Which one of the following commercial centres declined after mid-eighteenth century?
Calcutta
Madras
Dhaka
Bombay
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2018
The correct answer is C) Dhaka.
After the mid-eighteenth century, particularly following the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the consolidation of British power, colonial trade policies and the rise of port cities favoured by the British led to the decline of many traditional inland commercial centres. Dhaka, a major trading city and centre for fine textiles like muslin under Mughal rule, experienced a significant decline as British trade patterns shifted towards Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, and traditional industries faced competition from British manufactured goods. Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, on the other hand, grew exponentially under British rule, becoming major Presidency towns and hubs of colonial administration and trade.