past and its diverse culture as it navigates the extraordinary twists and turns that have created modern Bangladesh. The story begins with the early geological history of the delta which has decisively shaped Bangladesh society. The narrative then moves chronologically through the era of colonial rule, the partition of Bengal, the war with Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh as an independent state. In so doing, it reveals the forces that have made Bangladesh what it is today. This is an eloquent introduction to a fascinating country and its resilient and inventive people."--Publisher information

A land of water and silt -- Jungle, fields, cities and states -- A region of multiple frontiers -- The delta as a crossroads -- From the Mughal empire to the British empire -- The British impact -- A closing agrarian frontier -- Colonial conflicts -- Towards partition -- Partition -- The Pakistan experiment -- Pakistan falls apart -- East Pakistani livelihoods -- The roots of aid dependence -- A new elite and cultural renewal -- Armed conflict -- A state is born -- Imagining a new society -- Creating a political system -- Transnational linkages -- Bursting at the seams -- A national culture? -- Conclusion