A State is Born

Md. Helal Uddin

Lecturer, Department of Sociology
East West University
 A state is born
 16 December: the victory
 New state with turbulent and difficult time for millions of displaced
people were returning
 3 major issues creating new crisis for the state
a) How to cope with collaborators (Al Bador, Al Shams, Rajakar, Peace
Committee)
b) How to rehabilitate war victims (destroyed family, paralyzed people,
raped women, parentless children)
c) How to repair the damage caused by war (infrastructural, industry, crops,
economy etc.)
 Dealing with the enemy within
 Three types of enemies: need the solution
1. Pakistani soldiers (93 K)
Two interest: a) Pakistani diplomatic recognition
b) return several hundreds of Bengali remained in Pakistan
2. Collaborators
Formed a tribunal in 1972
BD govt. declared an amnesty in 1973
3. Non-Bengali Muslim
Migrated after 1947- (Muhajir)= Bihari (not all from Bihar)
Some of managed to settle in Pakistan
 War Victim
1. Mass killing 2. Traumatized and Brave Heroine
BD official report: 3.000,000 (Birangona)
Pakistani figure: 26,000
International bodies: nearly 1.7 3. Distressed children
million
Still actual number unknown
 War Damage
 Material damage
Hundred of road and railway, bridge, airport, Chittagong port,
telecommunication destroyed
 Schools, health center and houses damaged
 Damage of agricultural production
 Bullocks/domestic animal slaughter
 Destroy the stock of seeds, irrigation pumps/tools
 Fisherman needed to bye new boats/nets
 40% of the GNP destroyed
 Counter balanced by the intense excitement of independence
 International relief and support
A Moderate government
 Who will take the leadership
India worried about BD policies
a) Provoke Naxalities/leftist rebels
connection
b) unstable border/revolutionary
groups/Maoist and Naxalities in
North East India
c) Landholder to India
BD Policies based on Indian wish;
as the support Awami league
leadership govt. during war
 demand of socialist society (one
part of freedom fighter)
“Do nothing living into luxury in
Calcutta”
 1972, January; Mujub back from
Pakistani captivity
 formed parliamentary government
 A Moderate government (Continued..
 leftist parties gaining popularity
 the election manifesto of 1970
Nationalization, land reform and abolition of land tax
 Awami league was pressure from radical and armed freedom fighters
 Mujib formed national government with representation from all political parties
 new government nationalized banks, insurance corporations, shipping
companies and textiles, jute and sugar mills
 did not touch land ownership (land holding 100 bigha; exempted from taxation
less than 25 bigha)
 Bangladesh is declared ‘Peoples Republic’ with a parliamentary system
 Main Principles are
a) Nationalsim b) Socialism c) democracy d) secularism
Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bengal) became national anthem
 Party and the state
 Many senior positions in bureaucracy and
armed forces were vacant ….occupied by
Pakistani
 enormous challenges like
 to disarm the freedom fighters
 establish law and order
 run new nationalized institution
 restore infrastructure
 need economic development
 Mujib relied on personal popularity and
political institution (Awami League) to
tackle the challenges
 Mujibbad- a new ideology under Indian
influence
 widespread corruption, nepotism
 lack of economic growth
 poor income of labor
 sudden promotion of bureaucrats
 more attention on political issue than
economy
 new force “Rokkhi Bahini” to control
opponents
 Abuse of power
Bangladesh’s First Election
 March 1973
 Awami League vs all leftist parties (JSP/NAP/Communist party from
China and USSR)
 irregularities in election
 opponents called hartal and encircled the headquarter
 arrested and tortured
Leftist and communist became active everywhere
 The famine of 1974
 profound economic and political crisis
 re-enacted of 1943
Treasure was so empty that the govt. could not import rice
 US put embargo on food aid, as BD export jute to Cuba, US blacklist country
 military started to arrested hoarder who were either Awami League or
enjoyed their protection
 Mujib had to give protection the arrested men under the pressure of party
 strong reaction of civil society
 contribution of private voluntary organization
 economists called it man made disaster and result of shameless plunder,
exploitation
Authoritarian Rule
 Need a fresh start
 Mujib is losing popularity for his political institution
 In December 1974, BD govt. proclaimed emergency & suspended all
fundamental rights
 In early 1975, amendment of constitution (introduced single party
presidential system)
 launched BAKSAL (Bangladesh Peasants, Workers and People’s
League)
 aim was to initiate a social revolution
 police arrested and killed Siraj Sikdar, leader of Shorbohara party
The Army Takes Action
 In the early 1970, no great deal for the army (they were unhappy)
 They claimed, Indian army robbed the glory of liberating Bangladesh,
when freedom fighters already finished the job.
 Negligence of Rokkhi Bahini
 Fragmentation in army
 contradict role during the famine of 1974
 unrest began
 India understood it and warned Mujib
 Mujib said, “No, no. They’re all my children”
 Midnight on 15th August 1975, assassinated Mujib and more than forty
members of his family
 Started military and autocratic rule
 The End

Keep Utmost Love & Respect for Your

Motherland