A third mystery which future historians have to probe is why non-Bengali industrialists in East Pakistan, the Adamjees and Isphahanis and others, went out of their way to finance Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s campaign. Was it fear of a triumphant and revengeful Awami League that actuated them? Was it any sympathy with the Awami League’s principles? The latter explanation must be rejected out of hand as being too implausible. But if it was fear and the belief that support for the Awami League was a sort of long-term investment which accounts for the pouring of the wealth of these misguided business houses into the Awami League coffers, one can only smile in retrospect, at their lack of understanding, at their utter failure to comprehend the nature of the forces operating on the political plane. Sheikh Mujib in his speeches had been saying openly that he wanted an end to exploitation. The Adamjees and Ispahanis thought that what the Bengalis behind the Sheikh demanded was a share in the fleshpots. Of the grim and sinister spectre of Bengali racialism they had no idea.
The Central and provincial governments in their turn contributed no little to the Awami League’s strength. President Ayub, apparently in a move designed to conciliate the Bengalis, declared the removal of inter-wing economic disparities to be one of the administration’s constitutional responsibilities. Acting obviously under instructions for him, Mr. Monem Khan, governor of East Pakistan, dilated upon these disparities in every speech he made, pointing out that their real architect was Chaudhary Muhamma Ali. The idea seems to have been to achieve two objects simultaneously, to score off Chaudhri Mohammad Ali, one of President Ayub’s political enemies, and to underline the Government’s genuine anxiety to grapple with a problem they had received as a legacy from the former premier. The effect of the governor’s speeches was, however, entirely contrary to that which he intended. The Awami League was seen to be a true champion of East Pakistan’s interest and its campaign appeared based on introvertible facts. Secondly, the Awami League was again seen to be right in its demand that East Pakistan must be granted almost the status of a self-governing dominion in order to be able adequately to counteract central neglect and exploitation