(i) In 1905, Lord Curzon, the then Governor General announced the partition of Bengal. The province of Bengal at that time comprised the present states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Assam. It also included the present country of Bangladesh.

(ii) Though Bengal was a very large administrative unit, the way the partition was done clearly indicated the divisive policies of the British.

(iii) It was on the line of religion, the areas where Hindus were in a majority, were separated from Muslim majority areas.

(iv) The urban bases of the resurgent intelligentsia (English educated upper caste Indian), were separated from the mainly cultivating areas, most significantly the jute producing areas, was also an attempt to reduce the significance of Calcutta where the intelligentsia from all over Bengal met and inspired each other.

(v) There were widespread protests following this announcement. Initially the protest was on the lines of the prayer and petition tactics of the moderates whereby petitions and memoranda were addressed to the colonial government, and speeches, public meetings and press campaigns were held. In spite of these attempts the partition of Bengal was announced in July 1905.

(vi) In response to this announcement, Bengal broke out in protest. Protest meetings were held throughout Bengal. For the first time the decision to boycott British goods was taken. Formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement was made on August 7, 1905 with the passing of the 'Boycott' resolution in a meeting at the Calcutta townhall.

(vii) On the day the partition was put into effect i.e. 16 October, 1905, a hartal was called in Calcutta and a day of mourning was declared. People fasted and no fire was lit in the cooking hearth. People paraded the streets singing Bande Mataram. The people of Bengal also tied rakhis on each other's wrist as a symbol of solidarity.