Causes Of Separation Of East Pakistan

The separation and loss of East Pakistan was the worst event in the history of Pakistan that brought political instability to both wings.

In 1947, the Indian subcontinent was divided into 3 parts according to the British partition plan before leaving. On August 14, Pakistan became the first country to announce its independence and on the very next day, India announced its independence. Pakistan had two wings, namely, West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Both the wings were too far as one in South Asia and another one in the Bengal. Both wings were united until 1971 but got separated due to several reasons.

CAUSES OF SEPARATION OF EAST PAKISTAN:

• Language Difference: There was a language difference between the wings. As the people of East Pakistan wanted Bengali to become the national language of Pakistan while West Pakistanis wanted Urdu to become the national language as Muhammad Ali Jinnah had declared the Urdu language to be the only uniting force. Also, there was a ban on the broadcasting of Bengali songs and poems on Dhaka Radio.
• Economic Difference: There was a difference in the economic condition of the people of both wings. The people of West Pakistan were financially strong while the Bengalis were poor and weak. The huge population of Pakistan was in the Eastern Wing of around 56 million which were poor and ill. There were only 200 doctors and 3000 beds in the hospitals of the whole of East Pakistan.
• Social Difference: The people of West Pakistan were rulers, landlords, investors, traders and well-educated. The people of East Pakistan were mostly farmers, and the literacy rate was very low. It was considered that only 22 families were running both wings which were also from West Pakistan.
• Discrimination in Forces: There was a low ratio of Bengalis in the Pakistan Army. 60% of the army was Punjabi and 25% be Pakhtoons and the rest of them were Sindhis and Baloch. The high ranks were only given to the Punjabi soldiers which created unsolved discrimination.
• Superiority in Seats: The major seats and civil services posts were all filled up with West Pakistanis. Even in Dhaka, the majority of the official seats were occupied by West Pakistanis. And low posts were given to the Bengalis because they were illiterate.
• Cultural Difference: The West Pakistanis were culturally rich and had their own traditional food, clothing, weapons, language/ literature, gestures, and living style. While Bengalis did not have such a great library as they were used to eat uncooked fish. Hence, West Pakistanis were considered superior to East Pakistanis.
• Rejection of Shaikh Mujeeb Ur Rahman's 6 points: 

1. The federal form of government is to be formed.
2. Each wing has its own troops and military forces.
3. Each wing has separate currencies and trade accounts.
4. Each province taxes its people to share the small revenue with the federal government.
5. The foreign ministry and defense affairs are to be under the federal government.
6. Each wing is to be autonomous.

• Fight Over power: The fight between Shaikh Mujeeb (Awami League) and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (Pakistan People's Party) overpower. Both, leaders indulged in politics to show their strength. Shaikh Mujeeb did not want the central government to be under West Pakistan while Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto wanted the central government to be under the control of West Pakistan. Since the capital was also situated in Karachi and was one of the most developed cities.
• Delay In Legal Framework: There was a delay in the constitution-making and the legal framework was to be announced within 120 days. General Yahya Khan was unable to unite the leaders and was not willing to give whole powers to Shaikh Mujeeb.
• Cyclone: In 1970, when the National Assembly elections were to be held then a dangerous cyclone hit East Pakistan. The whole wing was full of floods and rainwater that caused the death of 500,000 lives. West Pakistan was slow to react and send the aid to East Pakistan as there was a long-distance and chosen road to supply aid. At that time, India had offered help to Pakistan in this regard, but Pakistan rejected the offer. And then the situation even worsened.
• Results of National Assembly Elections: Shaikh Mujeeb of Awami League had won the majority of seats in the national assembly and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had won a majority in West Pakistan. But Yahya and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto were unwilling to share the power and wanted a deal and compromise. But the worst sufferings of Bengalis had pushed Mujeeb to have his own government.
• Operation Searchlight: Mujeeb was indulged in anti-government activities, and he was found to be holding several secret meetings with the Hindus and Indians. The Bengali nationalist movements were on the rise and were creating violence. Hence, the Pakistan army launched its operation to crush the ethnic movement.
• Mukti Bahini: The arrest of Shaikh Mujeeb had created the situation even worst. The Bengali rebels had started to damage public property and cause violence in the towns of Bengal leading to a civil war. The rebels were all funded by the Indian government, and they were ordered to gather at the Indian border for the supply of arms and weapons. Indian army had trained the Mukti Bahini rebels and Mukti Bahini became a terrorist force that caused the loss of lives of people in East Pakistanis. Every person who was supporting the Pakistani government was killed.
• The successful international tour of Indian Prime Minister Indra Gandhi won diplomatic support for India.
• The immediate attack of the Indian Army: Indian army attacked the border of East Pakistan and provided weapons by air to the Makati Bahini. Pakistan army tried to attack the Indian parts of Punjab and Kashmir to withdraw attention but failed to counter the attack. It was impossible to send troops to East Pakistan in a short period to resist the attack. But India forcefully occupied East Pakistan.
• No Muslim was ready to kill his fellow Muslim brother and there was a feeling of sympathy. West Pakistanis in East Pakistan understood that they are trying to push Bengalis to remain a part of Pakistan. Hence, 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered at the hands of Bengalis.

On 26 March 1971, the Republic of Bangladesh announced its independence from Pakistan on Dhaka Radio. And Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto released Shaikh Mujeeb from prison after a week of announcement.

Still, people of both wings have hearts and love for each other. Both are still Pakistani Muslims but divided via a long distance. Surprisingly, there was a migration of thousands of Bengalis into West Pakistan after the 1971 separation because they say:

''Our forefathers fought for Pakistan, not for so called Bangladesh, they put their lives for Pakistan, left our homes in Calcutta for Pakistan, left the property for Pakistan and remained united with Pakistan as an Eastern Wing. We (Bengalis) are sad... We all are Muslims and we all have just a cultural difference. We would live here (Chittagong Colony, Karachi) as Bengalis as other ethnic groups (Sindhis, Punjabis, Pakhtoons and Baloch) live but as Pakistanis.''

Until now, Bangladesh is seen as a weak and poor country. But Bangladesh has grown itself more in the freelancing and IT export industry despite lacking in several areas when we talk about military, finance, autonomy, infrastructure and education and more. Shaikh Haseena is ruling Bangladesh since her father's death. There are many viral facts about Bangladesh that it is under Indian control and Shaikh Haseena to be the next after him in the same footprints as his father.

In my opinion, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a pure Pakistani by heart and faith. I don't think that he was a part of any anti-Pakistan elements, but he wanted his right to rule in both wings. Yahya Khan should have given him central powers for what he had demanded. As nothing would have been wrong but a happy Pakistani Bangistan. But strict operations and no negotiation deteriorated the political situation at that time. Bengalis are Muslim brothers to me, whenever I would meet them in any corner of the world, I would hug them and support them. 

I really feel sorry for both sides that the enemy misled us and widened the gaps between us. I wish we could be united again in future. As per several BBC and leading news reports, India was involved in misinformation in their print industry too which mirrored the same text in current Bangladesh. Indian agents made falsifications in the reports published and labelled Mujib as anti-Pakistani. I think that Bangladeshi readers should understand that their leader was not a traitor to his country but devoted his whole journey to the social upliftment of his Pakistani Bengalis. What Bangladeshi textbooks and printing press reflect the image of Mujib is not true. Think about it!

No power in the world can separate us, still, we are the same nation, having the same dress codes, languages, colours, foods, religion, goals and thoughts. Here I have attached the first proposed map of Pakistan by Chaudhry Rehmat Ali before the independence of Pakistan. What if we unite to fulfil the wishes set by our senior Bengali and Pakistani leaderships in old times. 💗

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