Home > Indian History > History of India > Bengal Famine of 1943
Bengal Famine of 1943
The 1943-44 Famine in Bengal , was a manipulated holocaust in which a huge percentage of Bengal`s population perished.

Share this Article:

In his lecture , titled "Public Action to Remedy Hunger", delivered on 2nd August, 1990 in London, the Nobel Laureate, Amartya Sen, has defined famine: "Famines are transient but violent events - they come and go, decimating the population and causing extreme misery and widespread death."

Indeed, sociologists, economists, and historians had viewed the infamous Bengal famine of 1943-4, as a man-made catastrophe. It drastically wiped of 3 million people of pre-partitioned Bengal ( independent Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal ). The severe defeat of the British Kingdom in the iron hands of the formidable Japanese at Singapore in 1942, menanced the British foothold in Burma. Burma happened to be the the world`s largest exporter of rice in the inter-war period.The British for their own sake patronized the Burmese production of rice, to gurantee food-suply to the British camp during the wartime period. By 1940, 15% of the total consumption of rice in India, had its source in India.

However, these imported quantity of rice , amounting to only 20% of Bengal`s food-consumption, was inadequate to afford for the hungry stomachs of the starved millions of Bengal.

Meanwhile , British government apprehensive of Japanese intrusion into the province of Bengal, through the bypass of Bengal, blockaded all ways to fetch supplies from Japan, in order to evade the peril of invasion.

The merciless `scorched earth` policy, means destruction of anything, e.g., food crops , dwellings, communication-systems, etc. for erasing alls scopes of advantage for the enemy. This horrible strategy was employed, in the Chittagong area, in vicinity to the Burmese boundaries .

Simultaneously, sacks of rice were carried to the Middle East to gurantee a sufficient food-reserve for British military force . Moreover, Ceylon, the nucleus of the operatiions of the South East Asia Command ,also used to derive the maximum its of food-grains from Burma.

It was thus evident, that food available, was mainly getting utilised and preserved for war-times exigency, at the expense of the hapless civilians of Bengal, writhing in the unbearable pains of hunger.

On 16th October 1942 , a devastating cyclone scathed the entire east coast of Bengal and Orissa . Lands of rice-cultivation stretching upto forty miles inland was inundated, and hence the prospective autumn harvest was left damaged. There was no other options left than to depend on the excess of grains , stored for future purpose .The winter crop of 1942-43, had long before been eaten way . By May 1943, this unexpected scarcity strained the granary.

The topsy-turvy situation was aggravated with the exports of food and governmental confiscation of fertile lands.

But the eminent economist Amartya Sen, had pointed out that rice-availability in 1943`s Bengal, was more than that of 1941. There was actually no such deficiency of food-grains.

Sen has transferred the onus on the malicious buzz of food-shortage that precipated the catastrophe. The outcome was the illegal exploitation of the economy, namely, speculation, hoarding, and profiteering by the opulent and the corrupt became the order of the day. The market was emptied of food-grains and sold.

The spark of fire to the funeral pyre of the declining Bengal economy was provided by the sudden rise in the cost of food grains. The market was emptied of food-grains and sold at higher bidding or inflated prices, all because of the excess demand and reduced supply.

From 1940, the hikes in the salaries of those in the military services , the docks, and the landlords were compensated by a considerable deduction in the wages of the Have-nots, like, landless labourers, fishermen, barbers, paddy huskers and other groups. Inevitably, buying these food-grains of soaring costs, was much beyond their limit. Inevitably, they had no "entitlement" ,i.e. could not claim ownership over the harvest they reap on others field, because the land they are tilling or the pond from which they had fetched the fish for selling, is not their property. Hence, buying these food-grains of soaring costs, was much beyond the limit of these impoverished class. They were left as destitutes, crying for a single grain to quench their appetite.

Amartya Sen has excavated the inability of the British Government to understand the prime cause of the famine . He highlighted that the need of the hour was the distribution of free famine relief among the famine-afected victims. Finally, even if it was late, the government took the wise initiative of importing 1,000,000 tons of grain to Bengal from Britain, which decreased food prices and revived the flow of food in the market. The famine thus ended, but left a deep scar in the history of the human race as the great annihilation .


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India


History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
Mughal Architecture during Babur
Mughal Architecture during Babur is of adequate significance in Mughal history, as the emperor introduced Mughal architecture in India, during 16th century.
Princely State of Patdi
Princely State of Patdi or Patri was incorporated as a part of the Baroda Agency, which was a sub division of Western India States Agency.
Architecture during Sayyid and Lodi Dynasty
Architectures during the Sayyid and Lodi dynasty were mainly the tombs and monuments for the dead rulers. It were carefully designed and meticulously constructed.
Brahmanical Sources of Ancient History
Brahmanical Sources of ancient history are contained in the Vedas and they constitute one of the most important literary sources of information about ancient India.
Female Education In British India
The over brimming enthusiasm among zealous Hindu reformers welcomed female education in British India.
Revenue System of Mauryan Empire
Revenue system of Mauryan Empire can be divided into eight categories. The principal revenue of the state was the land revenue, taxes from traders, artisans and professional taxes were also collected.
Mughal Architecture During Jahangir
Mughal architecture during Jahangir`s period was relative dull in comparison to that of Akbar dynasty.
Princely State of Satlasna
Princely State of Satlasna was amongst the former native states of India that was appointed as one of the Indian princely states during the early 19th century.
Coins of Chola Empire
Coins of Chola Empire were issued in gold, silver and copper and carried the Chola emblem.
Social Life during the Pala Period
Religious toleration and simple living were the characteristics of social life during the Pala period.
Coins of the Chalukya Dynasty
Coins of the Chalukya Dynasty was reintroduced in the South India after a brief break of coinage less period of nearly three century. Chalukyas issued coins only in gold and they exhibit a brilliant artistic skill of the engraver.
Costumes of Indus Valley Civilisation
Costumes of Indus valley Civilization have been considered as the basis for Indian clothes. Sophisticated ornaments and make up were used during that age.
Development of Science under Gupta Empire
Development of Science under Gupta Empire was progressive and it had attained considerable perfection. Mathematics, astronomy, medicine, chemistry, physics and metallurgy were the most prominent of the sciences at that time.
Culture under Delhi Sultanate
Culture under Delhi Sultanate had enduring aspects to it. It included the society, the religious condition, literature and art and architecture of that period.
Princely State of Hapa
Princely State of Hapa was incorporated as a part of the Baroda Agency, which was under the administrative control of the Western India States Agency.
Economy Under Chola Dynasty
Economy under Chola dynasty was strong and well developed. The economic life of the people of the Chola Kingdom was well balanced with their social life.
Coins of Khilji Dynasty
Coins of Khilji Dynasty had an influential feature that was followed by the other dynasties.
Religion During Mauryan Dynasty
Religion during Mauryan dynasty became a considerable episode in Indian history with an esteemed lineage of rulers.