The establishment of postal services in Bahrain in 1884 revolutionized social communication by connecting people and facilitating businesses. At the onset, mail processing was very lengthy and it would take weeks and sometimes months for a letter to be delivered to its recipient. Mail was often shipped on boats travelling from Bombay (Mumbai), to Bahrain though Basra. In 1912, the Indian Government introduced a steamship line between India and the Arabian Gulf States, which induced a more regular postal service in Manama.
Up until the 1940s, people would collect their letters and parcels from the post office due to the absence of delivery service. However, an increase in demand prompted the development of postal operations in the commercial districts of Manama and Muharraq, with the appointment of one postman in each district, as well as the introduction of post office boxes. In 1946, a post office was opened in Muharraq, followed by another in the town of Awali in 1950. Soon after, postal coverage expanded to include neighbouring towns and villages.
Following India’s independence in 1947, the administration of the postal service in Bahrain was transferred to the English Post Office. As a result, overprinted Indian stamps were replaced with British stamps. In 1966, the government of Bahrain assumed full responsibility of the postal service which was marked by the issuance of local stamps featuring the name of Bahrain and the portraits of the ruler. Following Bahrain’s independence in 1971, postal services were significantly enhanced and expanded. In 1973, Bahrain joined the International Postal Union. In 1977, Bahrain became a founding member of the GCC Post. In 1986, Bahrain Post joined the Arab Postal Union, and by 2002, the Postal Directorate had significantly expanded geographically and post offices multiplied in number to serve the people near their locations.
