The Bengal Partition (1905)

The Bengal Partition of 1905 was a decision by the British colonial government to divide the large province of Bengal into two parts: East Bengal and Assam, and West Bengal. This division aimed to improve administrative efficiency but was perceived by many Indians as an attempt to weaken the nationalist movement by splitting the Bengali community along religious lines—Muslims in the east and Hindus in the west. The move sparked widespread protests and opposition, fueling rising nationalist sentiments and demands for independence. Ultimately, the partition was reversed in 1911 due to the widespread unrest it caused.