East
Bengal—the eastern segment of Bengal,
a region that is today Bangladesh—was a prosperous region of South Asia until modern
times. It had the advantages of a mild, almost tropical climate, fertile soil,
ample water, and an abundance of fish, wildlife, and fruit. The standard of
living compared favorably with other parts of South Asia. As early as the
thirteenth century, the region was developing as an agrarian economy. It was
not entirely without commercial centers, and Dhaka in particular grew into an
important entrepôt during the Mughal Empire. The
British, however, on their arrival in the late eighteenth (18th) century, chose
to develop Calcutta,
now the capital city of West
Bengal, as their commercial and administrative center in South Asia.