By Sajjad Shaukat
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid and her ruling party Awami League have continuously been pursuing Indian directions by conducting anti-Pakistan campaign. Therefore, after passing of 42 years to the events of 1971, which resulted into the separation of East Pakistan, Abdul Qadir was hanged because of his loyalty to Pakistan.
In connivance with New Delhi, Bangladesh government and Awami League have launched a massive media campaign in order to spread venom against Pakistan, its armed forces, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and against all those Bangladeshi nationals who were loyal to the state during 1971 crisis.
People of Pakistan have shared moments of happiness and sorrows with the people of Bangladesh. The tragedy of dismemberment of East Pakistan was aimed at creating a compliant country through India trained and financed terrorists (Mukti Bahini) who had killed thousands of Pakistanis in cold blooded activities. In this connection, while addressing a ceremony during his Bangladesh tour, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly stated on June 7, 2015 that Indian forces helped Mukti Bahini (terrorists) to turn East Pakistan into Bangladesh. He elaborated that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an active role in separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, and he had also come to Delhi in 1971 to participate in the Satyagraha Movement, launched by Jana Sangh as a volunteer to garner support for the Mukti Bahini members.
Indian yearning came to a grinding halt when people of Bangladesh consolidated as a sovereign nation. The unfathomable desires of people of both the countries to maintain kinship and cherish their social and spiritual bonds were perceived as a failure of 1971 Indian proxy in East Pakistan.
It is notable that Indian leadership by exploiting the concerns of Bangladesh Army over the raising of “Jatiyo Rakhi Bahini” (National vanguards) in 1972 once again created volatility in Bangladesh by patronizing the killing of Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman. The supplementary purpose of this depressing incident was “to make 1974 tripartite agreement dormant”. To further keep the people of Bangladesh in desolation, fueling the hatred and creating extremism in the society, Sheikh Hassina Wajid was incorporated into the Bangladesh Politics. Since then through devious judicial trials, she has been executing elderly opposing politicians and as an extension of her personal and political vindictive posture by manipulating the fateful 1971 event to further the Indian interests. Turmoil, so shaped continues to haunt people of Bangladesh, as she is refusing olive branch offered by people of Pakistan.
Ironically, Awami League’s purported nationalism is based on fabricated figures about the killing of three million Bengali people in 1971. Sheikh Mujib uttered this figure during an interview with the British broadcaster, David Frost. It was not authenticated by independent researchers or international institutions. During the conflict, only two division of Pakistan’s Army with limited small weapons was deployed in East Pakistan and it has no motivation to kill so many people in such a short conflict being fought in unfavorable operational situation.
Nevertheless, genocide committed by Indian trained terrorists in East Pakistan cannot be ruled out. Awami League’s delusions, under Sheikh Hasina’s are expected to create grave problems for Bangladesh. The growing discontent in the country over authoritarian and vindictive rule of Awami League vis-à-vis antagonistic approach towards Pakistan is causing a division in Bangladeshi society.
Now, the situation is turning bleak as foreign investments are evaporating and unemployment is multiplying. The growing socio-economic degeneration is causing discontent suiting the terrorist outfits like ISIS (Daesh). Their financers are taking full advantage to recruit the combat terrorists and train them in contiguous Indian area for further insertion in various regions. Its fallouts in Bangladesh are evident. Western media has reported about presence of ISIS in Bangladesh. In the recent past, two foreigners were shot, while a Shia gathering was targeted in the country. Extremist groups like Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh have established affinities with ISIS and are very active these days. Some of the Western countries even advised their citizen not to travel to the country.
It is optimistically suggested to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other leaders of Awami League that without indulging into a blame game, creation of Bangladesh may be acknowledged as one of the most tragic chapters in the history of Pakistan—tragedies test the resilience of the nations to survive and progress. Towards this end, Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman has signed an agreement in 1974 so that past shall not over-ride the present and future relations with Pakistan. Living in past sends the message of hopelessness, leadership must rise to the occasion and guide the nation towards integration and prosperity.
Pakistan’s eagerness in fostering good relations with Bangladesh can be gauged from huge investments in Bangladesh by Pakistani traders. These investments could further increase, if, government of Bangladesh offers and ensures a conducive atmosphere.
Bengalis must know that in the backdrop of Modi’s statement, role of India in dismemberment of Pakistan through state sponsored terrorism (insertion of Mukti Bahni) and Indian support to separatist elements in Pakistan’s province of Baluchistan has already been exposed, as Islamabad has recently presented solid evidence to the UN and the US in this respect.
India’s deliberate intervention in fomenting trouble in united Pakistan was in contravention to article-4 of UN Charter. Moreover, memoirs of then Indian Foreign Minister Manekshaw indicate that the former Indian Prime Minister Indra Gandhi had revealed her intents to scheme for dismemberment of Pakistan in April 1971.
Besides, world must take notice of Indian interventionist and hegemonic policies vis-à-vis her neighbors. India occupied Sikkim, subdued Bhutan, sponsored terrorism in Sri Lanka and is now teasing Nepal, while, based in Afghanistan, Indian secret agency RAW is still sending militants in Pakistan in order to destabilize this country.
Nonetheless, while rectifying the historical record regarding the events of 1971, government of Bangladesh must mention that two Divisions of army (20000, which latter grew to 34000) operating in adverse environment has no motivation to go on civilian killing spree. It must know that if total number of troops was 34000, then how come the much publicized figure of 93,000 troops is true?
In this context, as regards to so-called genocide of the Bengali people, a famous Bengali journalist Sarmila Bose authored a book, “Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War” after thorough investigation. She terms the number, a gigantic rumor, while Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report considers even 26,000 as an exaggerated figure. Richard Sisson and Leo E. Rose in book titled “War and Secession: Pakistan, India and the Creation of Bangladesh” and Gary Bass in his book “The Blood Telegram” clearly admit that figures about so-called genocide were Indian purported.
Reality is that Indian sponsored terrorist outfit Mukti Bahini created mayhem—carried out most of the destruction and killings in East Pakistan, which were propagated through media as well as diplomatic channels as atrocities of Pak Army. And many Pakistani were subjected to excesses by Mukti Bahini/Sheikh Mujib activists. Some Bengali sources admitted to have killed 30,000 to 40,000 West Pakistanis during the conflict. The US Consul estimated that up to 66,000 non-Bengalis were killed.
Awami League-India nexus has once again engulfed Bangladesh in the shape of Sheikh Hasina Wajid who has unleashed a reign of terror in the country. Resultantly, disappointment and dissatisfaction of the opposition parties, civil society, sensible media persons etc. is growing and the foreign investment is evaporating and economy has slowed down. Shaikh Hasina’s incumbent term as prime minister is illegal, as the opposition alliance had boycotted 2014 general elections.
Unprecedented unemployment and poverty are being manipulated to recruit combat terrorists and train them in India. Emergence of ISIS in Bangladesh shall be worrisome for international community. As India has been attempting to exploit ISIS in Afghanistan to counterweight Taliban and growing economic activity of China, and ISIS Bangladesh chapter is likely to be exploited to counter Chinese entrance in Bangladesh.
People of Bangladesh may identify their real enemies which are India and Awami League which are creating conditions for break up of Pakistan and has made Pakistanis and Bengalis to fight with each other. Now, they are again active to promote pro-Indian feelings through Awami League and Sheikh Hasina’s government and gag the opposition, so that it can be turned into a fully compliant state. Nevertheless, as part of old anti-Pakistan campaign, Awami League conceals facts about the dismemberment of Pakistan.
Sajjad Shaukat writes regularly for Opinion Maker. He writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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