ABSTRACT
The partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 was followed by the forced uprooting of an estimated 18 million people belonging to minorities who sought shelter across the newly-created boundaries in the two nation-states of India and Pakistan. When one considers the major communities that were uprooted from the regions which became a part of Pakistan and sought shelter in India-Sindhis, Sikhs, Bengalis, Punjabis, and North West Frontier Province Hindus-in aggregate terms the largest numbers were of those who came from East Bengal. Yet, it is ironic that accounts of partition have tended to be Punjab-centred and Bengal has not received the scholarly attention it deserves.
