Question

As a result of the partition of Bengal announced by Lord Curzon in 1905, Bengal was partitioned into two provinces of _______________.
a. East Bengal and West Bengal
b. Western Bengal, Bihar, Odisha & Eastern Bengal, Assam
c. Bengal and Assam
d. Bengal, Odisha and East Bengal, Assam

Answer 1

Hint:
 The partition parted Bengal into two regions which were later further divided into smaller states. They exist separately in present India.

Complete step by step solution:

At that time, the provincial state of Bengal had a population of nearly 80 million. The Hindi-speaking regions of Bihar, the Odia-speaking regions of Odisha, and the Assamese-speaking region of Assam were included. In January 1904, the government proclaimed the partition proposal. Henry John Stedman Cotton, the Chief Commissioner of Assam, rejected the proposal. But on October 16, 1905, the division of Bengal by Viceroy Curzon began to take place.

'Bengal' (which includes Western Bengal and the provinces of Bihar and Orissa) and Eastern Bengal and Assam, with Dhaka as the capital of the latter, was split into two separate provinces in the former province of Bengal.

All of the reasons for the partition is administrative. Bengal was as large as France and had a considerably greater population. Curzon had said that the eastern region was neglected and under-governed, and therefore an improved administration could be formed thereby splitting the province. The other explanation for partition is thought to be that the Hindus were in a better position than the Muslims in terms of economic status and professional qualities; and Hindu traders had greatly helped the British during the pre-Sepoy Mutiny era, while their Muslim counterparts did not.

The partition allowed the Muslims, along communal lines, to establish their national organisation. To satisfy Bengali sentiment, Lord Hardinge reunited Bengal in 1911, in reaction to the disturbances of the Swadeshi revolution in protest against the scheme, and they started a furious agitation, with Hindus claiming that East Bengal would have its courts and policies.

Hence, the correct answer is option B.


Note:
The division was backed by the East Bengal Muslims and their support was motivated by both their poor economic circumstances in East Bengal and the supposed superiority of the West Bengal Hindu businessmen over Bengal's governance.