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The Bangladesh Liberation War
- Eric A. Strahorn
December 16, 1971 marked the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War, a short-lived conflict between India and Pakistan that established the People’s Republic of Bangladesh from the territory of the former province of East Pakistan.
Although the war is best remembered for its dramatic alteration of South Asia’s geopolitical landscape, it also bears a more complex and lesser-known set of legacies for how we think about Cold War international relations, twentieth-century genocidal and sexual violence , and the limits of international law in post-conflict societies.
Map of the 1947 partition of India, where orange represents India and green represents Pakistan.
The province East Pakistan was created during independence from the British empire in 1947 . At that time, the South Asian subcontinent was partitioned into two countries: India (including lands with a Hindu majority) and Pakistan (lands with a Muslim majority). The people and territory of East Bengal became East Pakistan.
East and West Pakistan were geographically, culturally, and ideologically distant and distinct. An independence movement for East Pakistan grew up based on Bengal ethnic concerns, the right to use the Bengali language, and a desire for local political control and self-rule.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (center with glasses) campaigning in East Pakistan for the 1970 general election.
The seeds of political crisis that led to the Liberation War were planted on December 7, 1970. The Awami League won a substantial victory in Pakistan’s elections. The League was a political party led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who had campaigned for autonomy for East Pakistan. However, they encountered immediate opposition from General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of the Pakistan People’s Party, which attempted to prevent the Awami League from forming the next government.
After months of fruitless negotiations, the Pakistani army was deployed in East Pakistan on March 25, 1971. It pursued a policy of reprisal, targeting supporters of Bangladesh liberation and perceived enemies of the state like the significant Hindu minority.
Bangladesh nationalist poster depicting atrocities at the hands of the Pakistani army in 1971.
Deploying weapons such as fighter jets, tanks, and napalm—and creating radical religious militias to participate in the systematic murder and deportation of the populace—the army of Pakistan committed war crimes that reached the level of genocide.
What began as an internecine conflict soon became an international one. A Bangladesh independence militia called the Mukti Bahini, which drew support from the government of India , often engaged in guerilla operations in East Pakistan from bases on the Indian side of the border.
With as many as 15 million refugees crossing into its territory by autumn 1971, India decided to intervene militarily in the autumn for “purely humanitarian reasons” according to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Pakistan preempted Indian action, however, by attacking northern India from West Pakistan on December 3.
Map of Bangladesh Liberation War refugee and troop movements in 1971 (left) . Text of the Instrument of Surrender, 1971 (right).
Although the fighting lasted for only two weeks before a Pakistani surrender, the war became a flashpoint within the wider Cold War. Fearing that an Indian victory would pave the way for Soviet domination in the region, the United States did what it could to buttress Pakistan from the outset.
The Nixon administration had, for example, dispatched the aircraft carrier Enterprise into the Bay of Bengal as a deterrent to Indian military intervention. It also refrained from criticizing the ongoing humanitarian crisis, publicly declaring between March and December that the conflict remained a Pakistani internal matter.
Even as American diplomats at the consulate in Dhaka futilely sounded the alarm over the ongoing “selective genocide,” the White House illegally transferred weapons to Pakistan in direct violation of a Congressional sanction. The U.S., in other words, was complicit in an unfolding humanitarian crisis of astounding magnitude.
Monument to the teachers and officials of Dhaka University who were killed during the Liberation War.
Estimates of the death toll vary, stretching from hundreds of thousands to some 3 million. Furthermore, the Pakistani army used rape as a weapon of war. At least 200,000 women were assaulted and some 25,000 children resulted from those attacks.
The memory of those events remains contested. The government of Pakistan has never acknowledged that any atrocities were committed during the war and continues to insist that only a few thousand people were killed. In the slim literature on the subject, scholars have debated whether the Pakistani army’s actions qualify as genocide and who should be held responsible.
Exhibition at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka displaying human remains and war materials.
In Bangladesh, the political consequences of the Liberation War continue to resonate. Awami League governments led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (known as Mujib, 1973-75) and Sheikh Hasina (1996-2001; 2009-present) have sought to punish those who collaborated with Pakistan and enacted the 1973 International Crimes (Tribunal) Act and the 2009 International Crimes (Tribunals) (Amendment) Act (ICTAA). By 1975, some 752 people had been convicted and imprisoned.
But, despite their names, these tribunals remained solely Bangladeshi in scope and have never been affiliated with the International Criminal Court , leading some observers to claim that the trials have not met international standards.
At times, justice has appeared more distant than ever.
Individuals who aided the Pakistani army, or who were involved in the assassination of Mujib in 1975, have served in the governments of General Ziaur Rahman (1975-81), General Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1982-90), and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Khaleda Zia (1991-1996; 2001-2006). General Ziaur Rahman halted the war crimes trials and they did not resume until 2010 under the ICTAA.
Demonstrators in Dhaka, Bangladesh (2013) demanding the death penalty for Kader Molla and all other war criminals who committed atrocities during the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
The legacy of the Liberation War continues to shape civic life in Bangladesh today. As trials have been conducted in recent years, there have been violent protests by both their opponents and by those demanding harsher sentences for those convicted. Since 2013, there have been a series of murders of prominent secularists and human rights activists by Islamists in what appears to be retaliation for the trials.
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1971 liberation war, birth of bangladesh and comparison with present day pakistan, introduction.
The 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh against Pakistan continues shaping the mindset of Bangladeshi people until present day. This bloodstained historical event has constructed Bangladeshi sense of nationalism and has forged their contemporary Constitution. The Bangladesh we see today is essentially the fruit of the liberation war of 1971. In order to understand ongoing Bangladeshi politics and the socio-economic sphere, it is required to analyse the history of Pakistani colonialism and the events surrounding the 1971 liberation war that turned Bangladesh into an independent sovereign State. This research paper provides a profound overview of these historical narratives and draws a comparison between present day Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The Partition of the Indian Subcontinent and Creation of Pakistan
The liberation war of Bangladesh was not merely a war for independence fought by Bangladeshi nationalists - one of its main triggers was religion. The Pakistani government wanted to turn Bangladeshis into exemplary Muslims by alienating them from their Hindu background. This concept of religious division was also used as a root cause for the creation of Pakistan in the first place following British colonialism of the subcontinent. Ironically, religion brought together Bangladesh and Pakistan as one State during the partition of the subcontinent and later the very same religion separated the two. Comprehending the development of the liberation war of Bangladesh involves a meticulous retrospective look into the events leading to the partition of the Indian subcontinent. Following the devastating effects of the Second World War, the British colonialists gave up their control over the Indian subcontinent and the 1947 partition outlined two independent nations - India and Pakistan.
Lahore Resolution
The Partition
Discrimination and Exploitation by West-Pakistan
The Muslims of Bengal hoped that in the new Muslim state they would finally achieve a better standard of life. Given their past inferiority to Hindu landlords, Bengal Muslims were looking forward to the West-Pakistani government to ensure their fundamental rights. However, events did not unfold as the Bengali people had hoped. The West-Pakistani government proved even more discriminatory towards the people of East-Pakistan in all spheres of life - social, political and economic.
Political Discrimination
The government’s headquarters were established in the Western Wing. Besides, the political representation of the different ethnic groups was not equal in the Central Government. It was dominated by elite groups of West-Pakistan, mainly the Punjabis. Minority ethnic groups, such as the Bengali population, did not have significant representation in the government. Consequently, control over state-owned organizations, governmental mechanisms and the armed forces were in the hands of the dominant ethnic group. During the years of 1947 - 1971, Pakistan experienced prolonged phases of military rule, which made it more difficult for ethnic minorities to gain access to political power. The Bengali population did not even have satisfactory political representation in their own province. Even for higher government posts such as “Governor-General,” Bengalis were not considered good enough.
Such positions were awarded to people from West-Pakistan or migrants from India who assumed Pakistani citizenship. At the initial stages of the government’s creation, the West-Pakistanis sought various mechanisms to avoid handing over power to East Bengal, which harboured the majority in terms of population size. The elites of West-Pakistan tried several ways to capture the control and succeeded in their attempts to dominate East Bengal through the central government in West-Pakistan. However, the power struggle continued between different political parties and the Western elites were forced to accept the role of Bengalis in politics, through the process of creating and abandoning several drafts of the National Assembly, that gave Bengalis a satisfactory share of representation in the constitution of 1956. Before this could yield any positive outcome for the unification of the two wings of Pakistan, the country fell prey to military rule and previous assemblies were again dissolved.
Economic exploitation
The Six Points Movement is a significant turnover in the history of Bangladesh. Despite being initially rejected, it became a core component of the election campaign of Sheikh Mujib during the election of 1970. It embraced the Mujib’s campaign on yielding equal access to economic opportunities for everyone.
Social Exploitation
Since the very formation of Pakistan, the Western part branded the Eastern as inferior, because it considered the Muslims in the Eastern Wing subordinate due to their social and cultural affiliation with the Hindu population, which were powerful, rich and dominating in East-Pakistan before the partition of the subcontinent. As a result of the partition many influential Hindus left East-Pakistan to join India. Nonetheless, the Hindu population still counted as one of the major ethnic groups present in the Eastern Wing. Historically, people from various religions had always co-existed peacefully in the East Wing, as they were naturally adopting practices and customs from one another, while tolerating everyone’s traditions and beliefs. Even today, Muslim communities celebrate programs that hold a Hindu foundation and have barely no roots or relevance to Islam. The West-Pakistani government was critical about the intimacy between the Muslim and the Hindu population. Even though the Muslims of the East Wing supported the partition, they were not willing to give up their own culture or language for the sake of becoming a Pakistani as envisioned by the elite of West-Pakistan. The West-Pakistani government remained insensitive to the cultural sentiments of the East-Pakistani people. The selection of a national Pakistani language became a contentious issue since the onset of its genesis. The West-Pakistan government did not pay any heed to the language that predominated in East-Pakistan, namely Bengali. The number of Bengali speakers were higher in comparison with the number of Urdu speakers. Urdu was the language of the elite, used only by 7% of Pakistanis. In contrast, Bengali was spoken by 56% of Pakistanis. The West-Pakistani leaders did not consider this factor while choosing an official language. While arguing that Bengali can still remain a primary language for everyday use of the people in the Eastern Province, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan and the first Governor General, declared on the 24 th of March 1948 during a conference in Dhaka University that Urdu will become the State language. This declaration triggered a great outrage among the people of the Eastern Wing that became to be known as the Bengali Language Movement.
Continuous political, economic and social exploitation took part before Bangladesh could achieve its Independence. Following are certain major events that have contributed to the resolution of this national struggle and the creation of Bangladesh as an Independent country.
Agartala Conspiracy Case
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight is the planned genocide that took place on the 25 th of March 1971 and was undertaken by the West-Pakistani government against its own citizens of the Eastern Wing. This plan was the result of the victory of Sheikh Mujib’s party in the General Election of Pakistan in 1970. The West-Pakistani rulers had no intention to convey the power to Sheikh Mujib and finally their National Assembly was dismissed. The dismissal brought fierce reactions among the people of East-Pakistan and Sheikh Mujib summoned a five day long strike and protests for an indefinite period. Following the five-day strike, he exhorted the East-Pakistani people to embark on an Independence struggle. Law and order collapsed as people broke curfews imposed by the West-Pakistani Government. The Bengalis occupied the streets demanding freedom and self-determination for Bangladesh. During this period, in a meeting of Awami League, the National Anthem of Bangladesh was chosen.
The Liberation War (March to December 1971)
Following the massacre of the 25 th of March 1971, Bengalis started fighting against the Pakistani military with every resource they had. Ordinary Bengalis, especially young people, who had no knowledge or training to fight in a war, risked their lives and the lives of their family members for the sake of making Bangladesh an independent country. Following the “Black Night” of 25 th of March, the atrocities of the Pakistani military aggravated. The operation was extended to the entire region of East-Pakistan.
The Bengali Nationalists assembled a shallow novice armed force called “Mukti Bahini” (The Force of Independence). The Bengali military officers of East-Pakistan took charge over the military operations of the Bengali nationalists. They divided East-Pakistan in 11 sectors in order to conduct their guerrilla operations against the West-Pakistani military. In the meantime, the Provisional Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was created in Mujibnagar by some political leaders of East-Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was a prisoner of the West-Pakistan government during that time was made the President and Tajuddin Ahmed was made the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. This event led to the official declaration of Bangladesh as an independent state.
Refugee Crisis
Military Support from India
After Pakistan launched several attacks on Indian territory on the 3 rd of December 1971, India joined Bangladesh in its military efforts against the Pakistani military. With the support of India as well as commands from the military officers of East-Pakistan, the West-Pakistani military was defeated. It eventually surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India leading to victory for Bangladesh on 16 th of December 1971.
The Rajakars
Atrocities Committed by the Pakistani Army
International Support
Bangladesh received continuous moral support from India since the beginning of the Liberation War. Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India during that time, was able to secure support from the Soviet Union, The United Kingdom and France to ensure that there would be no directives in favour of Pakistan in the United Nations Security Council. In contrast, Pakistan received support from the United States and China. The United States provided ammunition while China provided moral advocacy. In spite of the protection and encouragement from the United States, Pakistan did not have high chances of winning the war because of the Soviet Union which played against the efforts of the United States during the war.
The Surrender of Pakistani Army and victory of Bangladesh
Comparison between Present Day Bangladesh and Pakistan
Bangladesh has walked a long way after its liberation from Pakistan. The following section of the article discusses the advancement of Bangladesh in terms of social, political and economic development in comparison to the evolution and growth of Pakistan. The analysis intends to construct a parallel that compares the levels of flourishment and deterioration between the two countries.
Political Development of Bangladesh
Rule of Law
Rule of law conveys the message that the law is equal for everyone and is above all. The rule of law is vital in ensuring protection for the citizens of a country against the abuse of power by governmental and public authorities. Despite the fact that Bangladesh is a democratic country, in reality Rule of law does not exist to the desired extent. One major issue with the principles of legitimacy in Bangladesh is that the judiciary is not completely independent. While the higher courts exercise independence, the Ministry of Justice controls the lower courts. In addition, derogating political opponents often implies the practice of misemploying the rule of law. Provisions, such as the Special Power Act of 1974 and Section 54 of the Criminal Code often insinuate such machinations. They are frequently used to justify arrests and detention of the opposition. The Bangladeshi armed forces, which were expected forgers of fundamental legal standards in favour of their citizens, have been frequently biased towards the ruling party. Furthermore, pervasive corruption among the criminal justice body, especially the police force has been widespread. The judicial system has been ineffective in terms of timely management of cases, ensuring fair trial and equal access for all citizens. Particularly for the poor and disadvantaged individuals, means of entry to adequate legal services were not only deficient, but also unbearably costly. Primary reasons for the inefficiency of the Judiciary system were the low salaries of legal authorities and consequently, corruption. Albeit Bangladesh requires significant improvements in its establishment of the rule of law, its performance is manifestly greater compared to that of Pakistan. According to the World Justice Project Ranking of 2016, the score of Bangladesh was 0.41, which placed it under number 103 among the 113 countries, where the scores ranged from 0 to 1. The closer the score to 0, the more disadvantageous the situation regarding impartiality and legitimacy of the judicial body. It is visible from the score of Bangladesh that it has a long way to go before it achieves a higher advanced standard of the rule of law. In comparison, Pakistan’s score was even lower - 0.38 and its global ranking - 106. Therefore, despite Pakistan’s historical influence and challenging aftermaths of the Liberation War, Bangladesh has managed to reach and implement legal principles of higher quality.
Accountability of Government
Government accountability refers to the obligation of official authorities to justify their actions in front of their citizens and maintain transparency and clarity of decision-making. It further encompasses a subjection to punitive measures in case of failure to liability. When mechanisms of legal responsibility are missing, corruption and abuse of power will thrive. Open, democratic and impartial election campaigns are a crucial device towards ensuring accountability. Although Bangladesh, like Pakistan, has been exposed to series of military coup d’états after gaining its independence, the country managed to extricate itself from this severe situation and establish a democratic governance system.
Political Stability
Control of Corruption
Corruption is one of the most problematic features of Bangladesh. It is a chronic and endemic problem, widespread across the entire social strata. Throughout the country nepotism has become a habitual conduct, a lifestyle, and it is disputable what circumstances have prompted it - the culture or the bureaucracy. Hence, it does not come as a surprise that public offices are run by nepotism and bribery. Recruitment and promotion hardly ever happen to be impartial procedures across sectors such as defense, transportation, education and health. Primary reasons for such chronic corruption among the Bangladeshi public officials are the meagre salaries and lack of labour privileges. Bribes have therefore become an alternative source of earning. The level of corruption has outspread on such a large scale that as a result the population has institutionalized and normalized this culture of bribery and nepotism. Public offices have started exploiting national funds in order to bypass and bend rules and regulations. Consequently, the gap between rich and poor has widened excessively, giving the already affluent upper-class more wealth and leaving the poor to suffer in greater misery. Even though some businesses succeeded in generating enormous profits by means of corruption, in reality this mechanism increases expenditures and therefore discourages the growth of new businesses. The enterprises usually resort to bribery for acquiring documents that facilitate the company’s legal registration, that provide license or permit for business operations or for utility connections. The adverse effects of corruption are endless. Especially within the law enforcement sector, which is responsible for social security, the effects of corruption are terribly deleterious. Police force agents fail to retain trust of the population due to their dishonourable and fraudulent reputation. Court cases miscarry in living up to the ideals of a fair trial since verdicts become manipulated and ruled by money. Despite that there is a national anti-corruption committee based in Bangladesh, it has not achieved any satisfactory results. Bangladesh might have reached a certain level of progress, yet corruption still remains a pervasive issue among the society. According to Transparency International Bangladesh, three out of four people in Bangladesh bribe officials while seeking services from law enforcement agencies or immigration services. In 2015, the amount of bribes paid to public officials was $1.1 billion USD. Even though brave efforts of digitalization are underway, the majority of public services are provided tête-à-tête, which renders bribing easier. Owing to corruption, power lays in the hands of the rich and dominant figures rather than in those who are qualified and suitable for running the country. According to the 2015 report of Transparency International, 56% of the members of the parliament were either businessmen or industrialists. When there is a lack of a check and balance system to control the financial activities of the public offices, public officials misuse governmental resources without being held accountable for it. Bangladesh has paid a hefty price for this politics-business nexus. In April 2013, an eight story building collapsed in Savar, Dhaka that hosted several garment factories. Around 1129 people, predominantly employees, lost their lives in the incident and 2500 people were severely injured. The owner of the building had a permit from the municipality to build a five story building, yet using his political connections he managed to enlarge it. Under the shadow of politics, various such fraudulent practices take place in the country. Regarding corruption, Bangladesh is in a more injurious situation in comparison to Pakistan. According to the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicator of Control of Corruption, the score of Bangladesh for 2015 was 18.3 whereas the score of Pakistan was 23.6.
Social Development
Regardless of the vast number of socio-economic and political obstacles existent in Bangladesh since independence, the state has achieved a remarkable progress in terms of social development. The Bangladeshi society has evolved impressively in terms of access to education and women empowerment, which are both vital requirements for its healthy social development.
Living Standard
The living standards of both countries can be compared through examining access to basic life necessities such as food, housing, water and sanitation, and health care facilities.
Water and Sanitation
Access to safe water and proper sanitation facilities have improved in both countries over the years. Bangladesh has notably developed its drinkable water provision, namely for 86.5% of its urban population and 87% of its rural population. Respectively, the statistics for Pakistan are 93.9% for the urban population and 89.9% for the rural population. Therefore, Bangladesh is still in need of amelioration. With regard to sanitation facilities, Bangladesh has ensured enhanced access for 57.7% of its urban population compared to 83.1% of Pakistan, which once again calls for improvements. Nevertheless, it has been able to secure means of entry to sanitation facilities for 62.1% of its rural population, whereas Pakistan for only 51.1%.
Food Security
Bangladesh has undergone a long way from being an aid dependent country, especially in terms of food aid, to becoming more self-sufficient in food production. However, this process of nourishment has not entirely curbed the issue of food security. Even though food production has increased, the equal distribution of food, especially nutritious food has not been ensured. Apart from the threat of overpopulation, the frequent natural calamities such as monsoon floods, river erosion and water contamination continue to impose challenges. Impoverished families remain the primary victims of undernourishment since food prices continue to increase. According to the 2016 Global Hunger Index, 16.4% of the population of Bangladesh are suffering from malnutrition. In Pakistan, 22% of the population suffers from malnutrition.
Basic Health care
Bangladesh invests slightly more in the healthcare sector compared to Pakistan - the World Health Organization’s 2014 database displays that Bangladesh has spent 2.8% of its GDP on the health industry whereas Pakistan spends 2.6% on healthcare. In 2015, the life expectancy at birth for both sexes for Bangladesh was 71.8 and for Pakistan - 66.4. According to the same year’s database, the number of neonatal deaths (in thousands) in Bangladesh was 74 whereas in Pakistan it was 245. This alarming difference is equally reflected in the neonatal mortality rate. In Bangladesh, the neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 live births) was 23.3% compared to Pakistan’s 45.5%. Awareness about reproductive health also seems to be more widespread in Bangladesh than in Pakistan. In 2012, the prevalence of contraception usage in Bangladesh was 61.2%, whereas in Pakistan it was only 35.4% in the following year. It is interesting to note, that despite having a lower gross national income per capita (PPP in $) as well as physicians density (per 1000 population), Bangladesh implements more effective strategies and performs in a higher standard regarding reducing child mortality, increasing life expectancy and raising awareness on reproductive health. According to estimates from 2011, Bangladesh had a physicians’ density of 0.356, while Pakistan had 0.827 in 2010.
Women Empowerment
Social Cohesiveness
A notable difference between Bangladesh and Pakistan is the aspect of social cohesiveness. People from different religious backgrounds live in peace and harmony in Bangladesh. The history of bloodshed of the Indian subcontinent seems to have had little impact on the Bangladeshi society since people with various religious affiliations succeed in achieving a balanced co-existence and mutually beneficent symbiosis. This atmosphere of congeniality and intimacy has evolved to the extent that individuals have even adopted each other’s religious practices and religious rituals. However, this situation is fully contrasting the one in Pakistan. Although, the latter is a Muslim majority country it still adopts a cast system among them in certain areas of Pakistan such as Punjab. As a general rule, in Islam there is no cast system since the faith proclaims that all Muslims are equal human beings. Strangely enough, Pakistan exercises a cast system determined by the professions of forefathers. In Punjab region cast titles such as Butt, Jatt, Mochi are assimilated, where each of these is referring to a particular profession of the forefathers. For example, even if a person is a doctor but he belongs to the cast of Mochi (Cobbler) because his predecessors were cobblers, he would still be considered a part of the Mochi cast and would be treated accordingly. The cast system is strictly followed and intermarriage between casts is discouraged. In Bangladesh, there is no such cast system among the Muslims, yet it exists among the Hindus. Nevertheless, Muslims and Hindus associate and mingle together, and maintain very peaceful relations altogether with other religious minorities. The incidents of violence against religious or ethnic minorities that happen in Bangladesh are mostly politically induced and are often condemned and protested against by the civil society.
Economic Development
Bangladesh has a very resilient economy. Despite its internal challenges and external pressure from international strain factors, it has maintained a consistent economic growth.
In 2015, the annual growth of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 6.6% compared to 4.7% of Pakistan according to The World Bank database. Even though Bangladesh is progressing rapidly, it is behind Pakistan in terms of Gross National Income (GNI) per capita and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). In 2015, the aforementioned indexes’ score for Bangladesh was USD 3560 whereas for Pakistan it was USD 5320. Although, Bangladesh is growing faster, it needs to catch up in ensuring a higher GNI. Interestingly, even with a lower GNI Bangladesh has a higher Gross National Savings (GNS) compared to that of Pakistan. According to the Central Intelligence Agency database, Bangladesh had a GNS of 28.6% of GDP whereas Pakistan had 14.3%.
Notwithstanding Bangladesh’s remarkably swift advancement and development, a significant percentage of the population still struggles with poverty. According to the 2010 World Bank Database estimates, the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) for Bangladesh was 31.5%, whereas the conditions in Pakistan were even more deteriorating with 36.8% of population living in poverty.
Unemployment
Unemployment is a grave issue of concern for both countries. Although, access to education has increased and the number of educational institutions providing all levels of educations has skyrocketed, employment opportunities have not risen with the same pace. A paradox occurs where a large youth population receive an education, yet it remains stuck into an unemployment vicious circle. Nevertheless, Bangladesh still sustains slightly better circumstances in terms of employment compared to Pakistan. According to the 2016 Central Intelligence Agency database, the unemployment rate in Bangladesh was 4.9% and for Pakistan it was 6.7%.
Population Density
Industrialization
Inflation (Consumer Prices) and Exchange Rates
The wellbeing of an economy can be concluded from its inflation rate and exchange rates. Even though Bangladesh has a higher inflation (consumer prices) rate compared to Pakistan, the value of the Bangladeshi currency (Bangladeshi Taka) is higher than the Pakistani Rupee. The inflation rate of Bangladesh as per 2016 estimates was 5.6% and for Pakistan it was 3.7%. In contrast, the exchange rate against US dollar for Bangladeshi Taka was 78.5 (1 USD = 78.5 BDT) whereas for Pakistan rupee it was 105.1 (1 USD = 105.1 Pakistani Rupee). Additionally, Bangladeshi reserve of foreign exchange is larger compared to Pakistan. According to the 2016 Central Intelligence Agency statistics, Bangladesh had a reserve of foreign exchange and gold worth $29.77 billion, whereas Pakistan had $20.53 billion.
Foreign Aid and External Debt
Bangladesh has come the long way of being called the “basket case”, to be assigned with the label of a “promising economy.” The basket case referred to its huge aid dependency in the post-independence era. Many doubts were casted on whether Bangladesh would ever be able to escape its destitute situation caused by war and natural calamities. As a surprise to the international community, Bangladesh successfully came out of that phase and reduced its aid dependency significantly. During the early stages after gaining independence, a massive inflow of food and commodity aid took place. Over the years, Bangladesh was able to reduce that dependency to almost zero percentage, especially due to developments in agriculture, which helped the country to become self-sufficient in food supplies. Nevertheless, Bangladesh remains dependent regarding specialized assistance such as project aids. In relation to external debt, the state had an external debt of around $37.26 Billion USD compared to Pakistan’s $64.04 Billion USD, according to the 2016 Central Intelligence Agency’s data. One of the factors that assisted Bangladesh to rebuild its economy was the widespread presence of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO). The local and international NGOs work relentlessly throughout Bangladesh and especially in remote areas. One exclusive achievement was the success of micro credit finance in bringing people out of poverty and empowering women by making them financially independent, which significantly has contributed to economic and social development of Bangladesh.
Sustainable Development
Social, Economic and Political inferiority can never bring prosperity to a nation. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh has been substantially better off after its liberation from Pakistan. Developmental problems across all socio-economic and political sectors still exist. Nevertheless, a remarkable achievement is that Bangladesh has managed to acquire its sovereignty and independence, and therefore it has the power to resolve its problems without the domination or interference of a superior political authority, which was the case before the Liberation War. Bangladeshi people are able to proudly speak in Bengali, their mother tongue, without any fear of persecution and aggression. The Muslim population can mix freely with people from other religions without being judged and subjected to discrimination by being labelled inferior.
Pakistan started its journey as an independent and sovereign state in 1947, Bangladesh started its journey almost 24 years later, yet the latter has managed to outperform the former in the long run. Given the fact that the growth rate of the GDP of Bangladesh is currently higher than the Pakistani GDP, it could be projected that Bangladesh will continue outrunning Pakistan in regards with the various sustainable development indexes. However, regional cooperation is crucial for achieving peace and stability in the country; It is essential for South Asian countries, including Bangladesh and Pakistan, to improve and strengthen the bonds with their neighbours.
April 2017. © European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS), Amsterdam
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Liberation War of Bangladesh Composition/Essay for SSC & HSC
Liberation war of bangladesh composition / essay for ssc & hsc , liberation war of bangladesh for ssc students , introduction:.
The Liberation War of Bangladesh, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was a significant armed conflict that took place in 1971. It led to the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign nation. The war was fought between East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and remains a defining moment in the history of Bangladesh. This composition aims to provide an overview of the Liberation War of Bangladesh for SSC students.
Background:
The root causes of the Liberation War can be traced back to the partition of India in 1947, which led to the creation of two separate nations: India and Pakistan. East Pakistan, despite being geographically distant from West Pakistan, was politically dominated by the West. This power disparity, along with economic and cultural differences, caused discontent among the people of East Pakistan. The struggle for autonomy and recognition of Bengali identity gained momentum over the years.
The Agitation and Repression:
The people of East Pakistan faced widespread discrimination and neglect from the West Pakistani government. The language movement of 1952, which demanded recognition of Bengali as a national language, became a turning point in the fight for autonomy. However, the ruling establishment responded with forceful repression, leading to numerous casualties.
Election of 1970 and the Liberation War:
In 1970, general elections were held in Pakistan, and the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a majority of seats in the National Assembly. However, the West Pakistani establishment refused to hand over power to the Awami League, leading to widespread protests and strikes in East Pakistan. On March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military launched Operation Searchlight, a brutal crackdown aimed at suppressing the movement for independence.
The Struggle and Resistance:
The people of East Pakistan, undeterred by the military's oppression, organized themselves into armed resistance groups. The Mukti Bahini, composed of freedom fighters from various backgrounds, played a crucial role in the liberation struggle. They engaged in guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and other acts of resistance against the Pakistani forces.
International Support and Humanitarian Crisis:
The Liberation War gained international attention, and countries like India, which shared a border with East Pakistan, provided support to the Bangladeshi freedom fighters. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani forces surrendered to the joint forces of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian army, marking the end of the war. The conflict resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of refugees fleeing to neighboring India to escape violence and persecution.
The Birth of Bangladesh:
The Liberation War of Bangladesh resulted in the emergence of an independent nation. On March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh's independence, and the country began its journey as a sovereign state. The sacrifices made by the freedom fighters and the resilience of the Bangladeshi people in the face of adversity remain an integral part of the nation's history and identity.
Conclusion:
The Liberation War of Bangladesh was a pivotal event that shaped the destiny of the nation. It was a struggle for self-determination, justice, and recognition of the rights of the Bengali people. The war serves as a reminder of the indomitable spirit and sacrifices made by the freedom fighters who fought for the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equality. Understanding and appreciating this historic event is essential for SSC students to develop a deeper sense of national identity and pride.
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Liberation War of Bangladesh for HSC Students
_________________________________________________________________
The Liberation War of Bangladesh, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was a monumental armed conflict that took place in 1971. It marked a significant chapter in the history of Bangladesh, leading to the emergence of the nation as an independent and sovereign entity. This composition aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Liberation War of Bangladesh for HSC students, exploring its background, key events, and the lasting impact it had on the nation.
The roots of the Liberation War can be traced back to the partition of India in 1947, which resulted in the creation of two separate nations: India and Pakistan. East Pakistan, located geographically distant from West Pakistan, faced political, economic, and cultural marginalization. The dominant West Pakistani establishment perpetuated discrimination and neglect towards the people of East Pakistan, which fueled a growing sense of discontent and demands for autonomy.
Agitation and Repression:
The quest for autonomy and recognition of Bengali identity gained momentum through various movements. The Language Movement of 1952, which demanded the recognition of Bengali as a national language, became a pivotal event in the struggle for autonomy. The ruling establishment responded with brutal repression, using force to suppress the demands of the people. The sacrifices made during this period laid the foundation for the subsequent liberation movement.
In 1970, general elections were held in Pakistan, and the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, secured an overwhelming majority of seats in the National Assembly. However, the West Pakistani establishment refused to hand over power to the Awami League, disregarding the democratic mandate of the people. This led to widespread protests and strikes in East Pakistan, further aggravating the already tense situation.
The Pakistani military, under the leadership of General Yahya Khan, launched Operation Searchlight on March 25, 1971. It was a brutal crackdown aimed at suppressing the movement for independence. The military's actions included mass killings, rape, arson, and widespread human rights abuses. This marked the beginning of the Liberation War, with the people of East Pakistan rising up against the oppressive regime.
Struggle and Resistance:
The people of East Pakistan, undeterred by the military's repression, organized themselves into various armed resistance groups. The Mukti Bahini, meaning "Freedom Fighters," played a crucial role in the liberation struggle. Composed of individuals from different backgrounds, including students, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens, they engaged in guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and other acts of resistance against the Pakistani forces.
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The Liberation War gained international attention, with countries like India providing crucial support to the Bangladeshi freedom fighters. Indian intervention in the war turned the tide in favor of the liberation forces. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani forces surrendered to the joint forces of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian army. The conflict resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of refugees fleeing to neighboring India to escape violence and persecution.
The culmination of the Liberation War led to the birth of the independent nation of Bangladesh. On March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh's independence, marking the end of a long and arduous struggle. The sacrifices made by the freedom fighters and the resilience of the Bangladeshi people in the face of adversity remain etched in the nation's history and collective memory.
Legacy and Impact:
The Liberation War of Bangladesh had a profound and lasting impact on the nation. It not only secured Bangladesh's independence but also shaped its identity as a country founded on the principles of democracy, freedom, and social justice. The war serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters and the price paid for the nation's sovereignty. It is an integral part of the Bangladeshi national identity, inspiring generations to uphold the values of independence, unity, and progress.
The Liberation War of Bangladesh stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit and sacrifices of the Bangladeshi people in their quest for freedom and self-determination. It was a struggle against oppression, discrimination, and the denial of basic rights. Understanding and appreciating the significance of this historic event is crucial for HSC students, as it provides a deeper understanding of their nation's history, instilling a sense of pride, and inspiring a commitment to upholding the ideals of freedom, democracy, and social justice.
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Free English Study Materials
Composition on The Victory Day of Bangladesh
Introduction: freedom is the birthright of a man. Every man has an inherent instinct to live a free life in a free country. He can express himself well, discover his latent faculties fully and stand upright with an undaunted spirit in a free country. However, 16 December is our victory day . It is the day of emancipation from the shackled life of long 25 years under the brutal rulers of West Pakistan.
Pangs of subjugation: it goes without saying that there is none who wants to live a subjugated life nor does he want to wear the shackles of slavery round his feet or does he want to live a sub-human life with dishonour and humiliation. But as ill-luck would have been, we had to suffer under the shackles of slavery for long 190 years under the British colonial rule and about 25 years under the barbaric domination of the Pakistani rulers. Then we had been groaning extremely under the untold pangs and atrocities of these two autocratic rulers. The British colonial rule ended up in 1947 with the birth of two independent states called India and Pakistan. Bangladesh becomes a province of Pakistan under the name of East Pakistan. Since the dawn of Pakistan, the Pakistani rulers began to rule the Bengalese with an iron had with the very cruel attitudes of a stepmother.
A sky-high disparity was created by them in all the spheres political, economic, social and cultural. This deprivation and exploitation of the Pakistani rulers created serious governance and resentment among the Bengalese. At one time, they lost the truck of their patients of rose up and revolted against them. A lot of blood was shed in different movements against them on different issues. At last, came up the general election in 1970. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won an overwhelming majority in the parliament. But as there goes a wise saying, ‘black will take on others hue.’ So did they do? They denied recognizing the landslide victory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He then roared up like a lion and made a clarion call to the people to stand up and fight for liberating Bangladesh from the grip of the brutal. This declaration was made on the 7 th march in the race course ground before an overwhelming crowd. He declared in a thundering voice,
“This time’s struggle is for freedom, this time’s struggle is for independence”
The result was that he was arrested and taken the prisoner to West Pakistan. As a result, the whole nation got plunged into a darkness of uncertainty. Then Ziaur Rahman, an army officer, came forward and declared independence of Bangladesh on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman from Kalurghat radio Kendra. People from all walks of life joined the liberation war of their own accord. This war continued for long nine months which ultimately turned into a bloody one. More than 30 lacks people were killed in the war. At last, came down our long expected victory. The Pakistani occupation forces surrendered to the allied forces at the racecourse ground on 16 December 1971. This is how we achieved our glorious victory. A new Free and sovereign nation ushered in on the world map. The people got wild with a world of joy and excitement and danced in the streets madly. The sky and the air were ringing with the patriotic song of Tagore.
“My Bengal of gold, I love you.”
How observed: the victory day is a colourful day of the most memorable days of Bangladesh. We observe the day with great honour, jubilation, and patriotic zeal. This day is a public holiday. Our national flag is kept flying on the top of private and public houses, offices and educational institution. We offer floral wreaths at the victory monuments. Government’s offices and buildings are decorated and illuminated on this day. Various social and cultural programmes are held throughout the country. The president of the prime minister receives the salute in the march past of the defence forces. Various theatre groups old street drama containing the themes of the liberation war. Some film clubs sow films made on the liberation war. Bangladesh postal department releases new stamps. Children and student organizations bring out colourful processions carrying placards and posters. Painting exhibitions by children are held. Ames and sports are held across the country. Special prayers are offered for the martyrs in all mosques, temples, and churches of the country. As the evening sets in, the air is filled with patriotic sons of the liberation war. A nit, the buildings, and other important sites beam wit neon and coloured lights. People from all walks of life attend these programmes with great joy and enthusiasm, the whole atmosphere remains jubilant throughout our day.
The significance of the day: it is needless to speak of the significance of the victory day in our life. We had to suffer deadly for long for lack of freedom and live quite a sub-human life. We had no other alternative than to fit out the oppressors from the land, we rose up and scattered the shackles of slavery and won victory on the 16 December 1971. This victory is undoubtedly a landslide event in our national history. This day is not merely day of the yearly calendar. It is a day of the great trill. It is a day of great sensation. It is a day of great victory a victory of justice over injustice, truth over falsehood, lit over darkness, freedom over slavery and humanity over inhumanity. It is a day of learning the lessons that the will of people prevails for man is born to be free and that the weapons be defeated and that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
Conclusion: Bangladesh is our pride, our dreams, our life-blood and our victory day is our greatest achievement as a nation. We have got a flag, a country and an identity trout is victory day. But it is a matter of great sorrow that though we have got political freedom. We have not yet been able to achieve economic freedom. This is why we must take an oat on this day to make our country Independent in all respects. It is only ten that our victory will be achieved in the truest sense of the term.
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Bangladesh war: The article that changed history
- Published 16 December 2011
On 13 June 1971, an article in the UK's Sunday Times exposed the brutality of Pakistan's suppression of the Bangladeshi uprising. It forced the reporter's family into hiding and changed history.
Abdul Bari had run out of luck. Like thousands of other people in East Bengal, he had made the mistake - the fatal mistake - of running within sight of a Pakistani patrol. He was 24 years old, a slight man surrounded by soldiers. He was trembling because he was about to be shot.
So starts one of the most influential pieces of South Asian journalism of the past half century.
Written by Anthony Mascarenhas, a Pakistani reporter, and printed in the UK's Sunday Times, it exposed for the first time the scale of the Pakistan army's brutal campaign to suppress its breakaway eastern province in 1971.
Nobody knows exactly how many people were killed, but certainly a huge number of people lost their lives. Independent researchers think that between 300,000 and 500,000 died. The Bangladesh government puts the figure at three million.
The strategy failed, and Bangladeshis are now celebrating the 40th anniversary of the birth of their country. Meanwhile, the first trial of those accused of committing war crimes has recently begun in Dhaka.
There is little doubt that Mascarenhas' reportage played its part in ending the war. It helped turn world opinion against Pakistan and encouraged India to play a decisive role.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi told the then editor of the Sunday Times, Harold Evans, that the article had shocked her so deeply it had set her "on a campaign of personal diplomacy in the European capitals and Moscow to prepare the ground for India's armed intervention," he recalled.
Not that this was ever Mascarenhas' intention. He was, Evans wrote in his memoirs, "just a very good reporter doing an honest job".
He was also very brave. Pakistan, at the time, was run by the military, and he knew that he would have to get himself and his family out of the country before the story could be published - not an easy task in those days.
"His mother always told him to stand up and speak the truth and be counted," Mascarenhas's widow, Yvonne, recalled (he died in 1986). "He used to tell me, put a mountain before me and I'll climb it. He was never daunted."
A map of Pakistan before the 1971 war
When the war in what was then East Pakistan broke out in March 1971, Mascarenhas was a respected journalist in Karachi, the main city in the country's dominant western wing, on good terms with the country's ruling elite. He was a member of the city's small community of Goan Christians, and he and Yvonne had five children.
The conflict was sparked by elections, which were won by an East Pakistani party, the Awami League, which wanted greater autonomy for the region.
While the political parties and the military argued over the formation of a new government, many Bengalis became convinced that West Pakistan was deliberately blocking their ambitions.
The situation started to become violent. The Awami League launched a campaign of civil disobedience, its supporters attacked many non-Bengali civilians, and the army flew in thousands of reinforcements.
On the evening of 25 March it launched a pre-emptive strike against the Awami League, and other perceived opponents, including members of the intelligentsia and the Hindu community, who at that time made up about 20% of the province's 75 million people.
In the first of many notorious war crimes, soldiers attacked Dhaka University, lining up and executing students and professors.
Their campaign of terror then moved into the countryside, where they battled local troops who had mutinied.
Initially, the plan seemed to work, and the army decided it would be a good idea to invite some Pakistani reporters to the region to show them how they had successfully dealt with the "freedom fighters".
Foreign journalists had already been expelled, and Pakistan was also keen to publicise atrocities committed by the other side. Awami League supporters had massacred tens of thousands of civilians whose loyalty they suspected, a war crime that is still denied by many today in Bangladesh.
Eight journalists, including Mascarenhas, were given a 10-day tour of the province. When they returned home, seven of them duly wrote what they were told to.
But one of them refused.
Yvonne Mascarenhas remembers him coming back distraught: "I'd never seen my husband looking in such a state. He was absolutely shocked, stressed, upset and terribly emotional," she says, speaking from her home in west London.
"He told me that if he couldn't write the story of what he'd seen he'd never be able to write another word again."
Clearly it would not be possible to do so in Pakistan. All newspaper articles were checked by the military censor, and Mascarenhas told his wife he was certain he would be shot if he tried.
Pretending he was visiting his sick sister, Mascarenhas then travelled to London, where he headed straight to the Sunday Times and the editor's office.
Indians and Bengali guerrillas fought in support of East Pakistan
Evans remembers him in that meeting as having "the bearing of a military man, square-set and moustached, but appealing, almost soulful eyes and an air of profound melancholy".
"He'd been shocked by the Bengali outrages in March, but he maintained that what the army was doing was altogether worse and on a grander scale," Evans wrote.
Mascarenhas told him he had been an eyewitness to a huge, systematic killing spree, and had heard army officers describe the killings as a "final solution".
Evans promised to run the story, but first Yvonne and the children had to escape Karachi.
They had agreed that the signal for them to start preparing for this was a telegram from Mascarenhas saying that "Ann's operation was successful".
Yvonne remembers receiving the message at three the next morning. "I heard the telegram man bang at my window and I woke up my sons and I was: 'Oh my gosh, we have to go to London.' It was terrifying. I had to leave everything behind.
"We could only take one suitcase each. We were crying so much it was like a funeral," she says.
To avoid suspicion, Mascarenhas had to return to Pakistan before his family could leave. But as Pakistanis were only allowed one foreign flight a year, he then had to sneak out of the country by himself, crossing by land into Afghanistan.
The day after the family was reunited in their new home in London, the Sunday Times published his article, under the headline "Genocide".
'Betrayal'
It is such a powerful piece of reporting because Mascarenhas was clearly so well trusted by the Pakistani officers he spent time with.
I have witnessed the brutality of 'kill and burn missions' as the army units, after clearing out the rebels, pursued the pogrom in the towns and villages.
I have seen whole villages devastated by 'punitive action'.
And in the officer's mess at night I have listened incredulously as otherwise brave and honourable men proudly chewed over the day's kill.
'How many did you get?' The answers are seared in my memory.
His article was - from Pakistan's point of view - a huge betrayal and he was accused of being an enemy agent. It still denies its forces were behind such atrocities as those described by Mascarenhas, and blames Indian propaganda.
However, he still maintained excellent contacts there, and in 1979 became the first journalist to reveal that Pakistan had developed nuclear weapons.
In Bangladesh, of course, he is remembered more fondly, and his article is still displayed in the country's Liberation War Museum.
"This was one of the most significant articles written on the war. It came out when our country was cut off, and helped inform the world of what was going on here," says Mofidul Huq, a trustee of the museum.
His family, meanwhile, settled into life in a new and colder country.
"People were so serious in London and nobody ever talked to us," Yvonne Mascarenhas remembers. "We were used to happy, smiley faces, it was all a bit of a change for us after Karachi. But we never regretted it."
Scars of Bangladesh independence war 40 years on
- Published 13 December 2011
Bangladesh confronts war crimes
- Published 20 November 2011
Controversial book accuses Bengalis of 1971 war crimes
- Published 16 June 2011
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The Historic 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
"The Historic 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman" was delivered by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 7th March, 1971 who led the people of Bangladesh to independence in 1971. At that time when the Pakistani military rulers refused to transfer power to the Bengali nationalist leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose party Awami League gained majority in the National Assembly of Pakistan in the general election held in 1970. The speech effectively declared the independence of Bangladesh. The speech constitutes a faithful documentation of how the failure of post-colonial nation-states to develop inclusive, democratic society alienates their population belonging to different ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious groups. The speech was extempore and there was no written script. However, the speech survived in the audio as well as AV versions.
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The Spirit of the Liberation War
Published on The Daily Sta r
Bangladesh At 40: Looking Back And Moving Forward-part I
Professor Rehman Sobhan, one of the earliest proponents of economic justification for independent Bangladesh, and a member of its first Planning Commission, delivered a commemoration lecture yesterday at the National Museum on “40 years of Bangladesh: Looking back and moving forward.” We publish its full text in a four-part series starting today, in which the author expounds the historical genesis and narrates the struggle that led to the Liberation War and discusses the strength and weaknesses of democracy in Bangladesh, the first of four founding principles of the nation.
OVER the last year we have been commemorating the 40th year of Bangladesh’s independence. In these 40 years Bangladesh has registered many gains for which we should feel proud. We have established a globally competitive garment industry moved ahead of India in particular areas of human development and gender parity, extended micro-credit to 25 million women and drastically reduced aid dependence through an explosive growth in remittances by our hard working migrants. We have furthermore held four reasonably free and fair elections where incumbent regimes have been replaced by opposition parties through the ballot box. These are not inconsiderable achievements for a country once written off as a basket case.
But these achievements also remind us how much more we could have made of ourselves where Bangladesh could have fulfilled the promise which inspired our struggle for nationhood. My presentation today addresses the unfulfilled expectation of the generation which shared the privilege of participating in the liberation struggle. Had we been able to live up to these expectations Bangladesh would have been a very different place today. I will therefore explore this chasm which separates the hopes of yesterday from the reality of today and will then move on to offer some suggestions on what we may attempt to do to build a society which restores meaning to the spirit which sustained our struggle for liberation. In looking ahead we will need to recognize that both Bangladesh and the world around us have experienced seismic changes. We will accordingly need to calibrate our dreams of yesteryear to the world we live in today.
Bangladesh was not born because of an historical accident. Nor was it the gift of a departing colonial power grown weary of bearing its imperial burden. Our nationhood emerged out of a long process of struggle which culminated in a bloody war of liberation. To move large numbers of ordinary people to pledge their lives for a separate existence we needed to inspire them with a vision for a better world than the one they were repudiating. This inspiration was what came to be known as the spirit which inspired the liberation war, what we popularly term Muktijuddher-chetona. This is a phrase which is used so frequently and so casually as to be rendered almost devoid of meaning. We invoke this spirit as a ritual incantation and rarely bother to ask ourselves what this spirit embodies. I would argue that the spirit of the liberation war is adequately captured in the four principles which have guided our constitution: Democracy, Nationalism, Secularism and Socialism (which has later been elaborated to mean social justice). In my presentation before you, I will discuss why these pillars of our constitution capture the spirit of the liberation struggle, how far we have departed from these guiding principles and where we need to travel in order to restore meaning to the spirit of the liberation war.
Our emergence as a separate nation-state was the direct outcome of the persistent denial of democratic rights to the people of Bangladesh by the Pakistani ruling class. In 24 years of shared nationhood never once was central power in Pakistan exercised through the outcome of a free and fair election. The first such election in December 1970, 23 years after the emergence of Pakistan, led to the Awami League, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, capturing a majority of seats in the National Parliament, with an electoral mandate from the people of Bangladesh to establish self-rule. It was the attempt by the Pakistani military junta to frustrate this democratic mandate, through the instrument of genocide, which inspired the liberation war. The liberation war was, thus, the final phase of our democratic struggle when the Bangali people had to come to terms with the reality that democracy could never be realised within the Pakistani nation state.
It is a tragedy for Bangladesh that our nationhood emerged out of our quest for democracy yet we have spent most of our national existence frustrating its realisation. We have lived through long episodes of martial rule and civilian autocracy. In 1990 when the Ershad autocracy was overthrown through a mass mobilisation the nation experienced the excitement of a second rebirth of democracy. But who would have imagined that within 17 years of this renewal of democracy our confrontational style of politics would have reached a point where the military were once again provided with an opportunity to intervene in the political process through the process of Emergency Rule. The military may have overstayed their welcome and overtaxed their mandate. But, fortunately for democracy and quite exceptionally in our historical context, the military, as promised, returned to the barracks within two years after helping to engineer a universally recognised free and fair election which enabled the incumbent government to return to power with a large plurality of seats in parliament.
There is no evidence that we have learnt the right lessons from our most recent malfunction of the democratic process. The politics of confrontation and intolerance appears to be once again permeating our political culture. The political opposition, over successive regimes, has been marginalised, partly as a result of its own political immaturity in boycotting parliament thereby violating its democratic mandate. As a result of these endemic boycotts four successive parliaments have been rendered virtually dysfunctional in their incapacity to discharge their primary mandate of keeping the executive accountable to the will of the voters.
The malfunctioning of our democratic institutions remains compounded by the continuing inability to strengthen democracy in our principal political parties. The principal political parties, in turn, reflect the gradual ascendance of money and muscle power as the driving force in democratic politics. Whilst some effort was made by the current ruling alliance to induct some candidates of modest means into parliament, politics in Bangladesh has remained largely a rich man’s game where both women and the financially deprived have been effectively disenfranchised.
The proliferation of violence, which becomes more pernicious when it is patronised by the state, continues to be deployed to further political and personal objectives. The purveyors of violence, the mastaans, have served to undermine our public educational institutions, interfere with the working of the administration, challenge the credibility of our institutions of law enforcement and compromise the vitality of our investment climate.
In such a distortion of the democratic process every institution of governance tends to be compromised. Our administration has become ineffective where both recruitment and advancement have been politicised and divorced from performance or norms. As a result virtually all public services as well as law enforcement have become partisanised and commoditised to a point where the machinery of government has lost virtually all capacity for functioning as an instrument of public service. The last remaining bastion of the rule of law, the judiciary, is now under threat. Over the years, the lower judiciary has degenerated into a politicised instrument of the ruling party. The once independent upper judiciary, which served as a bastion of our democratic freedom, is being exposed to a process of creeping politicisation.
The appointments to the Election Commission (EC) had been similarly politicised upto the tenure of the last elected government. It remains to be seen how far the new appointments to the EC, who are expected to preside over the next round of elections to parliament in 2014, will be selected on the basis of merit and consensus. The integrity of the very institutions to safeguard the democratic credentials of our electoral process needs to be protected.
However, the independence and credibility of the EC may not be enough of a guarantor of free and fair elections. Experience over the last three decades has established that prior to a national election all recruitment and postings in the police force, upazilla administration, schools, and now the armed forces, which can in any way influence the direction of the national elections, have tended to be politicised. In such circumstance, the scope for a free and fair election, where the role of money and ruling party patronised mastaans could be contained, have compromised the freedom of action of the EC. It was this exposure to the influence exercised by a partisan administration which inspired the Awami League and its allies in 1995 to initiate the campaign for institutionalising the system of holding elections under a non-partisan caretaker government. This system was incorporated in the constitution in 1996 and has, with some limitations, ensured three relatively free and fair elections over the last 15 years. The logic and wisdom of the present government’s decision to do away with the very system it had politically sponsored remains questionable and is unlikely to be compensated by a strong EC. The history of electoral politics in Bangladesh, going back to the period of Pakistani rule, indicates that in the absence of a non-partisan caretaker government no incumbent government has ever vacated office through defeat at the polls.
The last recourse of democracy, the free media, is demonstrating considerable resilience. But the security of journalists has been periodically endangered and the independent press itself faces a constant struggle to secure itself from both state pressure and private terror. Here again, people with money and state patronage are making inroads into the media and are investing both in the print and electronic media with the expectation of “managing” the news in the service of partisan and private gain. That our institutions of democracy and governance should have degenerated to a level where the very sustainability of the democratic process is endangered is particularly distressing when we consider our long and painful struggle for democracy.
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Composition | The Liberation War Of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a proud nation as it emerged through a glorious freedom fight. Though we have got the freedom the spirit of the freedom fight is yet to be established.
Bangladesh lost her independence to the British when Nawab Serajuddola was defeated in the battle of Palassey in 1757. In 1947, the British divided India into two sovereign states, India and Pakistan. Pakistan was created but the people of Bangladesh were in majority in Pakistan, They were deprived of all the powers Bangladesh was made o colony of West Pakistan. As a result the people of Bangladesh could not tolerate this and started a strong movement for their release.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some patriot of Bangladesh raised their voice of protest. In 1968, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some other Bengalese were charged with a false case known as Agartola Conspiracy Case, but the people of Bangladesh started a strong movement against this case. Ayub Khan was compelled to release them. Then came Yahia Khan and he declared general election in 1970. The party of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got absolute majority in the National assembly. But Yahia did not hand over the power and he stopped National Assembly. As a result, Sheikh Mujib started non-violent, non-co-operation movement. Yahia started a false dialogue with Sheikh Mujib and he began to increase the strength of army.
March 25 is a black day in the history of Bangladesh. On that night the army began to attack in the unarmed people of Bangladesh. Sheik Mujib was arrested and taken to West Pakistan. The independence of Bangladesh was declared. As the liberation war started, freedom fighters took birth overnight and faced the well-trained occupying forces to Pakistan fearlessly. At Mujib Nagar the government of the people republic of Bangladesh was formed on 17th April, 1971. But the Pakistan went on committing genocide to horror of the world. Women were raped and killed. The world press believed the atrocity of the of the occupying forces exceeded all limits. Millions of innocent Bengalese fled across the border in fear of their loves. So when their crimes were full, the Pakistanis came under direct attack of the combined forces of India and Bangladesh. The 16th December: The final stage of the war took a couple of days only. On the glorious day of 16th December, the Pakistani army surrendered. Our victory day confirmed the birth of Bangladesh on the world map.
Though we achieved our independence through much bloodshed, we still are not emerging as a powerful nation. We seem to have forgotten the supreme sacrifice we made in 1971. So our main duty should be to build up the country.
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The Liberation War of Bangladesh
23 Dec 2022
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Academic level: College
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Geeta Kar fought against the Pakistanis in the Liberation War otherwise known as War of Independence. She recalls the events of those days even though she was only 15 years old when it begun. The fateful day was on May 5, 1971 when her father was brutally taken away from her by the Pak army. This was a shocking event that led her to leave her mother and siblings to seek solace in in their neighbor country India. During these events her mind was focused in liberating her country from their enemies, the Pakistanis. The only way to be actively involved was to join a freedom movement. The Bangali people were already crossing the borders in to her country and were making plans to wage war against the Pakistanis. She only had to forward her name to the Mukti Bahini which she did. On July 2, 1972, she was lucky to join the others in training. She train in the art of guerilla warfare and skills in offering first aid. In her training camp, they were a group of over 200 women. Their ultimate goal was taking revenge as most of the women there had already lost their family members. Even though they were feed on paltry, this was not a bother to the focused women in the camp. They were determined to drive out the Pak army at all costs.
Soon the training was over. Only Geeta and other fourteen women were given consent to join the actual war. A guide was added to this group of beginners. Their big challenge was communication as the guide could neither speak English nor Bangla. As if that was not enough a challenge, on one fateful day, the guide vanished without a word. The determined women could not allow them themselves to be brought down by missing a guide. With willpower, they carried on without the guide. They still faced food problems as they went on without proper food for ten days. They had to survive on the only available foods, bananas and water. They fortunately were able to reach the Sylhet border. It was difficult to persuade the Indians at the borders. Makhon Shom, a man at the refugee camp, offered to help them. He feed them and keep them under the warmth of a fire lit for them. Through the help of this man, they were able to proceed to Agartala. To their surprise, they were not allowed to go to the warzones, their only target.
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They were sent to Bangladesh Hospital. This was a 480-bed hospital that attended to the injured. These women were determined to help. They offered their undivided effort to the hospital services as medical attendants. Geeta can never forget those days as she meet the freedom fighters. Most of them were not in good shape and were brought in with serious injuries. She and her friends were contented in their services as they believed their services were as important as fighting in the battlefield. They both had similar outcomes after all.
Finally, the victorious day came. They stayed on for other five weeks attending to the injured in the hospital. On the last week of January, she, her friends and the wounded Muktijoddhas finally returned to Bangladesh. They spent a week in Comilla. Later on they returned to Dhaka. Most of her co-workers had immediately left for their homes on arrival at Dhaka. It was difficult for Geeta because she had no place to go. Her father was already dead and she did not know the whereabouts of her other family members.
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The Declaration of Independence
“This may be my last message, from today Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh wherever you might be and with whatever you have, to resist the army of occupation to the last. Your fight must go on until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and final victory is achieved.”
Bangabandhu spread the declaration and was reached to many. The wife of M.R. Siddiqi was given an urgent message over telephone from Bangabandhu received through the wireless operators of Chittagong. [ Sheikh Mujib: Triumph and Tragedy by S. A. Karim]
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM KALURGHAT (March 26, 1971):
Soon after the Pakistani army crackdown on the night of March 25, 1971,the first declaration of independence was made over the radio by M. A. Hannan.
According to the English language newspapers from around the flashed around the world on news wires on the evening of March 26, 1971 and the world came to know about the independence of Bangladesh from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s original message received in Calcutta on the morning of March 26 and from broadcasts from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro on the evening of March 26.
The following world press also reported on 26th March: The Statesman and The Times of India from India; Buenos Aires Herald from Argentina; The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald from Australia; The Guardian from Burma; The Globe and Mail from Canada; Hong Kong Standard from Hong Kong; The Jakarta Times from Indonesia; Asahi Evening News from Japan; The Rising Nepal from Nepal; The Manila Times from the Philippines; The Straits Times from Singapore; The Pretoria News from South Africa; The Bangkok Post from Thailand; The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times of London from the United Kingdom; and, Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle and The Washington Post from the United States.
The Kalurghat Radio Station’s transmission capability was limited, but the message was picked up by a Japanese ship in Bay of Bengal. It was then re-transmitted by Radio Australia and later by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Announcement of the declaration of independence: Awami League leader M.A. Hannan aired the declared the independence on behalf of Bangabandhu : (Signed by Bangabandhu): Abul Kashem Sandeep translated the message to broadcast.
“Today Bangladesh is a sovereign and independent country. On Thursday night West Pakistani armed forces suddenly attacked the police barracks at Razarbagh and the EPR headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka. Many innocent and unarmed have been killed in Dhaka city and other places of Bangladesh. Violent clashes between EPR and Police on the one hand and the armed forces of Pindi on the other, are going on. The Bengalis are fighting the enemy with great courage for an independent Bangladesh. May God aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla.”
Pakistani sources: Siddiq Salik had written that he heard about Mujibor Rahman’s message on the radio while Operation Searchlight was going on. [ “Witness to Surrender” ]
The Statesman published from New Delhi on March 27, 1971 and explained the two messages received on March 26: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made two broadcasts on Friday following the Pakistani troops move to crush his movement, says UNI. Announcement of the declaration of independence by Major Zia on behalf of Bangabandhu, There are Major Zia declared the independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
# Maj. Gen. Hakeem A. Qureshi in his book The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier’s Narrative, gives the date of Zia’s speech as 27 March 1971. # MASSACRE by Robert Payne, Publisher : The McMillan Company New York. # J. S. Gupta The History of the Liberation Movement in Bangladesh # India, Pakistan, and the United States: Breaking with the Past By Shirin R. Tahir-Kheli ISBN 0-87609-199-0, 1997, Council on Foreign Relations. pp 37 Major Zia’s declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu was made controversial over an Very few people heard this declaration and Major Zia’s famous “Ami Major Zia Bolchhi”.
“Our struggle is for our freedom. Our struggle is for our independence.” The speech is regarded as the de facto declaration of independence although a formal declaration came on March 26, 1971
Our history has undergone huge twist at the hands of vested quarters. Some people claim that Zia declared himself as provisional commander in chief. In fact Zia made two speeches. When this unauthorized speech created confusion among the people, the Awami League leaders asked Zia to read out a text prepared by A. K. Khan.
Zia followed the suggestion, and made a second speech, where he mentioned that he was speaking on behalf of our great national leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Announcement The government of theSoverignStateon behalf of our great national leader, the supreme commander ofBangladeshSheikh Mujibur Rahman, do hereby proclaim the independence ofBangladesh. And that the government headed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has already been formed. It is further proclaimed that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the sole leader of the elected representatives of seventy five million people ofBangladesh, and the government headed by him is the only legitimate government of the people of the independent soverign state ofBangladesh….
It was impractical to think of the declaration of independence without mentioning name of Bangabandhu. His name carries more value than any political party. The sky is the limit to measure the popularity of Sheikh Mujib and the landslide victory of 70’s election was its reflection only.
Zia read out the declaration on behalf of Bangbanandhu. Formation of Mujib Nagar Government carries the historic significance.
Bangabandhu’s Declaration of Independence. (Reserved in Liberation War Museum, Segun Bagicha, Dhaka) Telex Copy of Bangabandhu’s Declaration of Independence
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Bangladesh is a proud nation as it emerged through a glorious freedom fight. Though we have got the freedom the spirit of the freedom fight is yet to be established. Previous history of freedom fight: Bangladesh lost her independence to the British when Nawab Serajuddola was defeated in the battle of Palassey in 1757. In 1947, the British divided India into two sovereign states, India and Pakistan. Pakistan was created but the people of Bangladesh were in majority in Pakistan, They were deprived of all the powers Bangladesh was made o colony of West Pakistan. As a result the people of Bangladesh could not tolerate this and started a strong movement for their release. Background of the Liberation War: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some patriot of Bangladesh raised their voice of protest. In 1968, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some other Bengalese were charged with a false case known as Agartola Conspiracy Case, but the people of Bangladesh started a strong movement against this case. Ayub Khan was compelled to release them. Then came Yahia Khan and he declared general election in 1970. The party of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got absolute majority in the National assembly. But Yahia did not hand over the power and he stopped National Assembly. As a result, Sheikh Mujib started non-violent, non-co-operation movement. Yahia started a false dialogue with Sheikh Mujib and he began to increase the strength of army. Freedom struggle of 1971: March 25 is a black day in the history of Bangladesh. On that night the army began to attack in the unarmed people of Bangladesh. Sheik Mujib was arrested and taken to West Pakistan. The independence of Bangladesh was declared. As the liberation war started, freedom fighters took birth overnight and faced the well-trained occupying forces to Pakistan fearlessly. At Mujib Nagar the government of the people republic of Bangladesh was formed on 17th April, 1971. But the Pakistan went on committing genocide to horror of the world. Women were raped and killed. The world press believed the atrocity of the of the occupying forces exceeded all limits. Millions of innocent Bengalese fled across the border in fear of their loves. So when their crimes were full, the Pakistanis came under direct attack of the combined forces of India and Bangladesh. The 16th December: The final stage of the war took a couple of days only. On the glorious day of 16th December, the Pakistani army surrendered. Our victory day confirmed the birth of Bangladesh on the world map.
Conclusion: Though we achieved our independence through much bloodshed, we still are not emerging as a powerful nation. We seem to have forgotten the supreme sacrifice we made in 1971. So our main duty should be to build up the country.
Video An Essay on Liberation War Of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ
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An assignment on liberation war
The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 is a significant historical event in this region. It represents the culmination of the Bengali nation’s long-term socio-political and economic struggle, allowing them to establish themselves as a nation-state after a thousand years of quest for recognition. This paper will explore the theoretical aspects of Bangladesh’s birth, specifically focusing on the nine-month-long liberation war.
This study aims to explore the causes and key figures involved in the liberation war of Bangladesh, which took place from March to December 1971. It also aims to assess the historical significance and consequences of this war. The initial segment of the investigation will analyze the political and economic factors that contributed to this major conflict. Furthermore, a concise summary of the struggle for independence will be presented.
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This paper will discuss the importance, significance, and outcome of the liberation war. It will also analyze this historical event using a theory of conflict described by a famous scholar. We have observed a significant challenge for novice researchers and observers in regards to the abundance of literature on the liberation war. This overflow of information primarily focuses on describing the event as a historical event, with very few addressing the socio-political aspects.
Choosing the correct information about the history of the liberation war can be challenging due to numerous instances of manipulation by different political parties over different regimes. It is also time-consuming to find the most insightful analysis from the extensive collection of literature. However, it is crucial to understand that the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 holds immense significance. It marked the birth of the world’s last large populated country, granted the United Nations its 33rd member state, and introduced another player in the region of South Asia.
By the liberation war in 1971, freedom-loving people were finally free from Pakistan’s domination, marking the end of Bangladesh’s long struggle for freedom. The liberation war played a significant role in establishing an independent identity for the people of Bangladesh and the Bengali nation. Various actors and factors contributed to this war, and this paper aims to delve into its causes and highlight its importance in the life of Bangladesh.
The Conflict Profile of Bangladesh includes historical events that are just as significant as the liberation war, through which Bangladesh gained independence. These events are described below:
- 1948 March 21: During a civic reception in Dacha, the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad All Zinnia, declared that “Urdu and only Urdu will remain as the state language of Pakistan.” In response to this declaration, the students of Dacha University protested in front of Zinnia.
- 1952 February 21: Language…
Movement – International Mother Language Day: The government of Pakistan forcefully suppressed the Bengali people’s demand for “Bangle” to become one of Pakistan’s official languages. This resulted in the deaths of protesters and a large-scale street protest, which played a significant role in igniting Bangladesh nationalism during the movement.
1966 March 23: Sheikh Maximum Raman fought for Binnacle’s right to live through his 6-Point Formula.
1968 January: Sheikh Maximum Raman was arrested due to his involvement in the Garland Conspiracy Case.
969 January – February: Violent clashes erupted across Pakistan between those protesting Baby Khan’s martial law regime and the police. In an effort to restore peace, the Garland Conspiracy Case was dismissed and Sheikh Music was released by the GOP. However, during a procession against Baby Khan’s rule, police fired upon it, resulting in the deaths of Sad (a student leader) and high-school student Matter Raman. This incident fueled resentment among Bengalis and triggered the Mass Uprising of 1969 (goon-Pythagorean) in East Pakistan.
970 December 7: Despite winning the election, Miami League denied Sheikh Music from becoming Prime Minister.
In 1970, Miami League achieved a landslide victory in national elections by securing 167 out of 169 seats designated for East Pakistan and a majority of the 313 seats in National Assembly.The Miami League obtained the constitutional right to establish a government, while the Qualifier All Bout of APP secured second place with 81 seats in the National Assembly.
The war lasted from 26th March to 16th December 1971, for a total of 2 weeks and 2 days. It took place in various locations including Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), the Bay of Bengal, the West Pakistan Border, and the Arabian Sea. The outcome was the collapse of the Pakistan Eastern Command and the independence of East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh.
The parties involved were Bangladesh led by Must Bambini, India who joined on 3rd December, and Pakistan represented by e-lilacs and Pakistani Armed Forces. The paramilitary forces included Jamaica-Shanty Committee and AY-Shams. The forces had the following strengths: Bangladesh – 175,000 troops; India – 500,000 troops in East Pakistan; Pakistan – armed forces with a strength of 25,000 for paramilitary forces.
Significant casualties occurred during the war. Bangladesh suffered around 300,000 to 500,000 casualties among its forces and civilians. India had official figures of 1,426 dead and 3,611 wounded. Civilian deaths numbered at least56 ,694 including those from armed forces (12 ,192), paramilitary forces (24 ,114),and civilians(20 ,388).
Table1 provides an overview ofthe liberation warof1971[1].This text does not mentionthe root causesofthiswar.
The economic causes of discontent in East Pakistan stemmed from government actions that left the people feeling deprived of their needs. This feeling of deprivation arose from the perception of discrimination by the central government of Pakistan, leading to a sense of relative deprivation. These discriminations can be categorized into three distinct areas.
- Sense of Relative Deprivation in Inter-region Economic Practices
- Sense of Relative Deprivation in Inter-region Economic Policies
- Discrimination in East Pakistan: Bengali vs.. Non-Bengali
- These categories are described below with a nonchalant aspect of analysis.
According to numerous historians, the sense of relative deprivation played a vital role in Bangladesh’s history, specifically during the liberation war. They argue that the government of Pakistan at that time failed to address and alleviate this feeling among the people of East Pakistan. It is believed that while Bengali sectionalism was the main ideological basis for the war, its root cause lied in economic deprivation and the resulting sense of relative deprivation felt by East Pakistani citizens. The discrepancy in per-capita income between East and West Pakistan was largely due to discriminatory government policies, limited job opportunities, industrialization disparities, and unequal access to state resources.
The table below showcases the difference in per-capita income between East and West Pakistan, highlighting a significant disparity. Initially, the gap was minimal but by 1970, it had risen to 61%. The discrepancy in income can be attributed to discriminatory policies and unequal distribution enforced by the central government of Pakistan[2].
The life standards of Pakistani people in both East and West Pakistan were affected by this disparity, resulting in a common impact. Consequently, people in West Pakistan had a higher consumption of goods compared to those in East Pakistan, who lacked purchasing power to afford essential items. Consequently, the distribution crisis led to poverty among the people of East Pakistan. Discrimination in government expenditure is evident from 1959 to 1970, whereby only 23% of total government expenditure was allocated to East Pakistan, with the remaining 77% going to West Pakistan.
The reason for this discrimination is that, in professional administration at the time, the statistics of 1966 showed that only 30% of officers were from East Pakistan while the remaining 70% were from West Pakistan. Additionally, there was discrimination in the business sector within united Pakistan, where the government failed to provide a safe and healthy environment in East Pakistan, resulting in the inability for a national capitalist class to emerge. Historical evidence reveals that 43 families controlled the entire economy of Pakistan. Furthermore, discrimination also existed at the policy level, particularly in economic policy, which was a crucial sector facing discrimination in Pakistan.
The discrimination against East Pakistani people resulted in various discriminatory policies. One such policy, known as the Trade and Commerce Policy, had a negative impact on the jute industry in East Pakistan. During that time, East Pakistan was a renowned producer of jute and India served as its largest market. However, trade between Pakistan and India came to a halt in 1949 due to the devaluation of Pakistani currency. This decision severely affected jute businessmen and led to a significant crisis. By 1950, the jute price index dropped to 71% from its original value of 100%. Another discriminatory policy was the Exchange Rate Policy implemented by the central government of Pakistan, which ultimately caused inflation.
East Pakistani businessmen faced two problems. Firstly, the importer of West Pakistan received government subsidiary, which created a trade imbalance with the East Pakistani business community. Secondly, businessmen from East Pakistan received comparatively low prices for their imported goods. As a result, the economy of East Pakistan suffered severely from this policy. Additionally, there was a disparity in the non-governmental sectors of East Pakistan, with non-Bengalis dominating. Prior to 1957, only 42.2% of loans in DIP and PICK were allocated to Bengali people, despite them being the majority in this region.
Foreign direct investment in East Pakistan, prior to 1969, allocated only 38% of total funds from Pakistan Development Foreign Investment (PDA) to the Bengali people. The remaining 62% was given to non-Bengali individuals. The trade sector of East Pakistan saw a similar trend, with 93% of the largest importers being non-Bengali. Furthermore, the industrial sector of East Pakistan was largely controlled by non-Bengali individuals, with 47% of the total industries falling under their ownership. In terms of shipping, both ship-yards in East Pakistan were owned by non-Bengali owners. Additionally, non-Bengali owners controlled 28 tea gardens in the tea forest industry and produced and exported 19% of the total tea production. In the export sector, Bengalis only controlled 33% of total business, while non-Bengalis controlled 25%. The remaining control was in the hands of foreigners and government officials.
The political cause of the Liberation War was primarily a nation-building crisis in Pakistan. The lack of a sense of territorial nationality among the common people and political and economic elites was a fundamental problem. This lack stemmed from power discrimination between the two parts of Pakistan, where the central authority did not represent the majority of Pakistani people. In East Pakistan, where the majority lived, around 56% of the total population were Bengali.
The hopes and expectations of East Pakistani people, specifically the Bengalis, were disregarded by Pakistan’s central government in both policy and practice. Consequently, the perceived essence of Pakistan was deemed unreal for the East Pakistani population. The nation failed to create a basic agreement among its leaders and citizens, as their main focus was on personal positions and power rather than the welfare of the country. All Pakistani leaders adhered to a consistent policy throughout their political lives. Ultimately, Pakistan did not cultivate inclusive institutions and behaviors that would benefit all sub-national groups within the nation.
Leaders prioritized concentrating authority, maintaining law and order, and ensuring economic development at the center. However, they failed to promote unity among the various subnational and tribal groups. The leaders did not make an effort to replace primordial sentiments with civil sentiments, and as a result, they were unable to establish a nation state from diverse subordinate groups. Although leaders in Pakistan managed to build some state-building institutions, this came at the expense of national integration and the process of nation-building. The gap created by this failure ultimately led to the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.
Pakistan faced challenges in its nation-building process, including a dual crisis. Firstly, there was a failure to establish a national ideology, create a national elite, and form national institutions. Secondly, there was an inability to integrate the various newly emerged groups into the national system.
Furthermore, geography and population played a role. Pakistan consisted of two uneven regions with East Pakistan covering 55,126 square miles and West Pakistan covering 310,403 square miles out of the total area of 365,529 square miles. The significant geographical separation between these two parts hindered communication and mobility of population and resources, making development of territorial unity difficult.
Military participation also highlighted discrimination between East and West Pakistan resulting in a sense of deprivation. The table below shows the disparity in defense forces’ participation in 1963:
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THE LIBERATION WAR (Paragraph / Composition / Essay ) The Bangladesh Liberation War, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was a significant revolution and armed conflict that led to the creation of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. It was ignited by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East ...
The war changed the geopolitical landscape of South Asia, with the emergence of Bangladesh as the world's seventh-most populous country. Due to complex regional alliances, the war was a major episode in Cold War tensions involving the United States, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. The majority of member states in the United ...
December 16, 1971 marked the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War, a short-lived conflict between India and Pakistan that established the People's Republic of Bangladesh from the territory of the former province of East Pakistan.. Although the war is best remembered for its dramatic alteration of South Asia's geopolitical landscape, it also bears a more complex and lesser-known set of ...
The Liberation War (March to December 1971) Following the massacre of the 25 th of March 1971, Bengalis started fighting against the Pakistani military with every resource they had. Ordinary Bengalis, especially young people, who had no knowledge or training to fight in a war, risked their lives and the lives of their family members for the ...
Essay, Pages 13 (3108 words) Views. 12458. Our liberation is the greatest achievement in our national life. The War of Liberation of Bangladesh took place in the history in 1971. We had been under Pakistani rule for twenty five years. The Pakistani rulers and their vested interest group began to treat East Pakistan as a colony gof West Pakistan.
This composition aims to provide an overview of the Liberation War of Bangladesh for SSC students. Background: The root causes of the Liberation War can be traced back to the partition of India in 1947, which led to the creation of two separate nations: India and Pakistan.
Abstract. Both the Bangladesh state and society are yet to settle the questions over and narratives related to the Liberation War of 1971. Broadly, there are two groups with contradictory and conflicting interpretations of the events related to that war. This has also led to the mushrooming of militant groups in the country.
Declaration of war: sheikh mujibur rahman roared up like a lion and made a clarion call to the people to stand up and fight to liberate Bangladesh from the grip of the Pakistani brutal. This declaration was made on the 7 th March, 1971 in the race course ground before an overwhelming crowd. He declared in a thundering like, this time's ...
Various social and cultural programmes are held throughout the country. The president of the prime minister receives the salute in the march past of the defence forces. Various theatre groups old street drama containing the themes of the liberation war. Some film clubs sow films made on the liberation war.
The age of the Bengali liberation war has crossed almost five decades. The political, social, economic, and cultural background of the liberation war of 1971 and the emergence of independent ...
By Mark Dummett. BBC News. On 13 June 1971, an article in the UK's Sunday Times exposed the brutality of Pakistan's suppression of the Bangladeshi uprising. It forced the reporter's family into ...
"The Historic 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman" was delivered by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 7th March, 1971 who led the people of Bangladesh to independence in 1971. At that time when the Pakistani military rulers refused to transfer power to the Bengali nationalist leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose party Awami League gained majority in the National ...
This inspiration was what came to be known as the spirit which inspired the liberation war, what we popularly term Muktijuddher-chetona. This is a phrase which is used so frequently and so casually as to be rendered almost devoid of meaning. We invoke this spirit as a ritual incantation and rarely bother to ask ourselves what this spirit ...
Composition | The Liberation War Of Bangladesh. 1. Bangladesh is a proud nation as it emerged through a glorious freedom fight. Though we have got the freedom the spirit of the freedom fight is yet to be established. Bangladesh lost her independence to the British when Nawab Serajuddola was defeated in the battle of Palassey in 1757.
Essay Sample The Liberation War of Bangladesh was a conflict between the people of East Pakistan and the West Pakistan Army that lasted for nine months in 1971. +1 (585) 438 02 31 ... Free yourself up from research and writing! Hire an expert to write you a 100% unique paper aligned to your needs. Contact a pro.
The Declaration of Independence. The 7th March speech of Bangabandhu was the definitive commencement of Liberation war. The independence of Bangladesh was declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through a message on 26 March 1971 just before he was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. This declaration of independence marks the beginning of the Liberation War.
The independence of Bangladesh was declared. As the liberation war started, freedom fighters took birth overnight and faced the well-trained occupying forces to Pakistan fearlessly. At Mujib Nagar the government of the people republic of Bangladesh was formed on 17th April, 1971. But the Pakistan went on committing genocide to horror of the world.
By the liberation war in 1971, freedom-loving people were finally free from Pakistan's domination, marking the end of Bangladesh's long struggle for freedom. The liberation war played a significant role in establishing an independent identity for the people of Bangladesh and the Bengali nation. Various actors and factors contributed to this ...
The ed as criminals. ready to become modern nation state decided to keep col- After the crackdown its of 25 March 1971, East lective Bengal moral values away from the do- the crisis of Bangladesh opted became a moral knew main of public they affairs; however, it suc- issue. Until 25 March, would an individual could.
Women freedom fighters of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Photo courtesy: Urmi Rahman. This article by network member Urmi Rahman is based on the paper she presented at the International Conference on Bangladesh: Revisiting Freedom and Independence organised by the Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, on 30 and 31 March, 2023.
The Liberation War of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a proud nation as it emerged through a glorious freedom fight. Though we have got the freedom the spirit of the freedom fight is yet to be established. Previous history of freedom fight: Bangladesh lost her independence to the British when Nawab Serajuddola was defeated in the battle of Palassey ...
Application activity 5.1. Explain the role played by the following factors for the outbreak of the 1990 - 1994 liberation war in Rwanda: • The regionalism and ethnic based divisionism. • The refusal of return for Rwandan refugees. 5.2 The effects of the 1990 - 1994 Liberation War in Rwanda. Learning activity 5.2.
The End Of The Article: The Liberation War of Bangladesh Composition We Have Learned So Far liberation war of bangladesh essay in bengali. If You Like Today's liberation war of bangladesh essay in bangla, You Can Share it With Your Facebook Friends.
Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of ...
In 2003, he was sent to Italy, where he served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan. He was also stationed in Norway for joint training with other NATO militaries.