An article published on January 29, 2026, revisits the 360th anniversary of Shaista Khan’s conquest of Chittagong, a decisive Mughal military campaign conducted between December 24, 1665, and January 27, 1666. The campaign, led by Shaista Khan’s son and chief commander Buzurg Umed Khan, began from Dhaka’s Lalbagh Fort and combined naval and land forces to capture Sandwip, advance through Jugidia, and finally cross the Feni River to launch the Chittagong assault. The four-day battle at the Karnaphuli River estuary ended with the defeat of the Arakanese forces and the expansion of Mughal control from northern to southern Chittagong.

The article contrasts this event with the concurrent Great Plague in England, describing 1665–1666 as Europe’s “Years of Wonder.” While England faced epidemic and war, Bengal witnessed the end of colonial disorder through Shaista Khan’s strategic victory. The conquest ended over a century of Portuguese and Arakanese dominance in Chittagong, restoring peace and stability to the region.

The piece highlights the campaign’s enduring recognition as a landmark in Bengal’s history for its tactical brilliance and its role in freeing the region from foreign control.