“Opinion | Rebuilding Sonar Bangla-The GatewayTo The East”, News 18, June 25, 2026
“Bengal had sustained a vibrant economy since pre-colonial times. When the British arrived, they described Bengal as “the richest, most populous and best cultivated countries”. The region’s commercial sophistication, skilled artisans, and fertile hinterland had made it the envy of the known world.
By the time of India’s independence in 1947, no state stood taller in the industrial sector than West Bengal. The Bengal Presidency, which was the seat of British India for 139 years, absorbed much of colonial investment in infrastructure, from railways to ports and from factories to financial institutions. The Census of Manufacturing Industries (1951) reported that the state had 1,493 registered factories, the highest in the nation, even surpassing the combined number of factories in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Employment in the organised sector accounted for 27% of the national share and industrial output at 24%. At independence, the Calcutta port alone handled about 40% of India’s total maritime traffic, ahead of Bombay by 25%. Along the Hooghly belt stood world-class jute mills, heavy engineering workshops, and port infrastructure that together made Kolkata the commercial capital of the subcontinent’s eastern half. These structural advantages, i.e., a deep-water port with direct access to global shipping routes, a dense railway network, a highly literate and financially competent workforce, and closeness to the coal and steel belts, did not just diminish but were buried over the years due to misgovernance. Young officers working in jute mills and tea gardens were the most sought-after bridegrooms. During Dr BC Roy’s government, West Bengal got its first steel plant at Burnpur and a large thermal power plant at Bakreshwar.
Congress’s Mistake
The first blow to West Bengal’s industrial edifice came not from economic competition, but from political geography. The Partition of 1947 overnight affected the jute industry, which was one of Bengal’s most important industrial pillars. While West Bengal got 106 mills in India, most of which were located in the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, and 24 Parganas, East Bengal received more than 75% of the land used for jute production of undivided India. In addition, Bengal jute used to be exported through Calcutta, which was essentially the sole port. The effects of partition were immediately felt on the jute industry. As early as October 1947, the Trade Commissioner of the British government in Calcutta reported that the arrival of the total amount of jute to the city was two-thirds of the normal volume. Five jute mills in West Bengal closed down within a year of partition…….”
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