BACKGROUND AND CAUSES OF BANGLADESH LIBERATION WAR

General

1.         The Liberation war of Bangladesh was more of an evolution rather than a revolution. It was a revolution to save culture, it was a struggle to speak in own language, it was a protest to have ones own right and finally it was a war to save humanity. In recent past time no nation has paid more in such a short time in terms of lives and property. Almost 3 millions have lost their life, 10 millions were routed out from their home and rest of the 60 million was subjected to untold miseries.

2.         It was a crisis, which dates back nearly 30 years and ended in bloody war giving the birth of a new nation in South East Asia, named Bangladesh.

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Background and Causes of Liberation War

3.         The seed for separation was sown at Pakistan’s birth itself. After 200 years of British rule on 14th August 1947 the last Vice-Roy of British India, Lord Mount Batten formally handed over power to Mr. Jinnah and Mr. Nehru to run independent states Pakistan and India. Pakistan consisted of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Punjab, Baluchistan, Sind and East Bengal. As per the Lahore Resolution in 1940, where Mr. Fazlul Haque proposed that, the Northwest and Eastern Zones of India where Muslims were majority should be grouped to federal states of Pakistan in which the constituent units should be autonomous and sovereign. Thus two completely different people were united together in a geographically incongruous union on the principle of common religion. But on ground no amount of true devotion of Islam could serve to bridge the ethnic and cultural distance between the West and the East. As a result in the course of time due to ethnic, cultural and geographical gaps the East and the West had to part with.

4.         However, following were the political milestones to the then East Pakistan, which may be regarded as the main causes of Liberation war:

a.            Language Movement.   The explosion which took place in 25 March 1971 was ignited on 21st February 1952. Mr. Jinnah the first Governor General of Pakistan declared “URDU” to be the state language though 56% of the total population was Bengali speaking and only 7.2% was “URDU” speaking. The decision was bitterly opposed by the Bengalis through literature, protest, rallies and demo. On 21 February students of Dhaka University brought out procession violating Section 144 where many students were killed.

b.            Provincial Election-1954.   In this election the united front of the coalition of Awami League, Krishok Shramik Party, Nezami Islam and the Gonotantrik Dal of the East Wing had the overwhelming majority. Central government in the west could not relish their Victory. Thereby on 30th May 1954 governor’s rule was proclaimed and the provincial legislative assembly was dissolved.

c.            1956 Constitution.   The first constitution of Pakistan was promulgated in 1956. It did not satisfy the people of East Pakistan because it failed to fulfill the basic demand as per Lahore Resolution. It did not allow the Bengali people to represent in the parliament as per popularity. It is to be mentioned here that from 1947 to 1958, seven different governments came successively to power and went - none by ballot box, reflects the cumulative instability.

d.            Marital Law.  In this prevailing political condition President Iskander Mirza declared martial law with his Commander in Chief Ayub Khan as the CMLA on 17 October 1958. Right after 10 days General Ayub Khan wanted to run a tutorial state. But the great obstacle in the way of his desire was the question of Bangali’s autonomy. General Ayub consolidated his position within the government and then his system. The institutions were ‘Basic democracy’ 1962 constitution and participation of the Bengali elite in political decision making and administration. Not a single elite was included in his hard core in the decision making circle except few people of Muslim League, who were disowned by the people of the then East Pakistan in 1954. The Bengalis under the banner of Awami League and National Awami Party-Bhashani, following the defeat in the effort of removing Ayub khan from power through ballot, started nationwide movement for autonomy.

e.            Six Point Programme.  Sheikh Mujibur Rahman launched the famous six-point program in 1966, which aimed at maximum political, economic and administrative autonomy for the then East Pakistan within federal Pakistan. The demands reflected the need to balance the following states:

(1)       The eastern wing, while responsible for 75% of export and foreign earnings, consumed only 20-30% of imported goods.

(2)       Of developed funds, the burgeoning industries of western side, representing 40% of the population, received 77% of the input.

(3)       The disparity between the per-capita income in the West and East was 62% more and steadily increasing every year.

(4)       The price of rice, the staple food of Bengali, was four times as high in East Pakistan as in West Pakistan.

(5)       The prestige service echoed this imbalance in their selection policies. West Pakistan got 94% of the civil svc, 85% of the foreign svc and 95% of the army. The Eastern sector was similarly expended from the benefits of professional levels the service of Agriculture, Education, Medicine, Welfare etc.

(6)       East Pakistan with equal rights and economic parity would, with its larger population and foreign earnings, have been dominant over the West. This potential situation, proposed and outlined in the six-point programme, was in intolerable threat to the military and ruling elite of West Pakistan.

f.             Agartala Conspiracy and Trial.    In January 1968 the Government accused and arrested Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 28 civilian and military personnel of having participated in an alleged conspiracy to separate East Pakistan from West Pakistan with Indian Help. The attempt was boomeranged on the central regime.

g.            Popular Turmoil in 1969.   In the spring of 1969 President Ayub Khan, after a six months period of mounting popular turmoil, was ousted and General Yahya Khan, without noticeable reluctance, came forward to take his place.

h.            1970’s Election.  General Yahya Khan arranged general election in 1970 (17 December). Awami league scored overwhelming victory in this election, out of 307 seats Awami league scored 167 seats. On the other hand of eastern provincial assembly Awami league scored 298 seats out of 310.

j. Non-cooperation Movement.  Under these circumstances Mr. Bhutto the leader of Pakistan People’s Party declined to participate in the national assembly unless some modification was made by Sheikh Mujib regarding 6 point issue. When on 01 March 1971 announcement of Yahya Khan came over radio, indefinitely postponing the opening of National Assembly scheduled on 03^rd March 1971, the people of the then East Pakistan were stressed. This breach of faith at the last moment was the supreme act of treachery. Sheikh Mujib called for a general strike to begin on 2nd March 1971. It received response from all corners of Bangali Nation and people joined in civil disobedience move. On 7^th March 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a huge mass and delivered his historical speech at Dhaka Racecourse ground. Now the Bangali people were convinced that Yahya Khan would not hand over the power to the Bengali dominated government. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujib an all out non-co-operation mov started. All high court judges, high civil officials, Schools, Colleges stopped functioning. In simple word Sheikh Mujib became the defector ruler of the then East Pakistan.

k.            Last Phase Before the Start of the War.   To soften up the situation General Yahya Khan came to Dhaka with his advisers. Negotiation continued, everybody was hoping for peace but the General had something otherwise in his mind. By now he decided to teach a bloody lesson to the Bangalis. But he did not have adequate force to meet the requirement. So in the name of negotiation he was buying time. On night 25/26 General Yahya left Dhaka giving the infamous order to Tikka Khan , “Sort them out”. They attacked all the residential halls of Dhaka University, Rajarbagh Police Line, EPR HQ at Pilkhana and EBRC. The so-called best army in South East Asia started killing all the innocent people without any hesitation. Thus the first drop of blood of the martyr wrote the word BANGLADESH.

Conclusion.

5.         The victory of the people of Bangladesh was a victory of ideals and national spirit. The victory brought freedom of Bangladesh but left millions dead and wounded millions homeless and misery ridden. If blood is the price of liberty, BANGLADESH has certainly overpaid.

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