THE secession of East Pakistan, which came about with the creation of Bangladesh, is one of the saddest chapters in the history of Pakistan. On 16 December 1971, Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, signed the instrument of surrender, formally laying down arms. Thus ended the chapter which brought ignominy and shame to Pakistan because Bengalis, who were once in the forefront of the Pakistan Movement, after only twenty four years of being together, had chosen to part ways. Volumes have been written by analysts on both sides of the divide—including this scribe’s “Tormented Truth—1971 and Beyond…” launched on the fiftieth anniversary of this debacle—analyzing the factors that led to the dismemberment.
In a nutshell, the grievances of Dhaka were political and should have been handled with a political approach. Hindsight is twenty-twenty but thousands of innocent civilians lost their lives in this tragedy, both Bengalis and non-Bengalis, who could have been saved if prudence had prevailed. Congress President Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had given an interview to journalist Shorish Kashmiri for a Lahore based Urdu magazine, Chattan, in April 1946, which was later published in a book titled Abul Kalam Azad: The Man Who Knew The Future Of Pakistan Before Its Creation. It was a time when the Cabinet Mission was holding its proceedings in Delhi and Shimla. Azad made some startling predictions during the course of the interview, saying that religious conflict would tear apart Pakistan and its eastern half would carve out its own future. He went on to predict that Pakistan’s incompetent rulers might pave the way for military rule.
Unfortunately, his prescience proved correct except that we parted bitterly and the acrimony still persists. To be fair, let us briefly examine where both nations stand today, 52 years later. Bangladesh has a lot to show in terms of economic and political stability. It made a shaky start as its postnatal stage was marred by military takeovers, assassination of its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and later military dictator General Zia-ur-Rahman. It soon overcame political chaos, making many extraordinary achievements in different sectors including social transformation, economic growth and political stabilization.
Since 2009, Bangladesh witnessed an economic turnaround guided by prudent macroeconomic and fiscal management. The growth has been inclusive, accompanying major socio-economic and human indices. Fifty two years into the journey, Bangladesh now is considered as a role-model for other developing countries. It is a hard fact that the country started its journey with an empty coffer, while its economy was mired in a vicious cycle of poverty. Yet, it has managed to make sustained progress, where its GDP growth rate has reached an impressive record level, while its per capita income has risen steadily. It may not have overcome absolute poverty like China but it has attained remarkable development, reaching near self-sufficiency in food production for its 170 million population. The country now even shoulders the burden of one of the world’s largest refugee populations of over 1 million Rohingya fleeing persecution in neighboring Myanmar. It has become an exemplary export powerhouse.
Economic development achieved over the time has impacted the social lives of the population positively on many fronts. Inclusive growth policies, firm fiscal management, domestic and overseas employment generation and broad-arching social security programs have resulted in achieving a better quality of life index. Bangladesh became notable in South Asia for its successful export-led development model. Export earnings have heavily contributed to Bangladesh’s economy since the 1980s. Bangladesh’s exports have risen by around 80% in the past decade, driven by the booming garments industry. The total export earnings for FY 2018-19 stood at $40.5 billion. Currently, Bangladesh is the second largest global apparel producer. The economy is diversifying. Pharmaceuticals, basic steel, cement, ceramic and various other industries have potential to flourish.
In the last five decades plus, Bangladesh has consistently invested in infrastructure development from housing to communication infrastructure to industrial infrastructure to water supply, solid waste management and electricity. Bangladesh’s high growth trajectory is the result of heavy public spending on mega infrastructure development projects such as Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangabandhu Tunnel and Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant are notable. Now let us look at Pakistan, post 1971, it had a crippled economy, the morale was shattered and political chaos prevailed. However, it goes to its credit that a modicum of stability was achieved, but the applecart of democracy was overturned on numerous occasions, pushing the country on a downhill trajectory.
Pakistan did become a nuclear weapons equipped state but its strategic assets have become an albatross around its neck. The war on terror and Pakistan’s active alliance with the Occident raised new challenges. On the one hand Pakistan itself became the target of terror attacks, which continue to take a huge toll of human lives, while on the other, its detractors raise the alarm that miscreants could steal Pakistan’s nukes and destabilize the world. Imprudent economic policies, rampant corruption and political infighting have pushed the country to the brink of failure. Excessive borrowing at exorbitant interest rates have encouraged the lenders to seek their pound of flesh, imposing back breaking conditions, putting average Pakistanis into even greater hardships. Bangladesh eradicated beggary, getting rich dividends while Pakistan has become a beggar state, surviving on alms.
This scribe is constrained to refer to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s prediction that “after the separation of East Pakistan, whenever it happens, West Pakistan will become the battleground of regional contradictions and disputes. The assertion of sub-national identities of Punjab, Sindh, Frontier (KP) and Balochistan will open the doors for outside interference.” Azad’s forewarning that it will not be long before the international powers use the diverse elements of Pakistani political leadership to break the country on the lines of Balkan and Arab states. Maybe it is time to revisit the question: “What have we gained and what have we lost?” In retrospect, the day after appears bleak for Pakistan but Bangladesh has become the envy of developing nations.
—The writer is a Retired Group Captain of PAF, who has written several books on China.
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views expressed are writer’s own.
