What was the real cause of conflict between the English East India Company and the Nawab of Bengal?

a. Dastak:

Dastak was a special permit that allowed movement of the goods belonging to the English Company duty-free.

b. Real Cause:

The English traders became powerful after their victory in the Carnatic wars. Now they began preparing themselves for a confrontation with the Nawab of Bengal. Sirajuddowla discovered the conspiracy. He punished Saukat lung and Ghasiti Begum two of his close relations who conspired against him.

Meanwhile the news reached him that one of the agents of Ghasiti Begum, Krishnadas by name, had taken shelter under the English at Calcutta. This obviously enraged Sirajuddowla against the English. There were, of course, other reasons for Siraj’s hostility towards the English.

It was customary to send presents to the Nawab on his coronation. All foreign merchants, barring the English, sent him gifts. Moreover, Siraj was annoyed with the English because he came to know that they had been repairing the Calcutta fort without obtaining permission from the Nawab.

Annoyed at the news of sheltering Krishnalas, Sirajuddowl? Ordered the English to surrender him immediately. The English refusal to obey the order led Siraj to proceed towards Calcutta with his army.

c. Chronological Order:

(a) Battle of Plassey (1757), (b) Battle of Buxar (1764), (c) Grant of Diwani to East India Company (1765).

Really speaking the battle of Plassey, battle of Buxer and grant of Diwan to East India Company the three events were nothing but stages in the growth of the power of the English East India Company in India.

And it was ultimately this power which led to the building up of the British Empire in India. The battle of Plassey was the first stage in the growth of the British power in India.

With the victory in the battle of Plassey the English virtually became the master of Bengal. Of course Nawab still now possessed power had he been an active person.

In the second stage, that is to say, by winning the battle of Buxar the Nawab of Bengal lost all power to act. The Nawab of Bengal was now a puppet in the hands of the English.

In this war the Mughal Emperor and the Nawab of Oudh were also defeated and cut to size.

And the grant of Diwani to the English East India Company by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II was the culmination of the first two stages. The English Company got a legal footing as it obtained diwani rights.

The Company became a diwan, that is to say, collector of taxes in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.