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Islamic stream was at work in Bangladesh after 1975: Veteran journalist Mark Tully
BCCL - Non Copyright
Synopsis
The webinar, titled "Shockwaves of Assassination: South Asia 1975", reflected on the country's darkest chapter that unfolded with the killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, ET Bureau
Aug 19, 2021, 08:57 AM IST
As the shadow of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan looms large in South Asia Veteran BBC journalist and South Asia watcher Mark Tully, who covered Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, recently said that there was an Islamic stream at work in the country after 1975, "wanting to press Bangladesh into being more Islamic."
Tully made these comments while talking about the scenario in the country following the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, during a webinar organised by Centre for Research and Information (CRI).
The webinar, titled "Shockwaves of Assassination: South Asia 1975", reflected on the country's darkest chapter that unfolded with the killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
"Mujib's government was seen as pro-India, pro-Soviet and pro-socialist and we were at the peak of the Cold War," Tully said.
Recalling the post-1975 scenario, the renowned journalist said, "There were two different streams at work here: one stream was pro-western economic way, anti-socialist, anti-Indian, and also there was what I may call an Islamic stream as well, wanting to press Bangladesh into being more Islamic."
There have been allegations that CIA and Pakistan Army and their local collaborators were behind the killings of Mujib and his family members.
Tully also reflected how Bangladesh's amazing economic turnaround, its secularism and inclusive growth are great achievements in light of its struggles at birth, with the devastating war in 1971.
The movement for Bangladesh had started immediately after the birth of Pakistan, Tully said.
"Language is a very emotive issue and Jinnah made a huge mistake by trying to impose Urdu on East Pakistan. The resistance was natural and it snowballed into a movement for independence," Tully said during his presentation.
He also said it was in the fitness of things that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed the UN in Bangla as the leader of Bangladesh.
"India was very unhappy with the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, and relations nosedived sharply. But with his party and daughter back in power, relations with India has improved sharply. There are problems and there will be problems but the relations are basically very good," Tully told the webinar.
Tully also emphasized on Bangladesh remaining secular and its economic growth in view of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
"I hope Bangladesh will remain secular as it is now," he said. There are reports that the Bangladesh government is closely monitoring any attempts by some radicals to travel to Afghanistan to join Taliban after its takeover.
During the 1980s and 1990s number of Bangladeshi youths had traveled to Afghanistan to join mujahideens and Taliban and number of them returned back and even sought to usher in radical atmosphere.
Tully hailed the connectivity initiatives between India and Bangladesh.
www.google.com
BCCL - Non Copyright
Synopsis
The webinar, titled "Shockwaves of Assassination: South Asia 1975", reflected on the country's darkest chapter that unfolded with the killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, ET Bureau
Aug 19, 2021, 08:57 AM IST
As the shadow of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan looms large in South Asia Veteran BBC journalist and South Asia watcher Mark Tully, who covered Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, recently said that there was an Islamic stream at work in the country after 1975, "wanting to press Bangladesh into being more Islamic."
Tully made these comments while talking about the scenario in the country following the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, during a webinar organised by Centre for Research and Information (CRI).
The webinar, titled "Shockwaves of Assassination: South Asia 1975", reflected on the country's darkest chapter that unfolded with the killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
"Mujib's government was seen as pro-India, pro-Soviet and pro-socialist and we were at the peak of the Cold War," Tully said.
Recalling the post-1975 scenario, the renowned journalist said, "There were two different streams at work here: one stream was pro-western economic way, anti-socialist, anti-Indian, and also there was what I may call an Islamic stream as well, wanting to press Bangladesh into being more Islamic."
There have been allegations that CIA and Pakistan Army and their local collaborators were behind the killings of Mujib and his family members.
Tully also reflected how Bangladesh's amazing economic turnaround, its secularism and inclusive growth are great achievements in light of its struggles at birth, with the devastating war in 1971.
The movement for Bangladesh had started immediately after the birth of Pakistan, Tully said.
"Language is a very emotive issue and Jinnah made a huge mistake by trying to impose Urdu on East Pakistan. The resistance was natural and it snowballed into a movement for independence," Tully said during his presentation.
He also said it was in the fitness of things that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed the UN in Bangla as the leader of Bangladesh.
"India was very unhappy with the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, and relations nosedived sharply. But with his party and daughter back in power, relations with India has improved sharply. There are problems and there will be problems but the relations are basically very good," Tully told the webinar.
Tully also emphasized on Bangladesh remaining secular and its economic growth in view of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
"I hope Bangladesh will remain secular as it is now," he said. There are reports that the Bangladesh government is closely monitoring any attempts by some radicals to travel to Afghanistan to join Taliban after its takeover.
During the 1980s and 1990s number of Bangladeshi youths had traveled to Afghanistan to join mujahideens and Taliban and number of them returned back and even sought to usher in radical atmosphere.
Tully hailed the connectivity initiatives between India and Bangladesh.
Islamic stream was at work in Bangladesh after 1975: Veteran journalist Mark Tully
The webinar, titled "Shockwaves of Assassination: South Asia 1975", reflected on the country's darkest chapter that unfolded with the killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
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