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Bengalis

Bengalis are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Bengal region of South Asia. They primarily speak Bengali, an Indo-Aryan language written in its own script, and share cultural traditions tied to the broader Bengali-speaking world.

The Bengal region spans the Ganges and Brahmaputra river deltas, encompassing the Indian state of West Bengal

Bengal has a long political and cultural history. It has been shaped by ancient and medieval polities

Culture and society in Bengal feature influential literature, music, theatre, and cinema. Notable figures include Rabindranath

Demographically, Bengalis form one of the largest ethnolinguistic groups in South Asia, with hundreds of millions

and
the
country
of
Bangladesh.
There
are
substantial
Bengali-speaking
communities
in
other
parts
of
India,
including
Assam
and
Tripura,
and
large
diaspora
populations
in
the
Middle
East,
Europe,
and
North
America.
such
as
regional
dynasties,
the
Bengal
Sultanate,
and
Mughal
rule,
followed
by
British
colonial
administration.
The
partition
of
1947
divided
Bengal
into
West
Bengal
(India)
and
East
Bengal,
which
became
East
Pakistan
and
later
Bangladesh
after
independence
in
1971.
This
history
has
contributed
to
a
distinct
regional
identity
within
the
broader
South
Asian
context.
Tagore,
a
Nobel
laureate
in
literature,
and
Kazi
Nazrul
Islam.
Bengali
culture
recognizes
a
variety
of
religious
communities,
with
Hindu
and
Muslim
populations
forming
the
majority,
along
with
minority
Buddhist
and
Christian
groups.
of
speakers
and
a
significant
presence
in
both
Bangladesh
and
the
Indian
state
of
West
Bengal,
as
well
as
in
the
global
Indian
diaspora.