Key Events
Early 1943: Poor Harvest
Unusually low rice production due to natural disasters like cyclones and flooding significantly reduced food availability in Bengal.
March 1943: Japanese Conquest of Burma
With Burma falling to Japanese forces, Bengal's rice imports were halted, worsening the food crisis across the region.
Mid 1943: Grain Hoarding and Speculation
Merchants and landlords began hoarding food and driving up prices. Black markets flourished while the poor went hungry.
October 1943: Peak Starvation
The famine reached its peak with thousands dying daily. Calcutta streets were filled with the bodies of the starving.
1944: Relief Efforts Begin
Government and charitable organizations began providing food and medical aid, slowly reducing the mortality rate.