kalu_miah
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Look at it this way, Bengalis, being the majority were being highly discriminated in every sector. Bengali PM won election but west pakistanis revolted and started a war instead, the majority in Pakistan, punished the traitors with self trained army and left them for good which now we are seeing by the situation of Pakistan. Better history? Majority can never be traitors, they are the rulers, welcome to democracy
You may have a point there, but consider this:
- in 1947 we went for Partition and created Pakistan and separated from India because we thought it will be impossible for us to live under majority Hindu rule
- by 1965 we as Pakistani's fought two wars with India
- from 1960's a section of AL started cooperating and working with Indian intelligence and there was planned armed rebellion (Agartala case)
- the case could not be proven due to lack of evidence and the accused were set free (Sgt. Jahurul Haque was killed in jail) due to mass agitation by AL
- during this great hue and cry, Sheikh Mujib and AL was catapulted to being the mouth piece of Bengali's of then Pakistan, while other political figures like Bhashani was marginalized and side lined
When Mujib led AL swept the election in 1970, Pakistan armed forces was justifiably worried to give power to a person and party with a history of connection and cooperation with Indian intelligence. They could come to power and give away Azad Kashmir to India or something like that. Once they had state authority, since they came to power with India's help and cooperation, they could do anything for India, just as AL is doing today with India's instruction.
Operation Searchlight of course was the greatest mistake. That was neither the time nor the way to find and neutralize Indian agents in our land mass. It was perceived as an indiscriminate killing spree and traumatized the whole landmass and its people and switched their loyalty to the former state and created mass support of independence.
I think the plan mentioned by genmiarjborgza786:
or something similar would have been more acceptable to both wings of Pakistan as Bhashani was a trusted figure of both Bengali's and non-Bengali's in Pakistan, he was close to China and he was not trusted by India. We should analyze these facts about Bhashani and what India did to Bhashani in 1971 as an example of a true leader of Bengali's who had wisdom and never betrayed his people and country:
Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Political philosophy
Independent East Pakistan
Bhashani was the first among the politicians to conceive of an independent East Pakistan. In early 1950s he felt that an integrated Pakistan was no longer maintainable with hegemony of West Pakistan. At the Kagmari Conference, he bade farewell to West Pakistan by saying Assalam Alaikum which soon became a reference quote. He declined to participate in the national election of 1970 saying that it will only help perpetuate rule by West Pakistan. Since 1969 his favoirite slogans were Swadhin Bangla Zindabad and Azad Bangla Zindabad. His dream of an independent Purba Bangla (East Bengal) came true when Bangladesh was established as an independent nation-state in 1971.
Chinese connection
Bhashani was known to have a Chinese connection and was the leader of pro-Chinese politicians of East Pakistan. During the 1965 war between Pakistan and India, Bhashani disappeared for several days. It is said[by whom?] that he flew from Panchbibi, Bogra to China, at the behest of president Field Marshal Ayub Khan, to secure support of China for Pakistan.
War of Independence 1971
Bhasani was fiercely independent and a revolutionary leader who did not believe in compromise with the Pakistanis.[citation needed] He considered India a 'difficult' neighbour and occasionally took an anti-Indian stance when he perceived India to be undermining Bangladesh. At the beginning of the independence war in 1971, while Bhasani was attempting to cross over on a river boat at the border of Assam, he was arrested and taken into custody by Indian authorities. When he expressed his attempt to join the war effort with the provincial government of Tajuddin Ahmad he was misled and taken to a New Delhi government house. After a meeting with Indira Gandhi he was taken and kept in confinement at Dehradun, near abouts Research and Analysis Wing headquarters, during the entire duration of the war. He was barred from participating in any activity.
Once, however, the Indian authorities flew Bhashani to Calcutta, India to give voice to the Advisory Committee conference. An apparent propaganda effort by the government of India to show that all parties supported the acts by the provincial Bangladesh government that India in reality dictated. India was fearful of Bhasani's independent and nationalitic proactions and views. It was apparent that Indira's government did not trust any person or party other than the Awami League.
At this conference Muzaffar, Moni Singh including a number of other faces were kept present amongst other Awami League members and Indira's representatives. Press were invited to come in. Bhashani was the one and only spokesman at this conference. This tactic was planned and executed at the direction and pressure of Indira's government. It was a make belief show that portrayed Bhashani including heads and leaders of all movements and political parties of (then East Pakistan) Bangladesh supported the every decision and move by the provincial Bangladesh government. And that with the support and advice of this Advisory Committee, Tajuddin's provincial government is conducting the affairs and war efforts for the independence of Bangladesh. The United Nations Security Council was informed that such an Advisory Committee to the Provincial government of Bangladesh existed for the Independence of Bangladesh, while is actuality it never existed until and up till that single conference.
Indira was fearful that Bhasani might lead a separate war effort with another provincial government undermining the one India supported. Even though Bhashani gave his full support and made it known through every effort that he supported Tajuddin's government with the Bangladesh Forces under General Osmani. Bhashani wrote to the heads of state of 25 nations regarding the recognition of Bangladesh and for support to Tajuddin's provincial government. This information was displayed by the government of India much later through Bangladesh Documents.
On December 12/13th Bhashani was taken to the temporary camp headquarters of BDF Sector 11 at Mymensingh by four Indian Army officers and was kept there under the custody of the sector commander. He spoke ferociously, nonstop, recounting his experiences and thoughts. Three days later the same Indian officers came and whisked him away to Tangail, Bangladesh. He was released in Dhaka (on 22 December 1971). Later in January, his first demand was immediate withdrawal of all Indian troops and government personnel from Bangladesh.
Politics in Independent Bangladesh
Bhashani wanted to play the role of a responsible opposition. The progressive forces quickly gathered around him and strengthened his NAP with Kazi Zafar Ahmed as its General Secretary. But soon factional differences among the progressive forces emerged and weakened Bhashani.
Unfortunately, the new government of Bangladesh failed to utilize the organizational and public opinion making capacity of Bhashani. Instead he was always under suspicion, although he provided constructive advices to the government. He was highly critical of the oppressive style of the government and its extrajudicial killings of the left-leaning activists. He was visionary enough to see the seed of the cancer of corruption in society and offered his help to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build up an anti-corruption movement. Unfortunately that was not heeded. He also warned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman against his move towards a one party state and declaring himself as lifelong president. He could not believe that a person like Sheikh Mujib who fought all his life for a multi-party democracy could do that. He saw the destruction of Mujib in this action. Bhashani was deeply shocked at the killing of Mujib, for whom he had a lot of fatherly affection, and his family members. The person who conveyed the news of Mujib's demise described how Bhashani cried and then went to his prayer room to offer prayer.
Support for post-Mujib era
Lifelong president of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed in a military coup d'état on 15 August 1975. A turbulent political scenario followed as coup and counter-coup took place. In 1976, Bhashani explicitly supported the change of regime when General Ziaur Rahman was given the helmsmanship of the country. He made it clear that his support was for the restoration of a multi-party democracy and should not be construed as a support for the inhuman killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members and the barbaric act of the conspirators. His support was to bring stability to the country's politics and to consolidate democracy. It was an act of necessity.
