The period of Pakistan and Bangladesh is a significant chapter in the history of South Asia. Let’s delve into it:
Partition and Formation of Pakistan (1947–71):
- In 1947, British India was divided into two independent states: India and Pakistan. Pakistan was created as a separate nation for Muslims, with two wings: West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
- The boundaries of East Bengal (East Pakistan) were ostensibly based on religion, but they did not entirely reflect it. The partition catalyzed large-scale migration on both sides of the new boundary, as people moved into what they perceived as places of refuge.
- The central government (based in West Pakistan) held power, and Bengalis in East Pakistan had little representation in the executive. The two parts of Pakistan were physically and linguistically separated.
- Over time, tensions grew due to the nonacceptance of Bengali as an official language, the domination of bureaucracy by non-Bengalis, and the appropriation of provincial functions and revenue by the central government1.
Bangladesh Liberation War (1971):
- The Bangladesh Liberation War, lasting roughly nine months in 1971, was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
- The war resulted in Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan. East Pakistan seceded and became the People’s Republic of Bangladesh2.
Recognition and Relations:
The struggle for independence and the subsequent formation of Bangladesh marked a pivotal moment in the region’s history