Hasina pushing Bangladesh into turmoil

The long shadow of the pre war narrative

Unfortunately the Pakistani leadership demonstrated a criminal neglect of the Indian designs. It was further compounded by the intellectual dishonesty selectively exercised by some of the intellectuals who supported the Indian propaganda

Dhaka, the birth place of the All India Muslim League in 1906, eventually proved to be the centre-stage of united Pakistan’s disintegration in 1971. The elders who struggled to create Pakistan became instrumental in its breakup. Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, a student activist of the Pakistan Movement in the 40s, led the secessionist movement in the 60s and 70s. This change in the religio-political orientation of East Pakistan’s leadership was nurtured by the Indian establishment and intelligentsia. To that end they spared no effort to undo the creation of Pakistan which, they believe, vivisected their Mother India.

According to Mr S Radhakrishna, former president of India, the creation of Pakistan was a grievous wrong which India was made to suffer. He considered reunion of India and Pakistan necessary and inevitable. That’s why the Hindus of East Bengal, 20 percent of the total Bengali population, were encouraged to stay put in the East Pakistan in 1947. Keith Callard, in his book “Pakistan – A Political Study”, writes that “many Indians feel the creation of Pakistan a tragic mistake which can still be corrected, at least as far as East Bengal is concerned.” That’s why, in 1971, India considered the breakup of Pakistan as an opportunity, the likes of which would never come again.

To make it happen, an all-encompassing propaganda campaign, covert intelligence operations, overt military aggression and sustained diplomatic maneuvers personally led by Indra Gandhi were unleashed to create Bangladesh. All India Radio Kolkata highlighted the commonalities of East and West Bengal culture. The famous poem of legendary Rabindar Nath Targore “Amar Sonar Bangla’ (my golden Bengal) was so extensively aired that it made an impact on the Bengali Muslims. This poem was later selected as the National Anthem of Bangladesh.

Simultaneously, disinformation was systematically spread about economic disparity between the East and West wings, political domination of West Pakistan, undue defence spending and imbalance in the share of federal services. A sizeable Hindu population within East Pakistan and its all round encirclement by Indian territory facilitated the success of carefully crafted Indian narrative aimed at alienating the Bengali Muslims from their brethren in West Pakistan.

Unfortunately the Pakistani leadership demonstrated a criminal neglect of the Indian designs. It was further compounded by the intellectual dishonesty selectively exercised by some of the intellectuals who supported the Indian propaganda. Resultantly, the Bengali masses developed an anti-Pakistan feeling creating conditions for Indian sponsored armed rebellion from within and an all-out attack from outside East Pakistan. Cashing in on the lifetime opportunity, India organised and trained a 100,000 guerrilla strength of Mukti Bahini under Col Atta-ul-Ghani Osmani for launching the fifth columnist operations on the Pakistan forces in addition to brutally killing their own fellow Bengalis who remained loyal to their motherland – Pakistan.

Under such conditions a few bare handed patriots from East Pakistan came forward to protect their fellow Muslims from the savage onslaught launched by the Indian army and Mukti Bahini. They did so at the peril of their life.

The post-war scenario was marked by a Tripartite Agreement signed by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on 9 April, 1974 at New Delhi. The point to note here is that Bangladesh could only have participated in this agreement on the basis of sovereign equality if Pakistan had recognised its independence. Pakistan did so to bring back normalcy in the region and resolve the humanitarian issue of stranded civil and military personnel in each others’ countries. Responding to the Pakistani initiative, Bangladesh resolved to “forgive and forget the mistakes of the past” vide Clause 14 of the Agreement and not to “proceed with the trials as an act of clemency” – Vide Clause 15 of the Agreement.

This commitment was honoured by all Bangladeshi governments till Hasina Wajid assumed power in January 2009. She is believed to have a definite pro-India tilt because of her father’s sustained covert relations with the Indian establishment. Moreover, India plays a pivotal role to keeping Hasina in power because of the Hindu population in Bangladesh and an all-round geographic contiguity with Bangladesh.

In this arrangement lies a convergence of interests for Hasina Wajid to remain in power and for India to spoil Pakistan’s repute by propagating alleged atrocities during the war. It will help implement the pre-war Indian narrative of alienating the Bengali Muslims from those residing in Pakistan – especially, the post-war generation.

During his last visit to Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not mince words when he appealed to Hasina Wajid by saying agli peerhi ko batain (indoctrinate the next generation). That can best be done by staging a drama to execute elderly Bangladeshi leaders through sham trials after a lapse of about four decades.

For that, India is said to be directly influencing the decisions of war tribunals through Hindu Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Bangladesh who openly interacts with the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka. That’s how the Pre-War Narrative is casting shadows on the Post-War Crimes in Bangladesh.