The history of Bangladesh stretches back more than 2,000 years, from ancient cities and great Buddhist monasteries to Sultanate mosques, Mughal Dhaka, British rule and the hard-won independence of 1971. This guide gives a clear overview of each period, a quick timeline, and the historic sites you can still visit today.

Timeline: key dates in Bangladesh history

Ancient Bengal: cities, kingdoms and Buddhism

People have farmed the fertile Bengal delta for thousands of years. By around the 3rd century BCE, Pundranagara (today’s Mahasthangarh) was a walled city on the banks of the Karatoya River. Over the following centuries, the region was ruled by a series of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms.

The most famous were the Palas, a Buddhist dynasty that ruled from the 8th to the 12th century. They built Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur, once one of the largest Buddhist monasteries south of the Himalayas and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hindu Sena dynasty followed in the 11th and 12th centuries.

The Bengal Sultanate and the spread of Islam

Islam reached Bengal through traders and Sufi saints, and Muslim political rule began in the early 13th century. In 1352, Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah united the region as the independent Bengal Sultanate, which became rich through rice, textiles and trade. One of its greatest legacies is the Mosque City of Bagerhat, founded in the 15th century by the saint and governor Khan Jahan Ali. Its Sixty Dome Mosque is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that you can visit on the way to the Sundarbans.

Mughal Bengal and the rise of Dhaka

The Mughals took control of Bengal in the late 16th century, and in 1610 Dhaka became the provincial capital. Under the Mughals, Bengal was one of the wealthiest regions in the world, famous for its fine muslin cloth. Landmarks from this era include Lalbagh Fort, begun in 1678, and the old trading streets of Old Dhaka. You can explore them on our Old Dhaka heritage day tour.

British rule (1757–1947)

After defeating the Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the British East India Company gradually took control of Bengal, and later the British Crown ruled directly. Calcutta (Kolkata) became the capital of British India, while eastern Bengal remained largely agricultural. In 1905, the British divided Bengal, making Dhaka the capital of a new province; the partition was reversed in 1911. Landmarks from this period include Ahsan Manzil (the Pink Palace) in Dhaka and the colonial buildings of the old university area.

Partition and East Pakistan (1947–1971)

When British India was divided in 1947, Muslim-majority East Bengal became part of the new state of Pakistan, separated from West Pakistan by about 1,600 km of Indian territory. It was renamed East Pakistan in the mid-1950s. Tensions grew over language, political power and economic inequality.

On 21 February 1952, police opened fire on students in Dhaka who were demanding recognition of Bangla as a state language. The Language Movement became a turning point for Bengali identity. In 1999, UNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day, and the Shaheed Minar monument in Dhaka honors those who died.

The Liberation War and independence (1971)

In the 1970 elections, the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a majority in Pakistan’s national assembly, but power was not transferred. On the night of 25 March 1971, the Pakistani army launched a military crackdown in Dhaka. Bangladesh declared independence on 26 March 1971, now celebrated as Independence Day.

A nine-month Liberation War followed, with Bengali freedom fighters joined by Indian forces in December. Millions of people fled as refugees, and Bangladesh officially commemorates three million people who lost their lives, although estimates vary. Pakistani forces surrendered in Dhaka on 16 December 1971, which Bangladesh celebrates as Victory Day. The Liberation War Museum in Dhaka tells this story.

Bangladesh since independence

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, regarded as the founding father of the nation, led the new country until his assassination in 1975. Periods of military-led government followed until parliamentary democracy was restored in 1991. For the next three decades, politics was dominated by two parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League, led by Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina respectively.

Over the same period, Bangladesh grew into one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, with a large garment export industry and major gains in health and education. In July and August 2024, a student-led protest movement led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office and organized a general election on 12 February 2026, after which Tarique Rahman of the BNP was sworn in as prime minister.

Historic places to visit in Bangladesh

• Mahasthangarh (near Bogura): the remains of ancient Pundranagara.
• Paharpur (Somapura Mahavihara): a UNESCO-listed Buddhist monastery.
• Mosque City of Bagerhat: UNESCO-listed Sultanate-era mosques, including the Sixty Dome Mosque.
• Sonargaon: the old capital near Dhaka, with the merchant houses of Panam City.
• Lalbagh Fort and Ahsan Manzil: Mughal and colonial Dhaka.
• Shaheed Minar and the Liberation War Museum: the story of the Language Movement and 1971.

See Bangladesh’s history with a local guide

History comes alive when you have someone to tell the stories behind the places. Our Best of Bangladesh in 10 days tour includes Old Dhaka and the Mosque City of Bagerhat, and our Sundarbans expedition can start with a visit to the Sixty Dome Mosque. Ask us to add Paharpur, Mahasthangarh or Sonargaon to a private tour, or WhatsApp us on +1 (306) 581-1135.