Editing Bengal (section)

==== Southeast Bengal ====
{{Main|Greater Chittagong}}

[[File:Sunset of Porenga.jpg|thumb|Sunset at [[Patenga|Potenga Beach]], [[Chittagong]], Bangladesh|276x276px]]
Southeast Bengal<ref name="google2">{{cite book |title=A History of Early Modern Southeast Asia, 1400–1830 |author1=Andaya, B. W. |author2=Andaya, L. Y. |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-88992-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Rh2BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA220 |page=220 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google3">{{cite book |title=Modern World System and Indian Proto-industrialization: Bengal 1650–1800 |author=Singh, A. K. |date=2006 |volume=1 |publisher=Northern Book Centre |isbn=9788172112011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WwNUblS-jpwC&pg=PA225 |page=225 |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="google4">{{cite book |title=Islam in Bangladesh |author=Banu, U. A. B. Razia Akter |year=1992 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-09497-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyzqATEDPSgC&pg=PA6 |page=6 |access-date=7 January 2017 |quote=in Samatata (South-east Bengal) where the Buddhist Khadaga dynasty ruled throughout the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries AD.}}</ref> refers to the hilly-coastal [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]]-speaking and coastal Bengali-speaking areas of [[Chittagong Division]] in southeastern Bangladesh. The region is noted for its [[thalassocracy|thalassocratic]] and [[seafaring]] heritage. The area was dominated by the Bengali [[Harikela]] and [[Samatata]] kingdoms in antiquity. It was known to Arab traders as ''Samandar'' in the 9th century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rashid |first=M Harunar |year=2012 |chapter=Harikela |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Harikela |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> During the medieval period, the region was ruled by the [[Chandra dynasty]], the [[sultanate of Bengal]], the [[kingdom of Tripura]], the [[kingdom of Mrauk U]], the [[Portuguese Empire]] and the [[Mughal Empire]], prior to the advent of British rule. The [[Chittagonian language]], a sister of Bengali is prevalent in coastal areas of southeast Bengal. Along with its Bengali population, it is also home to [[Tibeto-Burman]] ethnic groups, including the [[Chakma people|Chakma]], [[Marma people|Marma]], [[Tanchangya people|Tanchangya]] and [[Bawm people|Bawm]] peoples.

Southeast Bengal is considered a bridge to Southeast Asia and the northern parts of [[Arakan]] are also historically considered to be a part of it.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chittagong to bridge S Asian nations |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-226586.html |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=17 March 2012 |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813113736/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-226586.html |archive-date=13 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>