People of Bangladesh: Time to reflect!

Lets try this again:

1. NOBODY is defending Pakistan
2. NOBODY is claiming Pakistan to be a land of Milk & Honey
3. NOBODY is claiming Pakistan to be a Land of Shariah

The issue being discussed is clearly outlined and not just based on personal preferences or experience.

Tit-for-tat comparisons of this happens in Pakistan so this happens in Bangladesh will get us nowhere, a specific aspect is being discussed not the general prevalence of Islam in either lands; if you wish to compare what happens in either countries (from an Islamic perspective) please open a thread and we can try to get to the bottom of that matter.

The RAPE ENDEMIC (public and gloating in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) are all appalling and absolutely indefensible. You will find equally gruesome examples in all 3 countries but again this topis isn’t tit-for-tat but feel free to open a thread and we can RAPE as an issue. Again, doesn’t make it any less heinous and horrible no matter who does it.

The subject here is very specific.

Bangali Perspective (Atrocities):

BBC led the propaganda in this war just like they reported in 1965 that Lahore has fallen to India! An example of a book with personal Accounts

I have not read but heard people praising this book: The Rape Bangladesh by Anthony Mascarenhas

Indian Perspective (NO Atrocities):

Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War by Sarmila Bose

Later made public by Al-Jazeera and caused a huge uproar in Bangaldesh against Al-Jazeera

Pakistan Political Background/Perspective:

Memoir of Pakistan Army (Major) Siddique Salik stationed in Bangladesh, fantaistic Account of political mistakes by Pakistan Government.

Pakistan Judicial Inquiry:

Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman was a Bangali Judge who was assigned the task of investigating into the events. His report was NEVER made public in Pakistan until a few years ago, here it is on a Bangladeshi site.

Common sense!

Look at any political/military Account (Bangali, Indian, Pakistani) look at the years leading upto 1971, the military size, density, deployment and skirmishes and facts become clear fairly quickly. Get emotional and you will need a lifetime to fight Bias.

1. Take a good look at the issue from a military perspective
2. Look at what India gained post 1971 (as a military advantage) on its borders
3. Look at what Bangaldesh & Pakistan both lost post 1971 from a military perspective

From East Pakistan to Bangladeh in 1971: Part 1

Why now?

For the sake of our present and the next generation, this story needs to be told!

Let bygones be bygones, let’s not stir up controversies, let’s not discuss politics has gotten the people of both Bangladesh and Pakistan nowhere and it will lead to nowhere. Emotions are kept in check in civilised greetings and exchanges but anger and resentment breeds beneath.

We need to get to the point where we can at least agree to disagree.

The story of Pakistan doesn’t begin from 1947, it begins much earlier.

British get a foothold in Bengal:

The British East India Company first eyed Bengal during the days of Governor (Subahdar) Ibrahim Khan (1617-1624). Its lush fields and potential manpower attracted the British. The detailed survey of James Lancaster (1554-1618) of Bengal and its riches had the (British) salivating over the prospects of setting up a trade-zone in India. The other objective was to check the advances of the Dutch East India Company already doing business in Bengal.

British sent their best man for the job! Sir Thomas Roe (1581-1644) lavishly showered the Courtiers of Jahangir (1569-1627) until he was able to gain access directly to the King himself.

Pages of history tell us that while working on behalf of King James I (1566-1625) Sir Thomas Roe (1581-1644) was able to greatly influence until he became a trusted source and confidant of the Moghul King. He was able to secure some (limited) trading rights in Surat prior to his return back to England.

Surat was nice to have but the breakthrough for the British came in 1634 when through a Royal decree (Shahi Firmaan) from Mughal King allowed the East India Company to trade freely in Bengal.

The exploitation of Bengal had begun!

In 1717 all duties and taxes were completed waived from East India Company.

British exploitation of Bengal causes Famine (1770):

East India Company was in Bengal for one reason and one reason only. To make money and lots of it!

The lush green fields of Bengal and its riches were sucked to the bone by East India Company eventuallly causing the Bengal famine of 1770 in which millions perished while the British made money and lots of it.

The riches of Britain was built on the backs of Bengal; there is no second opinion about this!

British exploitation of Bengal and Political Awareness:

The province of Bengal and its native Bengalees were the first to be brutally, systematically and methodically exploited in British India and naturally you see a trend of violent (uprising) and violent demonstrations throughout its history, here is a quick look (skipping a lot of details) to name a few:

• Battle of Plassey (23rd of June 1757)
• Indigo revolt (1869)
• Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930)

Precursor to Pakistan Movement begins in Bengal:

The British decided to split divide the province of Bengal in 1905 causing a huge uproar from both the Muslims and Hindu citizens of the Province, initially.

The Muslims of Bengal (quickly) saw an opportunity to be finally free from the dominance of Hindus and a few of the gentry established a new political party in 1906 to safeguard the rights of Muslims. This political party was called All-India Muslim League , it was founded to safeguard the rights of Muslims in Bengal by the residents of Bengal and in Dhaka.

Khwaja Salimullah (1871-1915) and A. K. Fazlul Huq (1873-1962) were the two promient (Bengali) hands in the formation of All-India Muslim League.

This is the building in Dhaka where the All-India Muslim League was founded thus eventually giving rise to the movement for Pakistan

Resolution for Pakistan presented by a Bengali in 1940:

We have skipped a lot of history for the sake of brevity but even the (Lahore) Resolution of Pakistan in 1940 was presented by A. K. Fazlul Huq (1873-1962), a Bengali.

Catastrophic decision sowing the seeds of Bangladesh:

Even a quick and cursory look through history of (above) should tell you that people of this region have been dealing with exploitation and rebelling against it (for their rights) for centuries. They have a different culture and importantly a different language which has exited here for hundreds (if not thousands of years).

The “Muslim” (later to become Pakistan movement) was conceived in Bengal but slowly its leadership began to take an Indian colour and most of its (prominent and famous) leaders which you know (as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dr Allamah Iqbal etc) were Non-Bengalees.

Feelings of resentment began to surface amongst Bangalees but they were subdued and not give time to take root due to the enthusiasm of Pakistan (1947).

But in 1948 the single most disastrous decision to name Urdu as the official language of Pakistan hut a raw nerve amongst Bangalees; the population of the entire instantly became a second class citizen in the new country of Pakistan with limited access to jobs and economic prospects.

Bengali Language Movement moevment sarted as a murmur, turned violent and eventually was brutally suprressed in 1952 when Pakistan Police opened fire and killed student demonstrators.

The brutality of the British (endured for centuries) was just replaced by Police/Army of West Pakistan for the people of Bengal.