- By: Ibn-e-Taha
- Khan_adnan040@yahoo.com
“Long- intimacies converted to non-intimacies;
When would befriend the lost long- currencies?;
When would lush green, spring refresh lost legacies?;
Red spots cleansing n’ ambiguous controversies;
(Translation from Faiz Ahmed Faiz)
At the start of students’ movement for a change of Govt, Hasina Wajid, taunted by calling them “Razakaars”, the factions that supported united Pakistan during war of 1971. Bengali students replied, yes! they are “Razakaars”? They were imitating bare handed Bengalis who gallantly supported united Pakistan and its’ army during debacle of 1971 in East Pakistan.
These patriotic Pakistanis formed groups of “Al-Badar” and “Al-Shams”, raised flag of Pakistan on their houses and streets till they were dislodged from their residencies after Dec, 1971. Realistically, they are the eliminating community of the world which faced genocide during and after 1971 and dying down today. Kept in isolation camps, Bangladesh negates their citizenship, being non-supporters of Bangladesh. UNO is also unable to decide their status of a refugee due to technical reasons. After the war, Pakistan army, civil defence, civil servants, para-military forces and beuorocracy was taken prisoners of war, but these local inhabitant “Razakaars” (mostly un-armed Beharis), were left at mercy of Bharti Army, Mukti Bahini, Sahini Bahini and Qadir Bahini. They were collectively gathered in big grounds, humiliated, tortured, butchered, cut to pieces, killed by rifle bayonets and shot in public by anti-Pakistan elements. Their women were paraded naked in streets and gang-raped openly before killing them with swords and big metal cutters. Stomachs of pregnant women were torn and babies inside were cut to pieces. Sheikh Hasina Wajid continued this legacy of hate and antagonism towards all Pakistan’s supporters at all levels in Bangladesh.
It was her initiative that UNESCO declared 21 Feb as international Mother Language day in 2000. This day is to commemorate killing of students of Dhaka university, on 21 Feb, 1952. Jinnah had declared Urdu as the only national language for the united Pakistan on 21 March, 1948 at Race-course ground Dhaka. JHe probably wanted to avoid controversy of Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi, Pushto, Seraiki and other native languages also to be declared as national languages. All Bengali stalwarts staunchly promoted “Only-Urdu” policy then. Also the Quaid’s Bengali companions could speak, read and converse fluently in Urdu. In fact, Dhirindanath Datta (hindu parliamentarian in East Pakistan) was the initiator of this issue, who raised it for the first time during the constituent assembly session at Karachi on 23 Feb, 1948.
Hasina and Awami League trumpeted their exploitation by Pakistan on every issue. “One Unit” was preached an attempt to nullify majority of Bengalis. However, this decision was by a Bengali PM of Pakistan M Ali Bogra. Hasina and Awami league did not inform their Bengali public, they enjoyed top positions in Pakistan I.e. Khawaja Nazim-uddin the second Governor General after Jinnah and later the PM of Pakistan. AK Fazl-ul-Haq as Advocate General and Chief Minister of Bengal, home minister of Pakistan and governor of East Pakistan. Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy as PM and Nur-ul-Amin as vice president of Pakistan.
Hasina exploited Pakistan’s ideology, but couldn’t negate, creation of Bangladesh is a substantial proof of “Two Nations’ theory”. Her courtiers always criticized Pakistan by quoting Abul Kalam Azad’s negative predictions about future of Pakistan. Undoubtedly, Pakistan could have avoided present uncertainties, by sound economic and political stability. Broader view shows, Azad repented later his criticism of creation of Pakistan. He developed differences with Congress over Muslim’s massacre in New Delhi and Punjab and reserving the houses vacated by Muslims during migration to Pakistan. Seeing biased attitude of hindus towards Muslims, he quitted Congress and politics and focussed on writing books during his last five years of life.
Hasina portrayed differences between East and West Pakistan in terms of cultures, dress, language, customs, food, music, way of life and perceptions. She forgot Pakistan was created on ideology of unity of Muslims of sub-continent only and not on ethnic, linguistic or cultural basis. She also ignored USA, China, Russia and Bharat had more domestic differences within them but are still one country. She did not know, examples are also there where two or more separate land pieces are part of the same country. She constantly poised Bengali masses about ill-treatment by West Pakistan. She blamed Pakistan for murder of Sheikh Mujib without any proof. She kept asking Pakistan Govt to trial Pak army military officers, for war crimes committed in 1971, but forgot her father had granted amnesty to all military personnel and all the POWs were sent back to Pakistan under “Tripartite agreement (1974)” . Surprisingly senior journalists in Pakistan are still repeating Hasina’s demand of military trial of Pak army generals involved in 1971 war. In response to an apology from Pakistan over 1971 events, it is added, General Pervez Musharraf during visit to Bangladesh (2002) repented events of 1971 and wished prosperity for the people of Bangladesh. No such initiative had ever been initiated by Hasina and Awami league.
It is on records that on 14 Aug, 1947, there was only one East Pakistani Muslim servant (ICS), Nur-un-Nabi Chouwdhry. There were less than 10 armed forces officers from Bengal serving in Royal Indian Army, Navy and Air Force in 1947.
Entire East Pakistan was also under-developed compared to other parts of united India. Nonetheless, on 16 Dec, 1971 Bangladesh had thousands of East Pakistanis working in different ranks in every department, which were recruited and trained by their own country Pakistan. Liaqat Ali Khan fixed quota for East Pakistanis to encourage them to join front ranks . He also lowered height requirement for East Pakistanis in joining armed forces. That’s how a five feet MM Alam joined the Pakistan air force and created world record of shooting 5 Bharti aircraft within four seconds. Husband of Sheikh Hasina Wajid MA Wajid Mia (West Pakistani) was trained as nuclear scientist by West Pakistan. Development projects were also initiated immediately after independence in East Pakistan. Some of them are Mongla Port, Quaid-e-Azam college Dhaka (1949), Begum Viqar-un-Nisa school and college at Dhaka, state of the art Adamjee Jute Mill (1950), Faujdarhatt cadet college Chittagong (1958), Karnaphuli paper mill (1953), Kapati dam (1962), Cadet college Jhenaidah (1963), East Pakistan steel mills (before being established in West Pakistan), Dhaka declared as second capital of Pakistan (1961), National Assembly Dhaka (1961), Bait-ul-Mukarram mosque Dhaka with a capacity of 40,000 persons (1968), modern railway station Dhaka (designed by Us architect Robert Boughey), cultural institutions like Bubul academy, Dhaka arts college, Nazrul academy and Tagore museaum.
During last 53 years Bengalis brothers have been taught Pakistan army killed 30, 00,000 Bengalis during war of liberation. Records state, the struggle was from 26 March till 16 Dec making of 262 days. To match the figure of 30,00,000, a total of 11,450 Bengalis had to be picked up, killed and buried every day, which is impossible for a insurgency engaged army. In 1974 a commission set up by Sheikh Mujib also confirmed deaths around 2,50,000 civilians. The report doesn’t discriminate killed Bengalis and west Pakistanis (killed by anti-Pakistanis). Independent sources also claim killing of 300,000 West Pakistanis which is nowhere recorded. Awami League taught Bengalis, Pakistan army raped 200,000 Bengali women during these 262 days. A Bangladeshi commission formed also announced 3000 Takas to any informant of rape by Pak army. The report concluded about 25,000 victims. Being generic, it was not ascertained whether these women were disrespected by Bharti army, Mukti Bahini and other anti-Pakistan forces. No one deliberates, killing of West Pakistani soldiers, bureaucrats, para-military service-men, civilians working in all Govt departments and their families. Thousands of west Pakistanis killed did not even get a coffin or grave. Lucky ones getting a funeral and a grave are still buried in Bangladesh, in unidentified graves in Bangladesh.
Agartala conspiracy was labelled by pro-Mujib group in Bangladesh as a sham against Mujib-ur-Rehman. Nevertheless, on 23 Feb, 2011, deputy speaker of Bangladesh parliament Shawkat Ali (an accomplice of Agartala conspiracy) accepted on floor of assembly, that charges framed against us were all correct and we visited Agartala for Bharti support against state of Pakistan. Sheikh Mujib also had made war plans to dismember East Pakistan from West in 1969. Simple Bengali public’s minds are bombarded with theory, West Pakistan did not do enough during “Bhola cyclone” of 12 Nov, 1970. It is added, Radio Pakistan had aired an alert message asking the fishermen to avoid going into the sea. Survivors later confirmed, they had listened to the alert but did not follow the instructions. President Yahya returned home immediately by shortening his visit to China and visited East Pakistan. He instructed all out efforts in rehabilitation. Pakistan Govt allocated 116 Mil $ for relief activities. One military aircraft and three crop dusting aircraft were dedicated for relief work. Bharat as expected did not allow supply and logistics aerial support to Bangladesh to fly over its’ territory.
Hamood-ur-Rehman commission report is propagated in Pakistan with half truths and stories related to Pak army only based on POWs accounts. Unfortunately out of 12 copies, Bhutto claimed other 11 have been lost. Bhutto was also averse to six points of Mujib, stating constitutional amendments would be required for implementing these amendments. Justice Cornelius (former CJ and constitutional advisor to Yayha) stated out of these six, four could have been accepted but were taken casually by Yahya and Bhutto together. Bharat had already envisaged this migration and just after “Operation Searchlight” by Pak army. On 26 March, 1971, Indira Gandhi had addressed Bharti parliament urging to grant refugee status to Bengalis entering Bharat from East Pakistan. She proffered to invoke “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” argument to support these incoming Bengali (mostly hindus) supporting their freedom. Bharat also ensured military training to these migrants groups. Surprisingly after 5 Aug, 2024 same Bharat has closed its’ all entry points (even for hindus) from Bangladesh to Bharat.
Bengali brothers are told, war of 1971 was started by Pakistan on 3 Dec, 1971 by attacking Bharat from East Pakistan (Bangladesh). Pakistani POWs, during the war in Bharti camps had verified these camps were already established since March, 1971. Wikipedia shows Bharat had invaded East Pakistan on 28 Oct, 1971 at Dhalaii (East Pakistan) starting the formal military war.
Bharti guru, Chanakya’s propaganda and defaming Pakistan army and its’ institutions had been effectively utilized by anti-Pakistan elements in Bangladesh. Those trying to imitate the same strategy in Pakistan today should be aware of the fate of all characters and their families involved in 1971 events.