1971 and Birth of Bangladesh-1

Hello friends, it looks like all spotlight has been shifted to Bengal in the last few weeks. Not only West Bengal elections, but also India- Bangladesh relations are going to be the center of focus for the next few weeks. Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of liberation in the next week. India and Bangladesh are also commemorating 50 years of relations. Plus it is the centenary birth anniversary of Shiekh Mujibur Rehman, widely popular as the creator of Bangladesh.

In this context, let's take a look at 50 years back and discuss the story of the birth of Bangladesh.

(Source-The Indian Free Press)

India got independence in 1947. The Partition created the State of Pakistan. It was divided into two parts, West Pakistan and East Pakistan. East Pakistan was created by partitioning Bengal province. East Bengal went to Pakistan and West Bengal remained in India.

Now, this is what we all know generally. In 1948 itself, Pakistan Governor-General Mohmmand Ali Jinnah declared that "Urdu and only Urdu" would be the federal language of Pakistan. This caused turmoil in East Pakistan where most of the people spoke Bengali. 56% of the total population of Pakistan were Bengalis.

(Source- BBC)

The movement began. It was Bengali Language Movement by civil society.  Its demand was Bengali along with Urdu should be the federal language. The movement reached a climax on 21st February 1952. Police fired on protesters in which several died. This day is celebrated as Language Movement Day in Bangladesh. Now it is remembered all over the world as International Mother Language Day.

East Pakistan had the disadvantage of not having cities like West Pakistan which have the concentration of economic and political power. The economy was mainly agrarian resulting in local clashes, instability. Most of the businesses were in West Pakistan. In the military as well, East Pakistani had only 5% officers of the total. Pakistan's federal government considered only Pathans and Punjabis as martial races, not Bengalis. It used to humiliate the Bengali population wherever possible.

Ideologically, Pakistan was established as an Islamic state. East Pakistani population agreed to this to some extent. However, their Bengali identity remained strong. Awami League, a party of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman started to preach secular agenda opposed to West Pakistan's Islamism. Language Movement also gave air to this feeling of "Being more Bengali Muslim than being Pakistani Muslim."

Shaheed Minar- Dhaka
A monument which commemorates martyrs of Language Movement Day

Politically, West Pakistani presidents who were mostly military dictators always undermined or deposed East Pakistani Prime Ministers.(President was the highest constitutional authority). Population and politicians of East Pakistan were angry because of these. 

In these backdrops, elections took place in 1970. Awami League had won the majority of 167 seats of 169 seats in East Pakistan out of total 313 seats. It was expected that Shiekh Mujibur will be Prime Minister. However, former foreign minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto opposed this. Negotiations took place under President Yahya Khan, the military dictator. The outcome was Bhutto to be President and Mujibur to be Premier. When the actual possibility of Mujibur taking over as Premier began to rise, West Pakistani commanders began actions. It was March 1971.

The actual war story began from here. Bangladesh was born after 9 months when the Instrument of Surrender was signed by Pakistani military forces with the Indian forces and Bangladeshi Liberation Forces. Let's look at those months and the role of India in those in the next article.