why did ep seek and then form the independent state of Bangladesh? chap 3 section 3 Flashcards
intro
1940: premier of Bengal Fazl-ul-Haq = lahore resolution which demanded MM regions should be grouped to constitute independent states
this measure was passed unanimously by ML = ppl of Bengal thought that when independence came there would be an autonomous state centre in Bengal
1946= ‘states’ = ‘state’ and Muslims in Bengal found themselves being governed by Karachi
learnt that Bengal = partition w a significant portion going to India including calcutta
social and cultural disparity
Pak formed = Ep and WP
capital in WP and many ppl in EP felt that they were not equal partners in the new nation
spoke Bengali but Urdu = national language
they protested that urdu was only spoken by 6% of the whole of Pak whereas Bengali was spoken by 56%, but the Quaid was determined to use urdu as a uniting force
Quaid refused Bengali requests and went to dhaka to announce urdu and only urdu = state language
1952, students called a ‘state language day’ on 21/2
govt banned protests in that day but a march was still held = several deaths when police used tear gas to break it up
more protests and deaths followed but it wasnt until the 1956 constitution that Bengali was recognized as one of the official languages of pak
Bengalis offended by this opposition to bengali (also had diff culture from WP)
in his autobiography ‘friends, not masters’ a political autobio, Ayub stated that there were those in WP who considered their culture to be superior to EP, which did not go unnoticed by them
economic disparity
pak = poor country
trade w west bengal cut off and poverty was common (since 1947)
govt took steps to help boost economy = in favor of WP
more than twice as much as foreign aid and capital investment went to WP as EP
Bengalis believed that the earnings from their trade in jute were used in WP
bw 1949 & 1960 per capital income increased in WP from 330 => 373 rs and in EP it declined from 305 => 288
1951: per capita income of EP was 85% that of WP
WPs were on average 15% wealthier than EPs and by 1970 the gap had grown to 40%
Bengalis believed that WP economic growth was a result of transferring resources for EP to WP
argued that single largest pak export was jute (EP)
largest spending of govt = defence to protect border w India (WP) hence some EPs believed that spending on army was for WP protection (no major border dispute bw EP and India)
this difference was also seen in health and edu
1948: 200 docs and 3000 beds in whole of EP
1947-58: numbers in primary school in West rose by 163% but in EP the increase was js 38%
political disparity
EP complained that although they were in majority in constituent assembly, GGs and PMs were almost always from WP (also true to appointments to senior positions in the armed forces as less than 20% officers were from EP, (aslo CS and senior govt posititions))
even high level posts in Dhaka = WPS or refugees from India who had become Pak citizens
1970 cyclone
12/11/1970 =deadliest tropical cyclone ever hit EP and up to 500,000 ppl dead
govt in WP slow to react
political leaders in EP accused the govt of “gross neglect, callous indifference and utter indifference”
Pak observers sent reporters who sent back stories w headlines such as ‘no relief coordination” even tho govt claimed relief operations were being carried out efficiently
js weeks after, elections for NA held, and they were to create even more problems for Yahya Khan
problematic results
parties in elections for NA:
PPP = Zulfikar Ali Bhutto = WP
Awami League = sheikh Mujib-ur-rehman = EP
Awami league was able to win support by proposing a programme which called for a fairer share of govt spending and more power to provinces. it exploited the frustration among EPs towards countrymen in WP. Awami League victory by campaigning on basis on the six points
elections = awami league victory
162/300 seats in elections =EP
won 160 = majority in assembly
PPP 81/138 seats in WP
why did victory of awami league cause a constitutional crisis
two major problems
1. Awami league won many seats and now had majority in both EP and NA. this meant it was possible for it to form the govt on its own. the future PM and cabinet would all come from EP and though PPP won a victory in WP it was possible that they’d have no role in the govt unless Awami League invited it to share power
2. Awami League had won elections on a programme limiting the power of central govt over the provinces. the call for the provinces to have control of their foreign exhange earned from trade would greatlu reduce funds availablle to the central govt
yahya khan not prepared to allow the 6 points to be put into action
he feared that the plan = weakening of Pak and a less strong central govt
allowing Mujib to havr full control = pak becoming a federation of individual provinces, or to the separation of EP
weakened Pak = more difficult in its relations w India so Yahya wanted to prevent cessation w EP. India however was determined to bring partition.
the crisis deepens
yahya hoped he could reach compromise w Mujib
jan/1971: he referred to him as “the next president of Pakistan”
he hoped he would persuade Mujib not to form the next govt and that he should not use the new assembly to create a new constitution limiting the powers of the central govt
however some EPs urged Mujib to hold firm
Mujib being pushed into a position more extreme than he had originally intended
feb/1971: Bhutto announced that PPP would not take up their seats in the NA unless Mujib talked w other parties and reached an agreement abt power sharing
1/3/1971: Yahya was forced to postpone the opening of the assembly w out setting new date
EP immediately began a campaign of mass civil disobedience, strikes, demonstrations and refusing to pay taxes
when it became clear that the power of the central govt had broken down in EP, Yahya recalled the provincial governor and appointed General Tikka Khan as chief martial law administrator
15 March: Yahya and Bhutto met Mujib in Dhaka for talks to resolve the situation
no agreement could be reached = general tikka khan brought in reinforcements and on 25 march yahya flew to isl and bhutto left dhaka
Yahya Khan’s attempt to prevent cessation
Yahya tried to prevent threat to Pak govt by arresting Mujib and banning all political activity in Pak
hoped these measures would lead to a period of calm
but there was increased protests and violence in EP
Yahya forced to launch operation searchlight using troops to restore law and order
retaliation: 26 March: a group of East Bengalis announced in a secret radio broadcast from Dhaka that they were forming the ‘sovereign people’s republic of Bangladesh’
a rebel Bengali army, Mukti Bahini was set up and large numbers of East bengalis began fleeing into India in case a war broke out
the role of India
intervention of India = war inevitable
it had opposed partition of Bengal in 1947 but welcomed the opportunity provided by the crisis to intervene
if it supported EBs it could help bring about East and West Pak separation, weaken Pak’s central govt and have a pro India Bangladesh on its border
31 March: India declared its support for the ppl of Bengal against WP and Indian army began training the Mukti Bahini
hence rs bw India and pak deteriorated rapidly
3 dec: war broke out and the next day India launched, air ground and sea attacks on EP
India’s forces considerably larger than Paks and it became clear that pak could not expect support from USA and its other western allies
India however had signed a peace, friendship and commerce w the soviet union and knew it could depend on soviet support
UN passed resolution on both sides to stop fighting whilst a solution was reached, but India had no intention of withdrawing from EP
Under these circumstances, Yahya had to bring war to an end
16/12/1971 republic of bangladesh was officially announced and 2 weeks later bhutto released mujib from prison who returned to Bangladesh and on 10/1/1971 became the country’s first PM
