Featured Hasina calls for strengthening ties with Pakistan

[Tom-tom]

Additionally you have a very strategic advantage on the "chickens neck" and some "dog leg territories".
What is most important is the unity and resilience of your people.
If you look at Finland it resembles Bangladesh with numerous lakes and rivers but with a tremendous sense of unity and purpose that helped them successfully thwart several invasions from the Soviet Union. Like Finland Bangladesh steers clear of foreign conflicts and its foreign policy is geared towards strict neutrality unless invaded.
It is not easy to defeat a united nation. All the US bombing didn't help in Vietnam. It's riverine deltas, marshes,rice fields and jungles were just too difficult to control, a huge fleet of helicopters, Swift boats, hovercraft, amphibious vehicles notwithstanding.
Cuba is another example that successfully thwarted a naval invasion ( Bay of Pigs ).
What ruins a nation is the loss of identity, self-purpose, fifth columns and traitors willing to collaborate with the enemy.
Mercifully Bangladesh has solved all these challenges and like Finland, Vietnam, Cuba, Switzerland, it stands fiercely independent and proud. Stability brings investment and Bangladesh's strict implementation of its laws, its anti-corruption drive, and iron fisted zero tolerance for religious fundamentalism has not gone unnoticed. Which us why investment has poured in and Bangladesh is well on its way to becoming an Asian tiger. Its GDP and Human Development Index outstrips its neighbors.
With no offense intended and with a profuse apology in advance I would like to put forward an entirely personal opinion on Bangladesh's identity. I will stand corrected if my opinion is false.
Bangladesh must look to the future so far as its linguistic and cultural identity is concerned. Basically it must disconnect from the Bengali speaking area in the neighboring country. Bangladesh does not need a cultural reference to West Bengal simply because there is a linguistic affinity. There is a religious divide. Linguistic and cultural affinities do not override deep divides especially if one side is completely focused on hegemony and colonization. The stark example is Ireland and UK where the UK has used a 5th column of separatists to permanently occupy a portion of Ireland, The Irish fought a bitter struggle for independence and the U.K. only gave up trying to subdue Ireland after being weakened by World War 1 and economic depression in the 1930s. There are other less recent examples where linguistic affinity did not help building bonds between people most notably South Africa when the British massacred Boer civilians and consigned hundreds of thousands into concentration camps ( the first in history).
The West Bengali elite ( bhadralok ), look upon their Bangladeshi co-linguistic neighbors with undisguised disgust and use epithets that we shall not repeat here.
While Bangladesh acknowledges the common cultural heritage from.the Dwijendrageeti Dhonno Dhanne Pushpe Bhora and has adopted Amar Shonar Bangla as its national anthem the West Bengalis do not show the same acknowledgment to Al Mahmud or Kazi Nazrul Islam..
Like their counterparts in the rest of their country the West Bengali bhadralok hate Muslims and which is why there is a Bangladesh today.
But much as I hold my nose saying this we must give the devil its due. To be fair to the West Bengali bhadralok they have been stellar contributors to Bengali poetry, literature, music, theatre, and above all an excellent movie and television industry. Their contributions have long transcended the linguistic barriers and their work has been translated into several languages and their movies and TV serials sub-titled and re-distributed. Satyajit Ray, Hrishikesh Mukherji, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak are household names in Bengali cinema. The plays of Badal Sircar, the chorus group of Runa Guha Thakurta , the novels written by Jhumpa Lahiri, have a world wide acclaim when West Bengal is merely one province in India. Nor is the contribution of the West Bengali bhadralok comfined to the arts but have made generous contributions to science with the likes of S.C. Bose and others.

Bangladesh while acknowledging its common linguistic cultural heritage should look to the future and seize the cultural and intellectual dominance of the West Bengali minority bhadralok and produce their own Jhumpa Lahiris and S.C. Boses. This will complete Bangladesh's emergence not just as an economic power but also a cultural one similar to the way Japan is both.

Well put, mostly agree, Bangladesh must not to disown historical culture... It must however look to the future carve out its own cultural and academic achievements to point where it eclipses west bengal.

Have the poor n/e India eating out of our hand, and west bengal following us with envious eyes.

Disagree...
Bangladesh is normalizing ties with Pakistan because eventually as part of a historical process nations with no strategic or territorial issues do exactly that. The process is even easier if there are no common borders. But even with borders once some time has past and issues have been resolved a normalization of relations is natural.
Poland and Germany are good examples today.
There will never be a re-union between Pakistan India and Bangladesh, not even a federation or even an EU type association .
The closest the Partition of the Subcontinent came to being reversed was in 1972 and again in 1975 when under a secular government in India there was a proposal to incorporate Bangladesh as a province of India since it was no longer part of the original partition. Ironically the strongest opposition to this move came from the bhadralok of West Bengal who feared being reduced to a minority status. Even the proposal to keep the old East Bengal- West Bengal status with a common capital ( like Punjab and Haryana ) fell flat . Even Indira Gandhi who towered over the political scene in India and had claimed that the "two nation theory " had been dumped into the Bay of Bengal could not overcome the united opposition from West Bengali politicians of all shades. These included Marxists and Subhas Bose Nationalists. Stalwarts such as Jyoti Basu, Siddharth Shankar Roy, Pranab Mukherji opposed the move. Even " Muslim " Bengalis like Gani Khan Chowdhury opposed integration perhaps thinking they would be eclipsed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib.
Today the Hindutva cancer is poised to infect West Bengal with the RSS and VHP in a strong position to take control of the state.
There is no way there can be a reunion. India is not even remotely "secular" as Bangladesh.

I was not aware of this in 1972 - 1975. Was Bangladeshi leaders receptive of the idea?

 

[Dual Wielder]

The tone of this article is hostile to Sheikh Hasina and bad taste. This is supposed to be the most reputed newspaper in Pakistan.

It was at one point, that was a long time ago.. it's been hijacked by the spawns of New Delhi, no honourable Pakistani takes them serously now.. garbage in.. garbage out.

 

[Unite & Defend]

Expect one or two bombs going off in Bangladesh in the near future - the Indians will certainly be keeping their wicked eye on this.

I've said it before, Bangladesh cannot play neutral they will have to choose who to side with.

 

[-blitzkrieg-]

Pakistan can provide Bangladesh nuclear umbrella.
But everything is not for free.

A country stuck in its past and instilling anti Pakistan sentiments in school children is the biggest obstacle.

 

[KaiserX]

Pakistan has interest in Bangladesh. Centuries old linkages, business bonds, and cultural ties.

But Hasina needs to get rid of her propaganda against Pakistan that is polluting the minds of many Bengladeshis.

Pakistan can provide Bangladesh nuclear umbrella.
But everything is not for free.

A country stuck in its past and instilling anti Pakistan sentiments in school children is the biggest obstacle.

Funny thing is if Bangladeshs existence was ever threatened by India or Myanmar only Pakistan would be able to defend them via military or nukes...

 

[mb444]

Pakistan has interest in Bangladesh. Centuries old linkages, business bonds, and cultural ties.

But Hasina needs to get rid of her propaganda against Pakistan that is polluting the minds of many Bengladeshis.


Funny thing is if Bangladeshs existence was ever threatened by India or Myanmar only Pakistan would be able to defend them via military or nukes...

I am all for brotherly relationship with Pakistan but from both sides we need to get rid of the hyperbole.

BD sovereignty does not need pakistan nor can pakistan do anything for us.

The two muslim wings can follow their own trajectory and cooperate without issue.

 

[KaiserX]

I am all for brotherly relationship with Pakistan but from both sides we need to get rid of the hyperbole.

BD sovereignty does not need pakistan nor can pakistan do anything for us.

The two muslim wings can follow their own trajectory and cooperate without issue.

Bangladeshs sovereignty is completely reliant on India. Had India wanted they could have annexed BD back in 1971 but they did not want to take care of such a large population at that time. That might change in the future then there is the issue with Myanmar and closeness of Myanmar/India.

BD is military very weak and is nothing compared to Myanmar let alone India.

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Bangladeshs sovereignty is completely reliant on India. Had India wanted they could have annexed BD back in 1971 but they did not want to take care of such a large population at that time. That might change in the future then there is the issue with Myanmar and closeness of Myanmar/India.

BD is military very weak and is nothing compared to Myanmar let alone India.

Meanwhile, Pakistan itself survives solely because of its nuclear deterrence, the Pakistan forces will simply get trampled by the Indians had it not been for WMDs.

 

[Baibars_1260]

Well put, mostly agree, Bangladesh must not to disown historical culture... It must however look to the future carve out its own cultural and academic achievements to point where it eclipses west bengal.

Have the poor n/e India eating out of our hand, and west bengal following us with envious eyes.
I was not aware of this in 1972 - 1975. Was Bangladeshi leaders receptive of the idea?

Answer to your question:
In 1971-72 there was an extremely tense situation in West Bengal where the rural areas were ravaged by an extreme left wing insurgency called the Naxalbari movement. The West Bengali Naxalites viewed the Muktijoddhas of Bangladesh as comrades because their armed resistance like theirs was essentially secular, There were Marxists amongst the Muktijoddha who dreamt of joining their brethren across the border to form a Greater Bengal which would include Assam called "Bangsham".
This was analogous to how a struggle against French colonialism in Indo China turned Marxist and formed first North Vietnam and then a united communist Vietnam, Anti- colonial struggles often morphed into marxist states. Malaysia nearly went communist in the 1950s. India, and the USA were dead scared of another Vietnam.
Famine, disease a devastating cyclone , an infrastructure ruined by war had left Bangladesh ripe for a Marxist takeover. Prominent Naxalite operatives from West Bengal like Azizul Haque, Charu Majumdar had already visited Bangladesh to establish the Sarbohara Party comprising Marxist oriented Muktijoddhas . There was frequent cross border activity with the impact being felt in rural West Bengal particularly in the Doars Tea Belt.
As the situation in West Bengal worsened Sheikh Mujib was contacted by Indian officials with a deal for a stage wide accession where first Bangladesh would be a protectorate of India like Bhutan and then a subsequent integration as a province with its own legislative assembly, chief minister and governor. While Sheikh Mujib was ambivalent on this. Given the dire circumstances of the nation even he was not sure how he would handle the crisis. Every OIC nation had boycotted Bangladesh and its entry into the UN was blocked by China.
The USA and most western nations were annoyed with Bangladesh whom they viewed as the cause of humiliation of their ally and granting the Soviet Union a key base into the Bay of Bengal.
So Bangladesh had no hope of aid or assistance from anywhere other than India or the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was heavily committed to the Vietnam war and could only offer arms assistance which Bangladesh didn't need. Sheikh Mujibs advisors like Tajuddin and Kamal Hossain were all in favor of a gradual reunion but his army commanders ( Zia Ur Rehman) were against the union.
However as we have seen India's attempts to integrate Bangladesh faced severe domestic opposition.
As a compromise Sheikh Mujib was offered aid to set up a Rakhi Bahini , a paramilitary force with the dual purpose of dealing with the left wing threat and also offering personal protection to Sheikh Mujib.
As luck would have it, Matters soon eased, The Naxalite movement in West Bengal was largely contained though it resurfaced in Bihar, Western and Southern India.
India succumbed to Chinese pressure to release the Pakistani POWs in return for Bangladesh's entry into the UN . India also signed the Simla Agreement with Pakistan.
Bangladesh realized that India no longer wanted an integration and was ready to cut it out of any dealings with Pakistan. As an ultimate humiliation India not only repatriated all the Pakistani POWs but also repatriated stranded Pakistani civilians including offering those of Indian origin in the UN run displaced persons camps a " right of return " to their native lands in territory of India.
Bangladesh immediately responded when Sheikh Mujib over flew Indian territory to land in Lahore and attend the OIC summit, This gesture was a great outreach which enabled Bangladesh to be recognized by every one of the OIC countries including Pakistan and aid from Saudi Arabia, etc. flowed in.
For three years Bangladesh chartered its own foreign policies and even instituted visa and border controls with India.
In India however there was political instability and Indira Gandhi sought to confront this by spectacular foreign policy coups such as the integration of Sikkim. She was also planning a similar "coup" for Bangladesh because that would add several secure Parliamentary seats as well as a large friendly legislative assembly. India would get the vital port of Chittagong serving the North Eastern states. The addition of over 100 million Muslims into India would put a big dent into the smoldering Hindutva menace and completely trash the Assamese ethnic nationalism with deeply communal anti-Muslim overtones.
Assam was no where near the situation of carnage and holocaust
that would erupt a eight years later bit the writing was on the wall.
Indira Gandhi was determined to have her way.
This time India offered a straight merger.
There was once again domestic opposition though once again Sheikh Mujib was ambivalent. Even with aid Bangladesh was still in dire economic shape. A merger seemed logical. As before there was the same group of people Tajuddin, Tiger Siddique etc. who were very open to the merger. The armed forces however were of a different opinion. A merger meant a merger of the armed forces and even though some BA officers ( H. M . Ershad and others) were already under training in the Wellington Staff College in Bangalore not all BA officers wished to serve in the Indian Army under Indian superior officers.
The Naxalite menace had been contained in Bangladesh and the Rakhi Bahin was no longer needed. The BA was very confident in holding the country together and smashing any threats to its integrity.
There are no more details in the public domain. Sheikh Mujib was assassinated and Indira Gandhi imposed an emergency imprisoning a large number of opposition politicians including the West Bengali Marxists. The Sarbohara Party in Bangladesh was eliminated and the Rakhi Bahini disbanded.,

It is tempting to think of what would have happened if Bangladesh had ,merged with India.
Because of the large number of Muslims the entire North East of India would have escaped the carnage and holocaust wrought by the fascist ethnic nationalists, The Hindutva movement would have been either dealt a death blow ( no more blaming Indian Muslims for "Partition ") or severely constrained.
Instead of backward tribal enclaves North Eastern India would have easy transport access through Bangladesh's riverine transport system and road and tail links including Chittagong port.
With its eastern states secure India 's chicken neck disadvantage with China would no longer relevant.
India would not have developed nuclear weapons to confront China.
With the Hindutva rhetoric frozen India would be in a much stronger position vis - a- vis domestic politics to cut a deal with Pakistan over Kashmir.
Ironically the biggest beneficiary of a Bangladesh India merger would have been Pakistan and the biggest loser would have been China.
But that didn't happen and
these are just hypothetical scenarios

 

[hussain0216]

These are just talks.... nothing will be in reality..... geography won't allow that..... India and Bangladesh are natural neighbors and Bangladesh won't have any political or strategic advantages by strengthening ties with Pakistan over India..... in reality Bangladesh will always be more closer to India than Pakistan....... Bangladesh is our Israel.....

As India becomes increasingly hindutva extremist, Bangladesh does not have a choice

Meanwhile, Pakistan itself survives solely because of its nuclear deterrence, the Pakistan forces will simply get trampled by the Indians had it not been for WMDs.

To be fair Pakistan is armed to the teeth

 

[Baibars_1260]

Pakistan can provide Bangladesh nuclear umbrella.
But everything is not for free.

A country stuck in its past and instilling anti Pakistan sentiments in school children is the biggest obstacle.

That's a bad idea.
As I have mentioned in my write up there are no common security threats to Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Bangladesh is well able to take care of itself and has no need of any military assistance least of all from Pakistan which is 1000 miles away.
Bangladesh can develop nuclear weapons itself if it so wishes, The husband of the incumbent Prime Minister of Bangladesh was a noted nuclear scientist.

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

To be fair Pakistan is armed to the teeth

Sure but India is too large to stop.

 

[mb444]

Bangladeshs sovereignty is completely reliant on India. Had India wanted they could have annexed BD back in 1971 but they did not want to take care of such a large population at that time. That might change in the future then there is the issue with Myanmar and closeness of Myanmar/India.

BD is military very weak and is nothing compared to Myanmar let alone India.

You are free to have your opinion of course but its entirely laughable.

BD is neither that weak nor India that strong. No country in the planet can take over a nation of 165m and control it.

You seem to forget that it was us who broke india and pakistan respectively to gain our sovereignty.

India needs 60 percent of its military just to control a few million people in landlocked kashmir and had an epic fail in srilanka when they tried.

BD has clear path....it is not the same as pakistans and it not beholden to any nation for anything.

 

[Baibars_1260]

I am all for brotherly relationship with Pakistan but from both sides we need to get rid of the hyperbole.

BD sovereignty does not need pakistan nor can pakistan do anything for us.

The two muslim wings can follow their own trajectory and cooperate without issue.

Agree.
The word "muslim" has little relevance in relations between independent sovereign states and religious affinity does nothing to promote friendly relations.
Pakistan's chief ally is China, which atheist and Pakistan does not "need " Bangladesh either whether Muslim or otherwise.
There isn't even any necessity for "people to people" contact since Pakistan and Bangladesh have no common border and no linguistic or cultural affinity. With apologies for any unintentional offense but the truth must be told, Culturally a Pakistani Punjabi in Lahore will identify more with a Hindu Punjabi in Delhi than anyone in Bangladesh.
Pakistan would like normal relations with Bangladesh just as it would like normal relations with Brunie

Beyond that there is nothing in common today.

You are free to have your opinion of course but its entirely laughable.

BD is neither that weak nor India that strong. No country in the planet can take over a nation of 165m and control it.

You seem to forget that it was us who broke india and pakistan respectively to gain our sovereignty.

India needs 60 percent of its military just to control a few million people in landlocked kashmir and had an epic fail in srilanka when they tried.

BD has clear path....it is not the same as pakistans and it not beholden to any nation for anything.

True !
And yes Bangladesh is not the same as Pakistan and conversely Pakistan is not the same as Bangladesh.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have independent destinies to follow.

These are both independent sovereign nations and each has its own priorities on its foreign policy.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan attach a very low priority on their mutual relations because there are no vital strategic, economic or diplomatic interests to either. Nor is there a common border with linguistic and cultural affinity.
Normalization of relations is a natural process but beyond that there is zero significance.

Pakistan's vital allies are China and Turkey. Bangladesh has vital trade relations with China.and practically zero trade with Pakistan unless carcinogenic betel nuts are vital to Pakistan.
That's it !
Nothing more.

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

The Bengali spirit is the only weapon we need, Any northern heathen who enters our land, Dies.



Or you nuke us. Simple.




The fact that Bangladesh is the only isolated Muslim country, surrounded by two anti Muslim nations and still standing is enough proof. We needn't please the naysayers.




We have been defending our lands even before we became Muslims and now that sense of defending ones home has only becomes stronger as we face a grave threat from Genocidal neighbours.




We are good at killing artificially constructed "nation states".