Which one of the following commercial centres declined after mid-eighteenth century?

During the mid-eighteenth century, the commercial landscape of India underwent a significant shift. While the British settlements of Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta emerged as flourishing nuclei of trade and attracted large numbers of Indian merchants and bankers [1], traditional commercial centers like Dhaka experienced a decline. Dhaka was a leading commercial center renowned for its fine textiles and muslin, but it lost its prominence following the consolidation of British economic power after the Battle of Plassey in 1757 [1]. The East India Company's shift toward port-based cities like Calcutta, which became the seat of British power, diverted trade away from older inland centers [1]. By the late 18th century, although European factories existed in Dhaka, its status as a premier provincial capital and global textile hub had diminished in favor of the rising Presidency towns [1].

Sources

1. [1] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 3: The Beginnings of European Settlements > The Growth of the East India Company's Trade and Influence, 1600-1744 > p. 56