This is a list of battles and wars that involved or occurred in Bangladesh throughout different periods of history. Some of the battles and wars occurred when the modern area of Bangladesh was under different empires, especially the Mughal Empire and the British Empire, and the Bengalis served in both the Mughal and the British militaries. Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, it has its own military.
Bengal became independent from the Delhi Sultanate in 1338, and remained independent till 1576 (except for brief Mughal and Afghan occupations in the 1540s). During this period, the Bengal Sultanate had its own military, and took part in various wars and armed conflicts.
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Bengali expedition in Nepal (1349–1350) Location: Nepal |
Bengal | Nepal | Victory[1]
|
First Delhite invasion of Bengal (1353–1354) Location: Bengal |
Bengal | Delhi Empire | Victory[2] |
Second Delhite invasion of Bengal (1358–1360) Location: Bengal |
Bengal | Delhi Empire | Victory[3] |
Bengal Sultanate–Jaunpur Sultanate War (1415-1420) Location: Bengal |
Bengal Timurid Empire Ming China |
Jaunpur Sultanate | Victory[4][5]
|
Bengal Sultanate–Kamata Kingdom War (1498) Location: Assam |
Bengal | Kamata Kingdom | Victory[6]
|
Bengali conquest of Chittagong (1512–1516) Location: Chittagong |
Bengal | Arakan | Victory[7] |
Bengal conquest of Orissa (1568) Location: Orissa |
Bengal | * Chalukyas | Victory
|
Mughal invasion of Bengal (1572–1576) Location: Bengal |
Bengal | Mughal Empire | Defeat |
In 1576, the Mughal Empire conquered Bengal and turned it into a province of the empire. The Mughal rule continued until 1717, when Mughal Subadar (provincial governor) Murshid Quli Khan declared the independence of Bengal. During this period, Bengalis served in the Mughal military, and took part in manh wars undertaken by the Mughals.
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Conquest of Chittagong (1665–1666) |
Bengal | Arakan | Victory
|
In 1717, Murshid Quli Khan, who was the provincial governor of the Mughal province of Bengal, taking advantage of the weakness of the declining Mughal Empire, declared the independence of Bengal and established himself as the Nawab of Bengal. Bengal remained independent until 1764, when the British annexed the region. During this period, Bengal had its own military, and Bengalis served in it.
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Maratha invasions of Bengal (1741–1751) |
Bengal | Maratha | Stalemate
|
First Anglo–Bengal War (1756–1757) |
Bengal | United Kingdom | Victory |
Second Anglo–Bengal War (1757) |
Bengal |
United Kingdom | Defeat
|
Third Anglo–Bengal War (1763–1764) |
Bengal |
United Kingdom | Defeat
|
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Indian War of Independence (1857–1859) |
Indian Sepoys (including Bengali sepoys) |
British Empire
Kingdom of Nepal |
Defeat
|
In 1947, East Bengal became a province of the newly established state of Pakistan, and retained this name till 1955. During this period, Bengalis served in the Pakistani military and took part in various conflicts involving Pakistan.
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 (1947–1949) |
Pakistan | India | Ceasefire
|
East Bengal was renamed East Pakistan in 1955, and it became one of the two units of Pakistan under the Pakistani policy of 'One Unit'. East Pakistan remained a part of Pakistan till 1971. During this period, Bengalis continued to serve in the Pakistani military and took part in the wars in which Pakistan participated during this period.
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 (1965) |
Pakistan | India | Ceasefire |
Conflict | Bangladesh and allied forces |
Opposition forces | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Bangladeshi War of Independence (1971) Location: Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bay of Bengal |
Bangladesh
|
Pakistan United States |
Victory
|
The Bengali envoy complained at the Ming court ... The 'Zhaonapuer'/Jaunpur troops withdrew from Bengal. (Here is a unique episode of China's mediating in the conflict between two Indian states. - Tan)
In 1751,...promising cession of the province of Orissa...Orissa came under the Bhonsle's control.