TO: M_Saint and all others
Let us not lessen the value of our hard-earned Independence. Certain myths might have dissolved the absolute value of Independence in some Bangladeshis mind. I am afraid, M_Saint, that your comment might have stemmed from such a myth.
Among these myths are:
1. AL hatched this independence among Bangladeshi people
2. People of Bangladesh went for independence, not spontaneously but upon serious political cultivationamong themof nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism by AL or other left-leaning political leadership
3. Some even go back to 1947 : Root of Independence was sowed in the very creation of Pakistana state based on religious affinity comprising 2 pieces of land 1000 miles apart
Facts are :
1. 99% of 82% population (ie 99% of entire Muslim population) of the-then-East-Pakistan decided to go for Independence within a time-space of one single month ie March of 1971. 99% of entire population did not even understand what really these 4 words truly mean : nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism.
2. Even Sk. Mujib wanted---very rightly----to keep Pakistan together till the last minute, and definitely on the 7th March. He closed his speechshort of proclaiming Independence in very wisely and carefully selected wordsthat maintained a precarious balance of general mass actual thought and aspiration of those conspirators who were indeed hatching independence but within a limited circle of their own.
3. Sk. Mujibar Rahmanno matter whatever BAL says to daywas asking for, and he deserved rightfully---to become premier of entire Pakistan, not of a broken Pakistan. 99% of entire Muslim population supported this stance that he should try for that till the last moment.
4. Meta-formation of general mass towards Independence occurred in following manner:
Disparity turned the people of Bangladesh against Pakistani rulers : Till Election
Denial to accept Sk. Mujib & BAL and related political deceit & blunders by Pak Army & politicians triggered irreversible distrust, and caused Bangladeshis to take a non-negotiable stance : Accept Sk. Mujib as Premier or else : Till end February
Police action triggered and crystallized the thought for Independenceyet people desired to submit the Last Bid on 7th March : till negotiation broke on 24th March
Upon experiencing the 25th night carnage, came the nations equivocal decision : NO WAY : INDEPENDENCE AT ANY COST [JI and Rejakars amounted to be a too tiny %]
It is really the unfortunate faults of Pakistans politicians and its Armyperhaps not their people altogetherthat prompted people of Bangladesh to go spontaneously for Independence.
Nevertheless, congratulation from Pakistani & Indian fellows on the eve of our Independence day is well appreciated. It is foolish to nurture mistakes for ever and not coming to terms together for mutual benefits. In the same token, Bangladesh and India also should have friendly relationship.
But BAL and Indiaeach made serious mistakes of own that failed to create a truly working relationship between people of these 2 countries:
India:
1. They thought that Bangladeshis have become truly secular by fighting Pakistan. They failed to understand that Bangladeshis in fact fought Pakistannot Islam. Indianswhile they themselves are not secular and never want to be soexpected Bangladeshis to become and remain more so. In addition, they undertook one after another Action Plan to put a permanent wall of hate & distrust between Bangladesh and Pakistan
2. Indianot fully satisfied with all material & political gains in the war entailing the Freedom War & ultimate breakage of Pakistanwanted further an eternal subservient role from Bangladesh. They overlooked the reality of Bangladeshis thirst for Independencenot only from Pakistan but, any other country, for that matter. Bangladesh gave a super gift to India for its assistance : A broken Pakistan. That should be enough.
BAL:
1. Initially they truly wanted to make Bangladesh a secular state---most probably also now. In that zeal, they depicted even Khudiram and Surja Sen & similar others as the pioneers of Freedom Struggle in Bengal. In fact, these Hindu youths died fighting, albeit valiantly, the British rulernot for independence of Bengalbut to stop Division of Bengal that would have benefit Muslim Bengal at that time. They borrowed the National Anthem from Tagore who, too, was against Division of Bengal. They always were afraid of Islamic attitude of common Bangladeshiswith only exception of Sk. Mujib himself who upon return from Pak jail became captive of his own guilty feelings for not thinking of independence till earlier-than-the last moment, and his willing surrender to Pak army, in stead of leading suddenly a freedom struggle hitherto unplanned.
Being afraid of Islam againthat once created PakistanBAL always raised the Anti-liberation slogans, and depict any one Islamic to be a pro-Pakistan element, and thus divided the nation too deeply. Bangladesh never require Pro-India or Pro-Pakistan people, but only Pro-Bangladesh.
2. To keep Hindus in their Voter Bank, and for other lesser & selfish benefits, they always played a subservient role to Indiain most cases, even to the detriment of Bangladeshs interest. Any one criticizing such heinous efforts are also immediately branded as Pro-Pakistan / Islamic Militant by BAL.
These follies caused distrust on BAL and Indiajointly and severallyto be permeated in the hearts of Islamic-minded people of Bangladesh. In that perspective, this actually made each of both the others liability. This ultimately blocked out all possibilities to develop a warm relationship between India and Bangladeshthough it actually should be otherwise.
On the occasion of our Independence day, we allpeople of Bangladesh and India and Pakistanshould pledge to play our respective roles so that mutual trust and regional co-operation in its true form build up. That should not over-shadow the under-lying sincerityeven if a special relationship based on pure Islam anytime emerges among Islam-loving people of Bangladesh, India & Pakistan.