Bengal Sultanate

Although most historians like to start the history of Bengal from the Pala Period they always make the mistake in defining what Bengal really is. Defining Bengal is not an easy task and an absolute answer is near impossible. If we consider Bengal as what is today strictly Bangladesh, Indian state of  West Bengal ,parts of Bihar and Assam then what we are really talking about is the Bengal Sultanate which was found in the 14th century. Any history before that is not the history of Bengal as this geographical area was not habitable before this time. The mentioned geographical area was filled with forests and wild habitations before the 14th century which became habitable only after the river Ganges started to change its route and flow in what is today Bangladesh. This caused forests to be replaced while producing arable land as the river caused silt to be produced.

The Bengali language started gain status as a separate language with its heavy influence from Persianate and Turkic culture which was thriving due to the advent of series of Conquests by Turco-Persian nomads, who saw the possibilities of the formation of a new state because of the clearing of major forest land. People from North India and Central Asia began to migrate to this new "Goldmine" as more and more arable land began to appear. As time passed more and more people began to call Bengal their home. Naturally, a new Bengali culture was forming.

The Bengali culture and language was solidified as a separate entity during the Mughal period. The Mughals made wonderful architects and formed a bureaucratic system for collecting taxes. During this period they called this area as Bengal Subah. Bengal Subah produced the finest cottons in the world. Ships from Bengal had great reputation all around the world. 12% of the world's GDP was produced by Bengal alone, something even the major European empires failed to achieve.

Ibn Khaldun refers to something called Asabiyyah.  According to Asabiyyah Empires, Civilizations or Societies form on the basis of common interests when the common interest is no more substantial they fall. They are cyclical in nature. New common interests replace older common interests. What is interesting is that it is possible that older common interests can get revived again. This means that peak of Bengal supremacy can be revived again and Bengal can once again be a great economic powerhouse as a result super state.