As tension between Hindus and Muslims kept mounting, one Muslim Movement activist Choudhry Rahmat Ali coined name Pakistan in January 1933 suggesting separate country for the community out of British India enunciating Two Nation Theory later propagated both by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal for creation of Pakistan. The partition of country into India and Pakistan led to the world’s largest forced migration of millions of people to leave their homes to move to the other country with avoidable blood-shed, communal dis-harmony, economic, social, cultural disasters and Kashmir conflict forever. We all are aware that India and Pakistan have gone through numerous wars and the 1971 War led to dismemberment of the East Pakistan becoming as new independent country of Bangladesh, burying Jinnah’s Two Nation Theory forever as apart religion, the two did not share anything with different languages, culture, distances and politics of conflict.
The mistrust between the West and the East Pakistan wings led to Bengali brethren’s genocide, dismembering Pakistan and creation of independent young nation of Bangladesh. The Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh became its first prime minister (PM). He was killed in carnage on 15 Aug 1975 at his residence in Dhaka by a group of Army personnel. Bangladesh has gone though many upheavals and Sheikh Hasina having re-mobilized her late father’s Awami League (AL), played very crucial role in ending General Ershad’s military rule and six years later, defeated Bangladesh Nationalist Party of Khaleda Zia and became the PM for the first time in 2009.
Under Sheikh Hasina’s rule country’s GDP increased and even surpassed its erstwhile master (West) Pakistan and so did relations with India much to the dislike of many within and outside the country. Corruption, lack of opportunities to survive and progress for poor, soaring inflation, high unemployment, bribes, money laundering, nepotism and government ministers and bureaucrats were bogged in numerous scandals that led to wide protests in the country, further sparked by 30% quota in jobs for the families of freedom fighters of 1971 liberation war. Suppression of dissent and arrests of human rights activists, opposition and intellectuals had grown manifolds. While initially the students led peaceful demonstrations and strikes, but Hasina’s addressing students as ‘Razakars’ ignited violence to grave ends. The Awami League’s armed wing Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked protestors with weapons further escalating and aggravating violent protests. With no support of the powerful army, closing down of all the educational institutions and total non-cooperation movement by the population, over 400 killings and long march of thousands of protestors to gherao Hasina in her official residence in Dacca, forced her to flee on 5 Aug 2024 to India.
Hasina blames opposition BNP, Jammat-e-Islami (JeI) fundamentalists, Mohajirs, Razakars besides some foreign countries including China, the US and Pakistan. It is believed ISI Brigadier in Pakistani High Commission in Dacca distributed money to the student leaders, fundamentalists and dissidents, exposing poor intelligence and internal security management with-in the country and massive atrocities, rapes and killings of Hindus and burning of their temples and houses, creating fear psychosis to escape illegally to India. Interim care taking government under noble laureate Muhammad Yunus accepting the role of Chief Advisor who is cool towards India and hostile towards Hasina but considered close to the US and EU, with the support of the powerful army, has been formed with a mix of student leaders, bureaucrats and technocrats as advisors with much anger over India sheltering Hasina. In Oct 2006 Yunus was awarded Nobel Peace Prize, along with Grameen Bank, for their efforts to create economic and social development. He has won a number of other awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the World Food Prize and the Sydney Peace Prize. Sheikh Hasina removed him from Grameen Bank over allegations of violations of labour law corruption, and money laundering and launched series of court cases against him. Yusuf carries it in his heart and with sheltering Hasina, Yusuf’s relations with Modi are less sweet and more sour.
Like Pakistan, military has ruled Bangladesh often but it remains to be seen whether it will hand over full authority to Yunus. Long political uncertainty, strikes and military curfews have slowed down of economy and garment production and Bangladesh is in a real mess seeking economic bail out from the US, IMF, EU, China and oil rich Muslim countries in the Middle-east. Yusuf’s interim government in the last 6 month has not been able to grip the crises country is facing both internally and externally and suddenly taken U turn to get closer to its once staunch enemy (West) Pakistan. Top level military and civil officials and delegations are working on numerous joint military and civil development projects, trade and commerce, much to the discomfort of India and other South Asian countries.
Bangladesh Delegation in Kolkata on Liberation Day celebrations 16 Dec 2024
Bangladesh celebrated the 53rd anniversary of its liberation from Pakistan on 16 Dec 2024. The day was also celebrated as Vijay Diwas at Fort William, Kolkata (now renamed as Vijay Durg), saw a Bangladeshi delegation, including Mukti Joddhas, who took part in the 1971 Liberation War and nostalgically recounted their memories of the East Pakistan becoming liberated Bangladesh. Along the international border (IB) the security forces (SFs) deployed on both sides of the IB greeted each other.
BUT sadly with obliterating statues of the country’s founding father all over the country, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and ousting of the AL popular leader and Mujib’s daughter from the power. Though, as desired by Bangladesh, Pakistan has never apologized atrocities committed on its East Pakistani Bengali brethren, the relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have improved over the decades. Sheikh Hasina and Imran Khan were known to exchange pleasantries to improve bilateral relations as neighboring countries that were one till December 1971.
Many JeI fundamentalists in both Pakistan and Bangladesh are spreading rumours that the 1971 War that Pakistan lost against India was as an Indian conspiracy to divide Pakistan. It is surprising that Bangladesh which till now had been seeking apology from Pakistan over war crimes, rapes and genocides, again feels that common religious binding brings two counties closer which culturally and linguistically are contrary will always be far apart.
In erstwhile East Pakistan, Urdu was imposed as national language by Pakistan in 1952 Language Movement leading to revolt and liberation of Bangladesh in December 1971. Surprisingly, Urdu resonated in Bengali speaking Bangladesh on Jinnah’s death anniversary on 11 September 2024 after ouster of Hasina!
Thousands of Hindus are protesting in Bangladesh demanding end to attacks on minorities and death and destruction of their temples and properties and human rights violations that are going on unabated despite Chief Advisor Yunus assurances. According to Times of India (TOI) dated 15 September 2024, the recent attacks on Hindus who escaped religious violence in Bangladesh in the past and are struggling to obtain legal recognition in India. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is the only hope that keeps them going in these shelter homes. Many Bangladeshi Hindus agitate wanting India to open its borders for Bangladeshi Hindus to migrate to India. With recent political upheavals in Bangladesh and so in the past, there is large influx of illegal immigrants to India in recent decades adversely affecting our economic, social, and security implications. The Sufi shrines are also being attacked in Bangladesh as they are contrary to fundamentalists’ practices while Yusuf’s interim government states its commitment to protect the minorities while the speed of normalcy returning is awfully slow and painful.
Till 1947 India and Pakistan were one country under British India. Likewise Pakistanis and Bangladeshis were one Pakistani citizens till 1971. There are many Bangladeshis who are still sympathizers of Pakistan because of past association and also because both are Muslims. With changed times, what in 1971 divided the country is now bringing them closer to each other. So there are no permanent friends BUT permanent interests. Pakistan has announced a new visa policy under which many countries including Bangladesh, BUT NOT India, will be able to travel to Pakistan without visa fee.
It has been often seen that whenever there is a cricket or hockey match between India and Pakistan, Bangladeshis invariably cheer Pakistani team and vice versa. But many Pakistanis over social media have often rejected union of Bangladesh and Pakistan and so have Bangladeshis with Pakistan exception being miniscule of JeI, Mohajirs and Razakars residing on both the sides. It is the mind-set of the few Pakistanis doing such wishful thinking. Also, the Pakistanis need to see what it was doing closer home in Baluchistan- East Pakistan like repetition of rapes and genocide of Baluchi people and not learnt lessons from the 1971 dismemberment. Most Pakistanis don't have emotional attachment with Bangladesh. It is just another country that used to be part of us, post partition and that all. With friendly and economically and militarily powerful secular India in between, Bangladesh's need for Pakistan is over. Some Pakistani has written in the social media-
‘Pakistan regret the way East Pakistan got separation from the West Pakistan. We regret the way corrupt rulers of West Pakistan treated them and pushed them against the wall. We regret that our evil rulers denied their democratic rights to rule in 1971 when they won elections under the constitution of Pakistan. We forced them to secede from us. The worst of all was unnecessary bloodshed that occurred in East Pakistan.
The divorce between East and Pakistan was inevitable. But is turned out to be ugly, which resulted in the humiliating surrender in front of our archrival. All this would never happened had we learned to respect the democratic right of our East Pakistani brethren.’
Both countries are financially down and to revive economy have vast trade potential and while Pakistan is closer to China in the new equation, China also having good relations with Bangladesh would try bringing it to its fold to surround and isolate India and using Bangladesh as spring board as wedge in the narrow strategically very vulnerable Silliguri-Chicken neck corridor and create restless in the north-eastern states of India.
Bangladesh Chief Adviser Yunus and Pakistan PM Sharif met during D-8 Summit at Cairo on 20 December 2024 and discussed the revival of the SAARC and called for strengthening the strategic relationship between both the countries.
With Trump becoming the US president, the US administration looks upon Pakistan suspiciously due to its closer relations with China and Iran and Bangladesh joining in hands won’t please the new US administration that will be top of PM Modi’s agenda in forthcoming meet
Summing Up
It is too early to comprehend future of Bangladesh. World is watching which way the camel sits. Unlike India, the democracy in Pakistan, Sri Lanka Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar has not matured. Large poor population, lack of health and educational facilities, job opportunities, corruption and poverty elevation are the major issues that need priority attention. Many Pakistanis realise and believe that Bangladesh and Pakistan can never be one country all over again. Certainly, however, many people regret the parting of the ways, and especially how it came about.
It has been reported in some newspapers that Trump has left instructions to obliterate Iran if it kills him. Iran has stated that Trump is wanting to take over Gaza and wipe out Palestinians, thus raging anger and protests in the Muslim world. To uproot anti-Christian bias Trump will largely target Muslim countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, encircling India that would jeopardise the geo-strategic balance in the South Asia.
India and Bangladesh are close strategic partners in counter-terrorism while both share a long international border and maritime boundary and exclusive economic zones. Although some disputes remain unresolved, and with recent political changes in Bangladesh, the relations between the two countries have been characterised as friendly BUT NOT warm. Trade, tourism and sharing of power and transportation of diesel to Bangladesh by pipe line from India, operation of to and fro bus and train services, cultural and students exchanges, have assured mutual dependency. India and Bangladesh share bonds of history, language, culture, and multitude of other commonalities. The excellent bilateral ties reflect an all-encompassing partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust, and understanding that goes far beyond a strategic partnership. The partnership has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region and beyond. But recent events are overshadowing warm relations and India has to ‘wait and watch’ without lowering its guard.
Mujib’s burning house in Dhan Mandi, Dhaka (Bangla Pratidin photo)
Recent torching and destroying of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s house in Dhan Mandi by the frenzied mob has further strained deteriorating relations between Delhi and Dhaka. The turmoil against Hasina though an internal matter of the country was so emotionally violent that younger generation of the Bengalis, born much after the liberation of East Pakistan from the clutches of West Pakistan dominated army and government, responsible for genocide of East Pakistan’s Bengali population, suddenly, after the fall of Hasina’s government, fond returning of old connectivity. Notwithstanding above, realistically not many intellectuals, statesmen, politicians, strategic thinkers and economists feel that the way Bangladesh was created out of hatred and genocide and parted away once forever, could ever be one again with Pakistan as wounds of hatred and discard by Punjabi dominated West Pakistan on Bengali dominated East Pakistan are too deep to heal upsetting geopolitical and geostrategic relations and un-stability in South Asia! Also, unlike two Vietnams or Germanys they are culturally and linguistically far apart and is in the interest of South Asia that they have good and close mutually beneficial relations as neighbouring countries for peace, prosperity, security and eradication of malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment and poverty from South Asia.
Many younger writers are penning articles on the Bangladesh after the present mess up. In the end, I would like to say that I was posted as Staff Captain in HQ 62 Mountain Brigade located in Kanpur. The formation was moblised for impending operations around Durgapur –Shanti-Niketan and finally moved to Krishnanagar and around as part of HQ 2 Corps under raising under the dynamic leadership of Lt Gen (later Gen/ COAS) TN Raina, MVC that took part in Bangladesh Liberation War from the western side of East Pakistan crossing IB on 4 Dec 1971. After neutralizing the Pakistani Border Observation Post (BOP) at Krishnanagar, capturing HQ 9 Infantry Division of Pakistan located at Jessore, finally captured Faridpur in south-central Bangladesh where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in village Tungipara in the Gopalganj sub-division and located on the western bank of the Mara (Dead) Padma River - a tributary of the mighty Ganga River. I would like to narrate two anecdotes. Firstly, the troops of the Pakistani HQ 9 Division (not to be confused with Indian 9 Infantry Division also operating in the same sector) located at Jessore, to avoid casualties and collateral damage, just fled away, while our troops not to break enemy contact, were chasing them. We happened to peep into the Pakistani 9 Division Officers’ Mess left fully intact. We were amazed to everything including silver trophies, carpets, chandeliers, liquor lying intact with a colour TV on in ante room and Pakistani TV anchor, to our amusement, blasting in Urdu news that Pakistani forces had blunted meakish and timid Indian attacks on their forces in Jessore and inflicted heavy casualties on the running enemy. I sheepishly admit, that I first time physically saw live coverage on color TV in Pak Officers’ Mess as in India the colour TV services commenced in 1982 only. In an another incident, after the ceasefire while I was officially driving down outside Faridpur town, I saw a few Mukti Bhaini solders had lined up about section strength (10-12 soldiers) Pakistani straggling soldiers to shoot and kill them. We stopped our jeep and I reached them. The jubilant Mukti Bahini commander ordered attention in Bengali, saluted me and said,’ to avenge West Pakistanis atrocities on them, they wanted to kill them’. I prevailed upon him saying that the victorious armies don’t do such unsoldierly acts and they should disarm them, tie their hands and hand them over at nearest POW Transit Camp. He said OK Sir with a smile, saluted me and that’s how some enemy lives were saved after the surrender.
After the ceasefire, we were deeply involved in disarming and transporting large numbers of Pakistani POWs surrendered in our sector to various POW camps established in India.
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