https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Bengal_BankBengal Bank - Revision history2026-08-20T10:00:31ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bengal_Bank&diff=490425&oldid=prevDiannaGariepy5: Started new details!2025-03-16T00:00:50Z<p>Started new details!</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Bank in India}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2021}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox company<br />
| name = Bengal Bank<br />
| logo = <br />
| native_name = <br />
| type = [[Private sector]]<br />
| traded_as = <br />
| industry = [[Banking]], [[Insurance]], [[Capital Markets]] and allied industries<br />
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies --><br />
| fate = Defunct<br />
| predecessor = <br />
| successor = <br />
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1784|04|01|df=yes|br=yes}} as The Bengal Bank<br />
| founder = <br />
| defunct = {{End date|df=yes|1791|03|31}}<br />
| location_city = <br />
| locations = [[Bengal Presidency]]<br />
| area_served = [[India]]<br />
| key_people = <br />
| products = [[Deposit (finance)|Deposits]], [[Personal banking|Personal Banking Schemes]], C & I Banking Schemes, Agri Banking Schemes, [[Small and medium enterprises|SME Banking Schemes]]<br />
| production = <br />
| services = Banking, Trade Finance<br />
| revenue = <br />
| operating_income = <br />
| net_income = <br />
| aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies --><br />
| assets = <br />
| equity = <br />
| owner = <br />
| num_employees = <br />
| parent = <br />
| divisions = <br />
| subsid = <br />
| footnotes = <br />
| location_country = [[India]]<br />
| homepage = <br />
}}<br />
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The '''Bengal Bank''' was a bank founded in 1784 in [[Company rule in India|British India]]. The bank was the [[List of oldest banks in India|fifth oldest bank in India]].<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |title=Reserve Bank of India - Museum |url=https://rbi.org.in/scripts/ms_banks.aspx |website=rbi.org.in}}</ref><br />
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The bank became defunct on March 31, 1791.<ref name="auto1"/><br />
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== History ==<br />
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=== Founding === <br />
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The bank was established in 1784 by private entrepreneurs.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-126897|title=Banking on the page of history|date=19 February 2010|website=The Daily Star}}</ref><br />
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The bank has played a major role in the early economic history of [[East Bengal]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.theindependentbd.com/home/printnews/143488|title=Banking in Bangladesh &#124; Independent|website=m.theindependentbd.com}}</ref><br />
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=== Management ===<br />
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Although the bank was largely a private bank, it enjoyed patronage from the then government of India, the [[East India Company]].<ref name="auto3"/><br />
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The bank was staffed by mostly British nationals who were drawn mainly from the [[East India Company]].<ref name="auto3"/><br />
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The bank had most of its offices and branches in [[East Bengal]], which is present day [[Bangladesh]].<ref name="auto3"/><br />
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=== Final years ===<br />
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The bank lasted in business for only seven years and was finally closed in 1791.<ref name="auto1"/><br />
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The bank also issued its own currency notes in its seven years of existence.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/forgotten-treasures/indias-first-currency-note/|title=India’s First Currency Note}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mintageworld.com/note/dynasty/32/|title=Early Bank Notes &#124; Old Currency Bank Notes &#124; Rare Bank Notes &#124; Mintage World|website=www.mintageworld.com}}</ref><br />
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== Legacy ==<br />
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The bank is notable for being the [[List of oldest banks in India|fifth oldest bank in India]].<ref name="auto1"/> It is also notable for being one of the first institutions in India to issue its own paper banknotes or currency notes.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto"/><br />
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The ability of private banks to issue their own currency notes was taken away by [[The Paper Currency Act, 1861]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbi.org.in/commonman/English/Currency/Scripts/EarlyIssues.aspx|title=Reserve Bank of India|website=www.rbi.org.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rbi.org.in/scripts/pm_papermoney.aspx|title=Reserve Bank of India - Museum|website=rbi.org.in}}</ref><br />
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The bank is also notable for being the very first bank in India to issue cheques and chequebooks to its customers. This innovation was later adopted by all other banks in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://syskool.com/banking-information/|title=Banking Information|date=2 March 2014|website=Syskool}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pscarivukal.com/2020/08/first-of-banks.html|title=First of Banks: The Banking History of India &#124; PSC Arivukal|website=www.pscarivukal.com}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
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{{Portal|Banks}}<br />
*[[Indian banking]]<br />
*[[List of banks in India]]<br />
*[[List of oldest banks in India]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://rbi.org.in/scripts/ms_banks.aspx Oldest Banks in India]<br />
* [https://www.mintageworld.com/note/dynasty/32/ Banking in India]<br />
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{{Banking in India}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bengal Bank}}<br />
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[[Category:Defunct banks of India]]<br />
[[Category:Companies based in Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Banks established in 1784]]</div>DiannaGariepy5