East Pakistan

East Pakistan was a state in Bengal, Odisha and the northeast (South Asia) that lasted from 1947 to 1971 CE, about 24 years. Its people spoke Indo-Aryan languages (Vedic, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Sinhala).

The eastern wing of Pakistan, separated from the west by 1,600 km of India. Resentment of Urdu as sole national language and of West Pakistani dominance led to the 1952 Language Movement and the 1971 war of independence.

See East Pakistan on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1947 to 1971 CE

Duration

24 years

Type

State

Region

Bengal, Odisha and the northeast, South Asia

Language family

Indo-Aryan

Capital

Dhaka

Became

• Bangladesh 1971 CE to the present

Events in South Asia during its time

• 1947 Independence and partition
• 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War

Neighbours in South Asia

• British Raj 1858 to 1947 CE
• Republic of India 1947 CE to the present
• Kingdom of Mysore c. 1399 to 1950 CE
• Kingdom of Nepal 1768 to 2008 CE
• Hyderabad State 1724 to 1948 CE
• Pakistan 1947 CE to the present
• Sri Lanka 1948 CE to the present
• Bangladesh 1971 CE to the present
• Kingdom of Mewar c. 728 to 1949 CE
• Kingdom of Manipur c. 1110 to 1949 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe
• Haiti 1804 CE to the present, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Dutch East Indies 1800 to 1949 CE, Southeast Asia
• Commonwealth of Australia 1901 CE to the present, Oceania
• Indonesia 1945 CE to the present, Southeast Asia
• Empire of Japan 1868 to 1947 CE, East Asia
• People's Republic of China 1949 CE to the present, East Asia

Questions