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Why was Bengal difficult for the Mughals to govern from Delhi?

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Akbar A painting titled *Akbar Hunting* from a folio of *Akbarnama* (“History of Akbar”), late 16th century; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Bengal was difficult for the Mughal Empire to govern from Delhi primarily due to its complex geography. The region is defined by a vast network of rivers that were prone to frequent and severe flooding during the summer monsoon season, which significantly hindered communication and administrative control from the imperial capital.1

While the region was a rich territory with a distinctive culture, its distance and environmental challenges made it a difficult province to manage. Although earlier efforts by Sher Shah of Sur had begun to integrate Bengal’s economy with northern India by establishing a road network between Sonargaon and Attock, Akbar had to forcibly annex the region in 1576 after the local Afghan ruler rebelled against Mughal suzerainty.21