Pakistan and Bangladesh Pakistan and Bangladesh Review Questions Regional Overview Common Past: Pakistan and Bangladesh both have some of the same cultural heritage as India. These two countries occupy parts of the major lowlands of southern Asia. Also, the two countries share a dominance of Muslim beliefs. Bangladesh and Pakistan were once a single country from 1947 until 1971, when a successful revolt in East Pakistan led to the formation of the separate country of Bangladesh. Differences: The differences between Pakistan and Bangladesh outweigh their common features. There are differences of physical environment-Pakistan is a country of arid lowlands and high mountains whereas Bangladesh is well watered and low-lying, apart from the small hilly eastern region inland of Chittagong. In Pakistan, the management of scarce water resources is a major problem, while in Bangladesh, the annual problem of flooding is more significant. The main differences are in the people and in the political evolution of the two countries since their1971 separation. Bangladesh remained one of the worldï¿½s poorest countries while Pakistan built on its established base of agricultural and manufacturing products. Pakistan Overview: The country is roughly the size of Texas and Louisiana.

Pakistan is bounded to the north and northeast by Afghanistan, India to the south, China to the southeast, and Iran to the northwest. Pakistan has four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, and Baluchistan. Population: Today Pakistan has a population of 146.5 million people and is growing rapidly, makes it one of the top ten populous countries in the world. Most of Pakistan's population is centered in the southern province of Punjab. It is estimated that in the year 2025 the population will be about 275 million. Pakistan lacks in an educated work force. Its enrollment rates in primary and secondary education are only 30 percent, compared to 70 percent in India and over 80 percent in Indonesia and China. Influence from the Muslim religion, feudal landlords, and poor government have kept the school population low. Pakistan remains a largely rural country with 28 percent of the population living in cities. Karachi is Pakistan's largest city with a population of over 10 million people and growing rapidly. It is also Pakistan's major port and commercial center. The Indus River which is the realm's evidence of oldest civilization, supplies Pakistan with most its water for irrigation.

Most of the population is clustered around the Indus River. Physical Settings: The northern part of the country is covered with mountains. Mount Godwin Austen is located here, which is the second largest mountain in the world. The southwestern part of the country is mostly rocky, and the southeastern part of the country is a desert wasteland. Climate: Overall, the weather is hot and humid. In some parts of the country, the temperature gets up to 45C or 107F. However, in the north, Pakistan also has places like Swaat and Mari that are tourist attractions due to the much cooler climates. Pakistan is also famous for its highest mountain peak (K2), which lies in northern Kashmiri mountains. Culture: About 97% of Pakistani population is Muslim with 77% being Suni (the largest sect in Islam), and 20% being Shiite. Christians and Hindus make up the rest at 3% of the population. Urdu and English are the official languages of the country. The legal system is based on the English Common Law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Economic Development: Pakistan is one of the worldï¿½s poorest countries.

Pakistan has adverse trade balances and depends on aid donations. Pakistanï¿½s higher output reflects its range of products from both agriculture and manufacturing. In Pakistan, agriculture occupies about 60 percent of the labor force and its products account for 25 percent of the GDP. Cotton is the main product of the country. Other crops are wheat, rice, or sugarcane, and some farmers are beginning to look to more profitable crops, like fruit or vegetables. One of Pakistanï¿½s problems is that a lot of its best farmland is owned by small groups of wealthy people who treat it more like a source of political power rather than a source for greater productivity. Pakistan has not developed other primary products. The country has limited reserves of oil and natural gas. Pakistanï¿½s major chemical industry is built on deposits of gypsum, rock salt, and soda ash. Fishing is also important on the coast but is not as well organized. This country also has experience of manufacturing. Textile manufacture is dominant, especially of cotton goods. Other industries include food processing, chemicals, and car assembly. Regional Conflicts: The Jammu and Kashmir region has been the site of dispute for over half a century.

The Kashmiri freedom fighters favor to join Pakistan while India has repeatedly oppressed their independence movement, which has cost both sides thousands of lives. Competition with India has turned Pakistan into a considerable military power in that region. In fact, Pakistan is one of the countries believed to have acquired nuclear technology. Both Pakistan and India have refused to sign the Nuclear Ban Treaty because of fear of fear of each other. Bangladesh Overview: Almost completely surrounded by India, Bangladesh with a population of 119.8 million people is the poorest country on the surface of the earth. Bangladesh is an independent country born in 1971 following a brief war with Pakistan. Its area is about the size of Wisconsin and the major cities are Dhaka (the capital) and Chittagong. In the early 1990s, Bangladesh was struck by a devastating hurricane (also called Cyclone in some parts of the world) that killed more than 300,000 people and swept most of the southeastern port of the city of Chittagong off the map. About 8 of the 10 most severe natural disasters, occurred in the 20th century, have struck this poor country.

The reason that this country is so vulnerable to natural disasters is its location barely above the sea level. Poverty has not enabled Bangladesh to cope with the natural disasters. Inadequate escape routes and insufficient flood warning systems have made it harder for the people to escape the flooding. Population: Today Bangladesh has a population of 125.7 million people and is estimated that in the year 2025 the population will be just over 200 million people. Bangladesh has greater problems of feeding its growing population, an issue that stimulated it to institute effective family planning programs. The shortage of jobs resulted in many laborers seeking jobs in the Persian Gulf countries and Malaysia in the 1980s and 1990s. Bangladesh is also a largely rural country with only 14 percent living in cities. Physical Settings: Bangladesh is a fairly flat country that lies just about sea level through out most of the country. There are a few forests in the eastern part of the country, which contain many tropical plants and trees. The land is formed by delta action and fertile soils immediately be used for agriculture. Climate: The climate is tropical; it has cool and dry winter while in summer it is hot and humid.

Overpopulation has caused people to live on arable flood-prone land due to the heavy amount of rainfall that occurs during the year, as well as, the threat of monsoons wiping out the land. Culture: Like Pakistan, Bangladesh is largely a Muslim dominated country. About 83% of the population is Muslim. The other 16% of the population is Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist among others. 98% of the people speak Bengali (The native language). English and Bengal are the official languages. The legal system is based on the British Common Law. The country is not as prosperous as Pakistan. Economic Development: Bangladesh is also one of the worldï¿½s poorest countries. In Bangladesh, almost three-fourths of the labor force is engaged in farming, and their products make up 40 percent of the GDP and a third of the value of all exports. Bangladesh grows over half of the jute that goes throughout the world trade, as well as rice, tea, and sugarcane. Manufacturing has low significance in Bangladesh, although there are signs that it will grow. The slow growth of agricultural production, 2 to 3 percent per year, cannot support the rapidly growing population.

Manufacturing also needs to rise above the current 7 percent increase per year. Review Questions 1. The major river in Pakistan is the: A. Indus, B. Ganges, C. Brahmaputra, D. Tigris, E. Irrawaddy 2. Pakistan is: A. an Islamic Republic, B. a most arid country, C. different in many ways from its former federal partner East Pakistan, E. characterized by all of the above. 3. The most populated city in Pakistan is A. Lahor, B. Karachi, C. Islamabad, D. Peshawar 4. Bangladesh came into existence: A. following a war of independence against India, B. when British India was partitioned in 1947, C. as a refuge for Hindus, D. following a war of independence against Pakistan, E. out of the former Indian state of West Bengal 5. What is the main religion of Bangladesh? A. Christian, B. Hindu, C. Muslim, D. Buddhist 6. The second largest South Asian country in population: A. India, B. Pakistan, C. Sri Lanka, D.

Bangladesh, E. Nepal 7. Which of the following is not true of Bangladesh: A. the country is essentially a deltaic plain of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river, B. achieved independence from Pakistan in 1971, C. floods have ravaged the country killing over 300,000 people, D. the population of the country is mostly urban, E. 80% of the population is still malnourished although the country is approaching self-sufficiency in food supply. 8. Which of the following is not true of Pakistan: A. the country is well endowed with resources including oil, natural gas and iron, B. most of the agriculture is based on irrigation along the Indus river, C. has a variety of industry, including textiles, chemicals, automobiles and steel, D. moved its capital from the port city of Karachi to Islamabad, a forward capital. Submitted by Halim Hassani November 26, 1996. Re-submitted by Fred Rieser on June 6, 1997. Re-submitted by Melissa Rowland on November 10, 1999.

BBC NEWS | Special Reports | 629 | 629 | After partition: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Special Reports After partition: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh PARTITION - THE BASICS British India divided into two - Pakistan with Muslim majority and India secular but with Hindu majority India's Mahatma Gandhi opposed the idea Last Viceroy Lord Louis Mountbatten oversaw talks between India's Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah head of Muslim League Led to largest mass migration in history India and Pakistan 07 In 1947, the jewel of the British Empire, India, was granted independence, divided along religious lines and two nations were born - India and Pakistan. Partition left 10 million people uprooted and more than half a million Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus dead in riots and massacres. Sixty years on, the status of Kashmir remains unresolved despite a tenuous peace process between India and Pakistan, following three wars. Communal unrest continues to surface from time to time in both countries. The good news is that the economies are growing, especially in India. Find out more about how India, Pakistan and, since 1971 Bangladesh, have developed since partition.

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT 1. Dominion of Pakistan created on 14 August 1947. Became world's first Islamic Republic in 1956. New city of Islamabad replaced Karachi as capital in the mid 1960s 2. British India was made up of provinces, princely states and state agencies. An independent Union of India was created on 15 August 1947 and renamed the Republic of India in 1950 3. Punjab was split in two. Majority Muslim western part became Pakistan's Punjab province; majority Sikh and Hindu eastern part became India's Punjab state 4. Bengal divided into Indian state of West Bengal and East Pakistan, which became East Bengal in 1956 and Bangladesh achieved independence after a civil war in 1971 ECONOMY AND WELFARE India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have come a long way since the British left them. Of the three nations, India has seen by far the most dramatic growth. In terms of economic resources, India did much better than Pakistan out of partition.

It inherited 90% of the subcontinent's industry and the thriving cities of Delhi, Bombay (now Mumbai) and Calcutta. It is now one of the world's fastest developing economies with average growth rates of 8% over the past three years. It is also emerging as a serious global player in information technology, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals. By contrast, Pakistan's economy which was based on agriculture and controlled by feudal elites, was left with 17.5% of the British colonial government's financial reserves after partition. Nevertheless, it has seen sustained growth since the early 1950s despite internal strife, conflict with India, US sanctions, global recession and, more recently, the 2005 earthquake. The economy really took off in 2000 after reforms that saw public sector enterprises privatised, relaxation of regulations on external trade and reform of the banking sector. Thanks to economic growth and foreign investment, all three states have seen expansion and improvement of health and education services. Life expectancy has increased, infant and maternal death rates have dropped, and literacy rates risen. But poverty is still widespread in all three nations, which feature in the top 10 most populous in the world.

Almost half the population in Bangladesh lives on less than $1 a day and Pakistan's social indicators still lag behind countries with comparable per capita incomes. A substantial number of people living in India's villages remain illiterate and impoverished, raising concerns about the inclusivity of the economic boom. Powerful regional and caste-based parties have empowered many poor people whose progress was hampered by the ancient Hindu caste system, but that system still impedes widespread social progress. SOCIETY After independence, India and Pakistan had to devise new ways of running their countries and creating nation states. Pakistan has been led largely by military rulers over the last 60 years. Bangladesh fell under military rule a few years after independence, democracy being restored in 1990, but the political scene there is unpredictable. While Pakistan was created as a Muslim state after Jinnah's insistence that Muslims of the former colony needed a separate country of their own, Hindu-majority India was, and formally remains, secular, and also the world's largest democracy. The violence between Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus in 1947 was never repeated on such a horrific scale, but the struggle to keep the peace between communal and religious groups is ongoing in both India and Pakistan.

After the death of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1964 and the rise to power of his daughter Indira Gandhi, tensions grew between the Hindu majority and Sikhs. In 1984, Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards after ordering troops to flush out Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. And in 1992, widespread Hindu-Muslim violence erupted after Hindu extremists demolished the Babri mosque at Ayodhya. More recently, there have been several bombings, such as the attack on Mumbai's train network in July 2006 which police blamed on Pakistani militants and a banned Indian group. Pakistan, whose citizens are mostly Muslim, has seen Sunni and Shia factions killing each other in their thousands in three of the four Pakistani regions since the 1980s. After 9/11, Pakistan's government became an ally of Washington by dropping its support for the Taleban regime in Afghanistan. Religion has been a divisive force in Pakistan and India It took a tougher stance towards Islamic extremists, as highlighted in the bloody siege and suicide bombing at Islamabad's Red Mosque in July. Bangladesh has also been affected by internal strife.

The country has suffered from bomb attacks on secular and cultural organisations and events for more than a decade. The near simultaneous bombings across Bangladesh in 2005 were a dramatic pointer to religious extremism and two fringe Islamic organisations have been banned. MILITARY Bangladesh: none Sources: SIPRI Yearbook 2006/NRDC The military balance between India and Pakistan is difficult to establish as it depends on many factors, such as quality of command, training, discipline and morale. Most Indian-Pakistani conflicts have ended in stalemate except the Bangladesh War in 1971, when Pakistan's defeat was complete. India backed, sheltered and trained Bangladeshi guerrillas which contributed to Pakistan's defeat. Kashmir has been the main flashpoint ever since Partition. The two neighbours, now nuclear powers, have twice waged war over the disputed region - in 1947-48 and 1965. The region is now divided in two by a Line of Control and often breached by separatist militants. In 1999, fighting between Indian and Pakistani-backed forces in Indian Kashmir led to a new conflict, known as the Kargil conflict, but not full-scale war.

In Depth: Read more about the Kashmir conflict In their last confrontation in 2002, India deployed 700,000 troops; Pakistan, 300,000 - three-fourths of their regular forces - either side of the Line of Control in Kashmir and the internationally recognised India-Pakistan border. Both readied their armoured, air and naval forces for war. India prepared for offensive operations to destroy militant camps. Pakistan's objective was to defend key points against attack. Intense Western diplomacy and, perhaps more significantly, mutual nuclear deterrence eventually defused tensions, but it was a close run thing. Bangladesh BANGLADESH Did the world support the announcement by Bangladesh of its independence? Background When Pakistan achieved independence in 1947, Bangladesh (then called East Bengal and called East Pakistan after 1955) became an eastern province of Pakistan, from which it is separated by more than one thousand miles. A movement for greater autonomy was spearheaded by Sheikh Mujibar Rahman and the Awami League, which had been founded in 1949 to pursue the political interests of East Pakistan.

In 1970 the League won a majority in the federal Pakistani assembly, but the government postponed assembly sessions. As a result, on 26 March 1971 the Awami League declared the province independent as Bangladesh. Civil war ensued, and an estimated one million Bengalis died before India intervened on Bangladesh's behalf and defeated Pakistan in December 1971. The country's initial government formed in 1972 under Mujibur Rahman, who became prime minister. Although Mujib tried to rebuild the war-torn nation, he had little success. In 1974 floods devastated the country, political disorder increased and a national state of emergency was declared. In early 1975 Mujib acquired virtually dictatorial power, but he was killed in a military coup later that year. Martial law ensued, and eventually General Ziaur Rahman assumed the presidency in 1977. After parliamentary elections and the lifting of martial law, the nation made some economic progress in 1980 and 1981, but Rahman was assassinated in 1981 in an abortive military coup.

Timeline December 1969, the elections held after political parties had been re-established in Pakistan emphasized a growing rift between east and west. In West Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the Pakistan People's Party emerged victorious; in the east 160 of 162 seats were won by the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The League wanted complete internal autonomy for Bangladesh with a central Pakistan government controlling foreign affairs and defense. 25 March 1971, Pakistan's president Yahya Khan declared a state of emergency in East Pakistan. Sheikh Rahman and other leaders of the Awami League were arrested, while Pakistani troops began a brutal suppression. 14 April 1971, the leaders of the Awami league, in refuge in India, declared Bangladesh to be independent. 21 November 1971, Indian troops clashed with Pakistani forces in Bengal as Indians crossed the border. 3 December 1971, Pakistan attacked Indian air bases. 4 December 1971, India invaded Pakistan. 17 December 1971, Pakistan accepted cease-fire terms. 12 January 1972, Mujibur Rahman became prime minister of Bangladesh.

3 July 1972, peace terms agreed between India and Pakistan at Simla. February 1974, Bangladesh independence recognized by Pakistan. 15 August 1975, Rahman killed in military coup. 1977, General Ziaur Rahman assumed the presidency (assassinated in 1981). WWW sites For biographies of the principles involved, see biography.com: Sheikh Mujibar Rahman (1920-75), Ziaur Rahman (1935-81) and Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1929-). You should first examine some basic facts about Bangladesh ( CIA Factbook ) and check a historical overview of the country. You might also wish to try a virtual tour of the country . There are only a few sites with information about the independence of Bangladesh in 1971: the Bangladesh Liberation War Museum ; Dhaka '71 , an on-line exhibition; the War for Bangladesh Independence is a brief essay from the US country fact book as is the Birth of Bangladesh and the India-Pakistan War .

The India-Pakistan war of 1971 --another site on the war is available--beginning in early December 1971, was the decisive factor in the independence of Bangladesh. Recommended Books George Harrison, et al. The Concert for Bangladesh is a recording of the 1971 concert to raise funds for Unicef's war relief effort in Bangladesh. Some scattered accounts of the independence exist: S. R. Chakravarti, ed., Bangladesh Under Mujib Zia and Ershad Dilemma of a New Nation (1995); Hasan Zaheer, The Separation of East Pakistan: The Rise and Realization of Bengali Muslim Nationalism (1994); Kamal Matinuddin, Tragedy of Errors: East Pakistan Crisis, 1968-1971 (1994); A. Muhith, Bangladesh, Emergence of a Nation (1992); L.

Ziring, Bangladesh: A Political Analysis (Macmillan, 1992); Moudad Ahmed, Bangladesh, Era of Sheikh Mujibar Rahman (1984); Mizanur Rahman, Emergence of a New Nation in a Multi-Polar World, Bangladesh (1979); Thomas Oliver, The United Nations in Bangladesh (Harvard, 1978). Bangladesh: History Bangladesh History Before Independence The history of Bangladesh is related to that of the larger area of Bengal, which became independent of Delhi by 1341. After a succession of Muslim rulers, it was conquered by Akbar, the great Mughal emperor in 1576. By the beginning of the 18th cent., the governor of the province was virtually independent, but he lost control to the British East India Company, which after 1775 was the effective ruler of the vast area, which also included the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha (Orissa), Jharkhand, and Bihar. Bengal was divided by the British in 1905 into West Bengal and East Bengal, with East Bengal being more or less coterminous with modern Bangladesh.

Since the new province had a majority Muslim population, the partition was welcomed by Muslims, but it was fiercely resented by Indian nationalist leaders who saw it as an attempt to drive a wedge between Muslims and Hindus. The partition was withdrawn in 1911, but it had pointed the way to the events of 1947, when British India was partitioned into the states of India and Pakistan. Pakistan consisted of two "wings," one to the west of India, and the other to the east. The eastern section was constituted from the eastern portion of Bengal and the former Sylhet district of Assam and was known until 1955 as East Bengal and then as East Pakistan. Pakistan's two provinces, which differed considerably in natural setting, economy, and historical background, were separated from each other by more than 1,000 mi (1,610 km) of India. The East Pakistanis, who comprised 56% of the total population of Pakistan, were discontented under a government centered in West Pakistan; the disparity in government investments and development funds given to each province also added to the resentment.

Efforts over the years to secure increased economic benefits and political reforms proved unsuccessful, and serious riots broke out in 1968 and 1969. In Nov., 1970, an extremely deadly cyclone devastated Chittagong and many coastal villages and killed some 300,000 people. Independence to the Present The movement for greater autonomy gained momentum when, in the Dec., 1970, general elections, the Awami League under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (generally known as Sheikh Mujib) won practically all of East Pakistan's seats and thus achieved a majority in the Pakistan National Assembly. President Muhammad Agha Yahya Khan , hoping to avert a political confrontation between East and West Pakistan, twice postponed the opening session of the national assembly. The government's attempts to forestall the autonomy bid led to general strikes and nonpayment of taxes in East Pakistan and finally to civil war on Mar. 25, 1971. On the following day the Awami League's leaders proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh. During the months of conflict an estimated one million Bengalis were killed in East Pakistan and another 10 million fled into exile in India.

Fighting raged in Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla , Sylhet , Jessore , Barisal , Rangpur , and Khulna . Finally India allied itself with Bangladesh, which it had recognized on Dec. 6, and during a two-week war (Dec. 3–16) defeated the Pakistani forces in the east. Sheikh Mujib, who had been chosen president while in prison in West Pakistan, was released, and in Jan., 1972, he set up a government and assumed the premiership; Abu Sayeed Choudhury became president. Rejecting Pakistan's call for a reunited country, Sheikh Mujib began to rehabilitate an economy devastated by the war. Relations with Pakistan were hostile; Pakistan withheld recognition from Bangladesh, and Bangladesh and India refused to repatriate more than 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war who had surrendered at the end of the conflict. Armed Bengali "freedom fighters" fought Bihari civilians in Bangladesh, particularly after Indian troops withdrew from Bangladesh in Mar., 1972.

Tensions were eased in July, 1972, when President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan (who assumed power after the fall of the Yahya Khan government) and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India agreed to peacefully settle the differences between their countries. Pakistan officially recognized Bangladesh in Feb., 1974. Subsequently, India and Pakistan reached consensus on the release of Pakistani prisoners of war and the exchange of hostage populations. Bangladesh was gradually recognized by most of the world's nations. It joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 and was admitted to the United Nations in 1974. In 1972 the country's major industries, banks, and shipping and insurance firms were nationalized. Despite Mujib's popularity as the founder of independent Bangladesh, high rates of inflation and a severe famine (1974) resulted in a governmental crisis. In 1975, after becoming president under a new constitutional system, he was assassinated in a military coup; after two additional coups later in the year, Maj. Gen. Zia ur-Rahman emerged as ruler, beginning a period of military control that lasted into the 1990s.

In 1981, Zia was himself assassinated in a failed coup attempt; his successor was replaced (1982) in a bloodless coup by Lt. Gen. Hussain Mohammad Ershad, who assumed the presidency. In an effort to gain legitimacy, Ershad later resigned his military office and won a disputed presidential election. He was forced to resign in Dec., 1990, amid charges of corruption, for which he was jailed (1990–96, 2000–2001); he was convicted on additional charges in 2006 but sentenced to time already served. Elections held in Feb., 1991, brought the Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) to power, and Khaleda Zia ur-Rahman , the widow of Zia ur-Rahman, became prime minister. An extremely strong cyclone in April, 1991, killed more than 138,000 and devastated coastal areas, especially in the southeast. In 1994, nearly all opposition members of parliament denounced Zia's government as corrupt and resigned their seats.

After a series of general strikes called by the opposition, parliament was dissolved in Nov., 1995; major opposition parties also boycotted the ensuing Feb., 1996, elections. Zia was returned to power, but the opposition mounted protests; she resigned and an interim government headed by Habibur Rahman was installed. New elections held in June, 1996, resulted in a victory for the opposition Awami League, led by Hasina Wazed, daughter of Bangladesh's first prime minister. As she struggled with the country's ongoing economic problems, a series of opposition-led strikes, beginning in 1998, once again paralyzed the country. In July, 2001, a caretaker government headed by Latifur Rahman was appointed in advance of parliamentary elections in October. Zia and the BNP won a landslide victory in the voting, and she again became prime minister. In 2003 the Awami League began a series of rallies and occasional strikes to mobilize opposition to the government.

Deadly attacks on rallies in Aug., 2004, and Jan., 2005, provoked a series of nationwide and local strikes and protests by the League, which accused the government of trying to assassinate Hasina Wazed. Some 200 minor bomb attacks occurred in 60 cities and towns on Aug. 17, 2005. The attacks appeared to be the work of militants who favor the establishment of Islamic rule in Bangladesh; two militant groups had been banned in Feb., 2005. In the months following the attacks the government moved to arrest members of the groups, and Islamic extremist mounted additional attacks, including ones involving suicide bombers. Awami League efforts to undermine the government in 2006 included a "blockade" of Dhaka in June that resulted in clashes with the police, and led to a 36-hour general strike. Meanwhile, in May and June, there were protests and rioting by garment workers over working conditions; a number of factories were burned, and hundreds were vandalized. Zia's government resigned in October in preparation for the Jan., 2007, elections.

The issue of who should head the caretaker government in the intervening months became a contentious one in the weeks proceeding the resignation, and the BNP, Awami League, and other parties failed to reach an agreement, leading to violent clashes between the parties' supporters. In the end, President Iajuddin Ahmed appointed himself chief adviser to the interim administration. Continuing disagreements over the handling of the elections led to sometimes violent demonstrations and transportation blockades by the Awami League and its allies, and in Jan., 2007, that 14-party alliance announced that it would boycott the elections. After the United Nations and European Union withdrew their support for the election, the president declared a state of emergency, resigned as chief adviser and appointed Fakhruddin Ahmed, an economist and former central bank governor, to the post, and postponed the elections. The Awami League and its allies halted their protests as Fakhruddin Ahmed formed a cabinet. The new government, which was backed by the military, subsequently moved to clean up the electoral rolls and attack political corruption. A number of prominent political and business figures were arrested on corruption charges, and Hasina Wazed and other political leaders were charged with murder in connection with political violence.

The government moved in April, 2007, to exile Wazed and Khaleda Zia, but then reversed itself. Wazed and then Zia were subsequently charged with corruption. The president's term ended in Sept., 2007, but Ahmed remained in office in the absence of a functioning parliament. During July–Sept., 2007, Bangladesh experienced two spells of extensive and devastating flooding due to monsoon rains, and in November a cyclone caused extensive damage in the southwest, killing more than 3,000. There was a brief maritime standoff in the Bay of Bengal between Bangladesh and Myanmar in November when Bangladeshi naval vessels confronted Myanmarese oil-and-gas exploration ships in disputed waters. In Dec., 2008, the government finally ended the state of emergency two weeks before new parliamentary elections; both former prime ministers subsequently campaigned. The Awami League won the vote in a landslide, and in Jan., 2009, Sheikh Hasina Wazed became prime minister, ending interim rule. Zia and the BNP asserted the election was rigged, but foreign observers called the contest credible.

Paramilitary border guards mutinied in Feb., 2009; the uprising was centered at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka. More than 70 persons were killed, most of them regular army officers assigned to the forces who were murdered by mutineers; some 6,800 were ultimately convicted of involvement in the mutiny, and more than 150 sentenced to death. In June, 2010, the BNP mounted a protest strike against the government, and there also were protests by textile workers over low wages. Wage protests recurred in late July, marked then by riots; in August a number of labor leaders were arrested on charges of inciting violence. A new series of opposition-sponsored protests and strikes were mounted in 2011 and 2012. In 2013 several members of the opposition, mainly from Jamaat e-Islami, an Islamist party aligned with the BNP that had opposed Bangladesh's independence, were convicted of committing war crimes during the war for independence.

(Jamaamt e-Islami was also declared illegal.) The opposition claimed the trials were politically motivated, and the series of verdicts, most of them involving death sentences, led to rioting by Islamists. In Apr., 2013, the collapse of a building housing garment factories in Savar killed more than 1,100 people. Along with other incidents in 2012–13, including one in which more than 100 were killed in a fire, the worst industrial disaster since the Bhopal gas leak (1984) focused international attention on poor working conditions, limited worker rights, and low pay in the garment industry, Bangladesh's most important export industry. There were a number of protests and worker unrest in response to the collapse, and the government promised improvements in working conditions and worker rights. In Nov., 2013, the government resigned prior to the establishment of an all-party government and the setting of the Jan., 2014, election date, but the opposition demanded the appointment of a caretaker government. The opposition ultimately boycotted the elections, and the campaign and vote was marred by violence.

Amid a low voter turnout, the Awami League and its allies won undisputed control of parliament. The BNP subsequently called for a nationwide strike and rejection of the government. Sections in this article: Haq's Musings: Comparing Bangladesh With Pakistan in 2012 Haq's Musings Riaz Haq writes this data-driven blog to provide information, express his opinions and make comments on many topics. Subjects include personal activities, education, South Asia, South Asian community, regional and international affairs and US politics to financial markets. For investors interested in South Asia, Riaz has another blog called South Asia Investor at and a YouTube video channel Monday, December 10, 2012 Comparing Bangladesh With Pakistan in 2012 Lavish praise for Bangladesh and scolding for Pakistan mark the anniversary of the painful events leading up to the breakup of Pakistan in December 1971. This annual ritual is usually led by writers from Pakistan's arch-rival India. A few Bangladeshi nationalists and disgruntled Pakistanis join in as well. Here are a few samples of it: 1.

Sadanand Dhume, Wall Street Journal "Not long ago, when you thought of a South Asian country ravaged by floods, governed by bumblers and apparently teetering on the brink of chaos, it wasn't Pakistan that came to mind. That distinction belonged to Bangladesh.....Bangladesh has much to be proud of. Its economy has grown at nearly 6% a year over the past three years. The country exported $12.3 billion worth of garments last year, making it fourth in the world behind China, the EU and Turkey..... Nearly 40 years ago, only the most reckless optimist would have bet on flood-prone, war-ravaged Bangladesh over relatively stable and prosperous Pakistan. But with a higher growth rate, a lower birth rate, and a more internationally competitive economy, yesterday's basket case may have the last laugh." 2. Akbar Ali Khan, Bangladesh's Daily Star "Per capita income in West Pakistan in 1950 was only four per cent higher than that of East Pakistan. In 1970 per capita income in West Pakistan exceeded that of East Pakistan by 61 percent.

The increase in disparity of two wings reinforced the secessionist argument that West Pakistan was becoming richer at the expense of East Pakistan....annual per capita income growth in Bangladesh since 1972 exceeded almost every year total per capita income growth in East Pakistan in twenty years. This clearly suggests that political independence provided much more conducive environment for growth in Bangladesh than united Pakistani. . Though economic growth in East Pakistan was revived during Ayub Khan's so-called decade of reforms, growth rate in erstwhile East Pakistan was much lower than that of West Pakistan." 3. S. Akbar Zaidi, Pakistan's Daily Dawn "In the world of development achievements and democratic and secular credentials, it is Bangladesh today which offers a rather sad comment on Pakistan`s numerous failed promises. Bangladesh is one of the six countries in Asia and Africa which has been feted for its progress towards achieving its Millennium Development Goals, a set of targets that seek to eradicate extreme poverty and boost health, education and the status of women worldwide by 2015....The West Pakistani elite which lived off the resources of East Pakistan for 25 years and was happy to see the basket case East Pakistan become Bangladesh, needs to seriously come to terms with its continuing hubris and past.

The least that the civilian and military Pakistani elite can do is to seek forgiveness for the crimes committed four decades ago, and to begin to learn how basket cases and failed states can become successful democratic, developmental and secular states." Let's now assess how Bangladesh and Pakistan have performed since 1971 by looking at some key indicators like per capita income, upward mobility and consumption of energy and cement in the two countries. PPP GDP of Pakistan and Bangladesh Source: World Bank Per Capita Income: Economic gap between East and West Pakistan in 1960s is often cited as a key reason for the secessionist movement led by Shaikh Mujib's Awami League and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. This disparity has grown over the last 40 years, and the per capita income in Pakistan now stands at more than twice Bangladesh's in 2012 in nominal dollar terms, higher than 1.6 as claimed by Akbar Ali Khan in 1971.

Here are some figures from Economist magazine's EIU 2013: Bangladesh-Pakistan GDP (Source: World Bank) Upward Economic Mobility: Pakistan has continued to offer much greater upward economic and social mobility to its citizens than Bangladesh and India over the last two decades. Since 1990, Pakistan's middle class had expanded by 36.5%, India's by only 12.8% and Bangladesh's by just 8.3%, according to an ADB report titled "Asia's Emerging Middle Class: Past, Present And Future. Per Capita Energy Consumption: Energy consumption in this day and age generally indicates a nation's level of industrialization, productivity and standards of living. Going by this yardstick, Pakistan's 14 million BTUs per capita consumption is well ahead of Bangladesh's 6 million BTUs per capita as estimated by US Energy Information Administration for 2009 .

Per Capita Cement Consumption: Agriculture Value Added Per Capita in Constant 2000 US$ ( Source: World Bank ) Job Growth: Pakistan's employment growth has been the highest in South Asia region since 2000, followed by Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka in that order, according to a recent World Bank report titled "More and Better Jobs in South Asia" . Total employment in South Asia (excluding Afghanistan and Bhutan) rose from 473 million in 2000 to 568 million in 2010, creating an average of just under 800,000 new jobs a month. In all countries except Maldives and Sri Lanka, the largest share of the employed are the low‐end self-employed. Other Facts: Here are a few other relevant data points in comparing Bangladesh and Pakistan: 1. Bangladesh is still categorized by the World Bank among low income and least developed countries of the world, while Pakistan is a middle income country and classified well above the list of least developed countries of the world. 2.

Bangladesh is ranked as 11th poorest country in the world by the World Bank in terms of the percentage of population living on $1.25 or less a day. Neighboring India is the 14th poorest on this list, while Pakistan does not show up on it. The rest of the nations on this list are all in sub-Saharan Africa. 3. In 1947, East Pakistan started with a lower economic base than West Pakistan, and the loss of its Hindu Bengali business elite in 1947 left it worse off. It also didn't have the benefit of the large number of Muslim businessmen who migrated to West Pakistan , particularly Karachi, after partition of India in 1947. 4. Pakistani economist Dr.

Ishrat Husain explains it well when he says that "although East Pakistan benefited from Ayub’s economic reforms in 1960s, the fact that these benefits were perceived as a dispensation from a quasi-colonial military regime to its colony—East Pakistan—proved to be lethal." World Hunger Index Rankings It must, however, be acknowledged that Bangladeshi economy has been outperforming Pakistan's in the last few years, particularly since President Musharraf's departure in 2008 . Bangladesh has also made significant strides on various social indicators and it now ranks just one notch below Pakistan on human development index 2011. Bangladesh's family planning efforts have been remarkably successful in lowering the fertility rate of Bangladeshi women, an area where Pakistan significantly lags behind the rest of South Asia. Here's a recent video about Pakistan: Related Links: Bangladesh country profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, with its people crammed into a delta of rivers that empties into the Bay of Bengal. Poverty is deep and widespread, but Bangladesh has in recent years reduced population growth and improved health and education.

Formerly East Pakistan, Bangladesh came into being only in 1971, when the two parts of Pakistan split after a bitter war which drew in neighbouring India. Bangladesh spent 15 years under military rule and, although democracy was restored in 1990, the political scene remains volatile. Islamist extremism has been rising in the usually tolerant country. The low-lying country is vulnerable to flooding and cyclones, and stands to be badly affected by any rises in sea levels. Area 143,998 sq km (55,598 sq miles) Major language Bengali Life expectancy 69 years (men), 70 years (women) Currency taka LEADERS President: Abdul Hamid Abdul Hamid, formerly the Speaker of parliament, was elected unopposed to the ceremonial post in 2013. Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina Image copyright Getty Images Sheikh Hasina started a third term as prime minister in January 2014 after her Awami League won elections boycotted by the opposition amid an ongoing political crisis. Politics has long been dominated by bitter rivalry between two women: Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Both have been prime minister at various times since 1991. Their hostility stems in part from differences over who played a greater role in the country's independence struggle - Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, or Khaleda Zia's husband, General Ziaur Rahman. They sank their differences when military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad was in power from 1982 to 1990, but they have been uncompromising rivals ever since. MEDIA Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Media outlets tend to be polarised, aligning themselves with one or other of the main political factions. Four bloggers who criticised religious fundamentalism were murdered in 2015. One of them was reportedly on a hit-list of bloggers published by a Bangladeshi Islamist group at the end of 2014. TIMELINE Some key dates in the history of Bangladesh: 1947 - British colonial rule over India ends. A largely Muslim state comprising East and West Pakistan is established, either side of India. The two provinces are separated from each other by more than 1,500 km of Indian territory.

1971 - Independence after a nine-month war, with India backing the Bengali nationalists against Pakistan. 1973 - First parliamentary elections give the Awami League a landslide victory. 1975 - A military coup sees founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members killed, putting an end to civilian rule. 1979 - Second parliamentary elections brings former army chief Ziaur Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to power. 1981 - Ziaur Rahman assassinated during abortive military coup. 1982 - General Ershad assumes power in army coup. He suspends the constitution and political parties. 1991 - Fifth parliamentary elections, brings the BNP under Zia's widow, Khaleda Zia, back to power. The country returns to a parliamentary system of government. Image copyright Getty Images Liberation War of Bangladesh Liberation War of Bangladesh Liberation War of Bangladesh Sunday, 23 March 2008 The nine-month long War of Liberation waged by the people of Bangladesh in 1971 will for ever remain recorded as one of the most glorious chapters in human history.

The sovereign and independent People's Republic of Bangladesh, as it stands today, is the outcome of an arduous struggle of the people under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The very nomenclature of the country, the declaration of independence, proclamation of the glorious War of Liberation, the national flag- the crimson sun on the canvas of green and the inspiring national anthem - all these we owe to his inspiring and unique vision and courage. He served to shape the history and aspirations of his people. He rejuvenated them with the indomitable and unbending spirit of Bengalee Nationalism, charged them with unprecedented courage, valour, resilience and granite-like unity and triggered off an armed struggle for freedom- the like of which the world rarely witnessed before. An entire people of 70 million, inspired by their great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, rose in arms against the military junta of Pakistan when years of political persuasion failed to secure for the Bengalees a place of honour and justice in that country.

Initially the peace-loving unarmed Bengalees did not know how to respond to the sudden and savage crackdown by the well-equipped Pakistani military on the night of 25 March, 1971, especially when their beloved leader had been arrested and taken to West Pakistan. The military had perhaps reckoned that suppressing any attempt at resistance by the leaderless Bengalees would be child's play. But the events proved otherwise. The people quickly woke up to the warnings their leader had sounded time and again about the evil designs of the Pakistani military and the directives he had issued about building up resistance with whatever they had. They soon turned their anger into determination to beat back the occupying military at their own game. That meant no immediate direct confrontation at the strategic positions of the enemy troops, but employment of guerrilla tactics to drag them out of their fortresses and force them to spread out into the country-side which was the freedom fighters' home ground. Hundreds of turbulent rivers and canals, vast swamps, unending crop fields, thick jungles, incessant rains, awe-inspiring floods and frequent storms, combined with the hostility of the local people proved to be too daunting for the Pakistani soldiers.

By attacking isolated enemy positions the freedom fighters started gathering arms and ammunition, and soon found themselves trained and equipped to attack and disrupt bigger enemy camps and establishments. The Genesis The Liberation War did not start overnight. It had been brewing for 23 years. Ever since the birth of Pakistan in August 1947, the Bengalees first felt ignored in the scheme of the country's governance and gradually found themselves deprived and exploited by the power elite dominated by the West Pakistani bureaucrats, the military and the big businesses. Although they constituted the majority of the country's population, the Bengalees of the eastern wing had a very poor representation in the civil services and the armed forces and had almost no place in commerce and industry. At the political level, their voice was stifled in the name of security of the realm and the bogey of mighty Hindu India's constant threat to the existence of Islamic Pakistan which had its two wings separated by nearly 1200 miles of Indian territory. The Muslims of the eastern wing were regarded as inferior Muslims and no effort was spared to cleanse them and make them as 'good as the Muslims of West Pakistan.

A constant source of political irritation was the existence in East Pakistan of a large Hindu minority population, whose well-being was of no little concern to India. In fact, Pakistan fought three wars with India and had forever been seeking security alliances with other countries. Political and economic deprivation led the Bengalees to demand greater provincial autonomy and control over such natural resources as jute and tea which, because of the Korean War boom in the fifties, became the prime earners of foreign exchange for the then Pakistan. This called for constitutional changes. The demand was viewed by the Pakistani rulers as a strategic move by the Bengalees to make way for secession. The demand for making Bangla one of the State Languages of Pakistan was also viewed with suspicion and this led to repression and bloodshed. Several students killed in Dhaka in 1952 while agitating for winning a place of honour for their mother tongue were honoured by the people as martyrs. The demand for provincial autonomy now assumed a new meaning and urgency and the disillusioned Bengalees would no longer settle for anything more than a thin constitutional link with Pakistan. Historic Six-Points By 1958, Pakistan went under military dictatorship blocking normal avenues for a political resolution of the constitutional issue.

In September 1965, Field Marshal Ayub Khan fought his country's second costly war with India, exposing the military vulnerability of the eastern wing, and also made a costly experiment with democracy in getting himself elected as President through a ridiculously limited franchise of 80,000 'basic democrats' It was against this background that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman put forward in 1966 his historic six points which, in effect, structured the foundation for East Pakistan's future independence. The proposal suggested: Pakistan should be a federation of states with parliamentary system of government; Only defence and foreign affairs should remain with the federal government; There should either be separate currencies for the two wings or one currency for the whole country with its inter-wing flow to he regulated by the reserve banks of the two wings; Taxes to be levied only by the regional governments, but a specified portion will automatically go to the federal account; Separate accounts to be maintained for foreign currencies earned by each region; and A separate militia or a paramilitary force to be created for the eastern wing.

In January 1968, Sheikh Mujib and 34 Bengalee civil and military officials were arrested on charges of their involvement in the so-called Agartala conspiracy to declare independence of East Pakistan. Their trial proved that the charges were baseless and the case had to be withdrawn by February 1969 amidst angry protests by the Bengalees. Sheikh Mujib and the other co-accused were released on 22 February, 1969. The design of President Ayub Khan and his military junta to make Sheikh Mujib unpopular was thoroughly defeated. In fact, he came out of the case as a persecuted hero and the leader of the Bengalees. Much to his chagrin, Ayub Khan was obliged to invite him to the round table conference of political leaders in Rawalpindi; but Sheikh Mujib withdrew from it as he found that his 6-points were not entertained by the West Pakistani leaders as the basis for constitutional talks. Declaration of the War of Independence On 25 March 1969, President Ayub was thrown out of power by his army chief General Yahya Khan. Once again Pakistan was put under Martial Law.

But soon General Yahya had to take steps to hold General Elections and permit open political activities. On 28 October 1970, Sheikh Mujib made a broadcast over radio and TV as part of his election campaign.Then in the elections held on 12 December, 1970, the Awami League came out as the largest party in Pakistan parliament winning 167 out of 313 seats. But the Awami League was not allowed to form the Government because of machinations of General Yahya in collusion with the West Pakistani Leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto whose Pakistan People's Party won 88 seats. The inaugural session of the Parliament due to begin in Dhaka was abruptly postponed on the pretext of resolving differences between the political leaders of the two wings. The Bengalees saw this as one more conspiracy of the Pakistani military junta to deny them the power that they had won democratically through elections. In his historic speech at the March 7 public meeting at Suhrawardy Uddyan, Sheikh Mujib asked his people to continue the non-cooperation movement they had started at his behest and prepare for a decisive battle for independence.

But to avoid a direct confrontation with Yahya Khan's blood-thirsty military, he kept the door open for political negotiations. Despite stiff opposition from his followers, especially the vocal student community, Sheikh Mujib sat with General Yahya and his advisers to negotiate a constitutional settlement and when things appeared to be going well, the dialogue was snapped on March 25. A military crackdown was ordered and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib was arrested and taken away to West Pakistan. But just before he was arrested, he sent out a call for the Liberation War to begin. Known as the Declaration of the War of Independence, this hurriedly written Historic Document reads as follows: Pak Army suddenly attacked EPR Base at Pilkhana, Rajarbagh Police line and killing citizens. Street battles are going on in every street of Dhaka, Chittagong. I appeal to the nations of the world for help. Our freedom fighters are gallantly fighting with the enemies to free the motherland. I appeal and order you all in the name of Almighty Allah to fight to the last drop of blood to liberate the country. Ask police, EPR, Bengal Regiment and Ansar to stand by you and to fight. No compromise, Victory is ours.

Drive out the enemies from the holy soil of motherland. Convey this message to all Awami League leaders, workers and other-patriots and lovers of freedom. May Allah bless you. Joy Bangla. -Sk Mujibur Rahman History's worst Genocide In utter frustration, the Pakistan military went for indiscriminate killing of innocent people, wide-scale destruction of villages, raping of women and looting and plunder. By playing up religious sentiments, they tried to instigate the simple-minded Bengalee Muslims to kill or drive out the Hindus who were painted as pro-Indian. By playing on similar sentiments, they created some auxiliary forces such as the Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakars to collaborate with the military in identifying and eliminating all those who sympathized with the War of Liberation. The Freedom Fighters, who were operating behind the enemy lines, were to be hunted down and delivered to the military for torture and killing. So-called Peace Committees composed of collaborators were set up at different places to show that normalcy prevailed. The repression grew in scale and intensity as the Pakistani military junta watched the freedom fighters grow in strength and achieve one success after another.

To hoodwink the international community, it launched a worldwide campaign to paint that the Liberation War was a rebellion against the sovereignty of Pakistan and that their arch enemy India was behind all this. The fact that about 10 million Bengalees had fled to India to escape the military repression was depicted as India's own game to draw international sympathy. However, the truth about the character of the liberation war and the atrocities committed by the military became known to the wider world through independent reports by the foreign journalists and despatches sent home by the diplomatic community in Dhaka. About the crackdown of March 25, Simon Dring's report to the Daily Telegraph of London, smuggled out of Dhaka and published on March 30, was one of many such reports. It said: "An estimated three battalions of troops were used in the attack on Dhaka - one of armoured, one of artillery and one of infantry. They started leaving their barracks shortly before 10 p.m. By 11 p.m. firing had broken out and the people who started to erect makeshift barricades-overturned cars, tree stumps, furniture, concrete piping-became early casualties.

Sheikh Mujibur was warned by telephone that something was happening, but he refused to leave his house." "If I go into hiding they will burn the whole of Dhaka to find me," he told an aide who escaped arrest. The students were also warned, but those who were still around later said that most of them thought they would only be arrested. Led by M-24 World War II tanks, one column of troops sped to Dhaka University shortly after midnight. Troops took over the British Council Library and used it as fire-base from which to shell nearby dormitory areas. Caught completely by surprise, some 200 students were killed in Iqbal Hall headquarters of the militantly anti-government students' union, I was told. Two days later, bodies were still smoldering in burnt-out rooms; others were scattered outside, more floated in a near-by lake, an art student lay sprawled across his easel. The military removed many of the bodies, but the 30 bodies still there could never have accounted for all the blood in the corridors of Iqbal Hall." The road to freedom for the people of Bangladesh was arduous and tortuous, smeared with blood, toil and sacrifices.

In the contemporary history, perhaps no nation paid so dearly as the Bengalees did for their emancipation. During the nine months of the War, the Pakistan military killed an estimated three million people and inflicted brutalities on millions more before their ignominious defeat and the surrender of nearly a hundred thousand troops on 16 December 1971. Thousands of their well-armed troops were killed by the freedom fighters. The War of Liberation was literally fought in the name of Bangabandhu and under the leadership of the government which his party formed during those trying and eventful days. That, briefly, was the genesis of the Liberation War. The Liberation War was not, however, fought on the battlefield alone. Thousands of unarmed people including women and children provided support to the freedom fighters-in running errands, hiding or transporting arms and ammunition, providing shelter and food, nursing the sick and the wounded and in myriad other ways.

In consonance with Bangabandhu's Declaration of Independence, a provisional revolutionary government was formed in exile on April 17,1971 in Mujibnagar with Bangabandhu as the President in absentia, In his absence, the Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam with Tajuddin Ahmed as Prime Minister coordinated the war operations, arranged funds and carried on negotiations with foreign governments. The radio station calling itself 'Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra' kept on transmitting patriotic programmes throughout the war to inspire the Freedom Fighters as well as the people behind the Pak army line, A recurrent theme of these programmes was Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Declaration of Independence and his 7th March speech at Suhrawardy Uddyan. Several hundred civil servants took grave risks, left their posts and joined the Government-in-exile. Scores of Bengalee diplomats defected from Pakistani Missions abroad and worked to mould international opinion in favour of Bangladesh. Thousands of Bengalee expatriates joined hands with their foreign friends and sympathizers in raising funds and building public opinion for the cause of liberation. The contributions and efforts of all combined to take the war to its glorious end in such a short time.

That is how Bangabandhu's dream of an independent state of Bangladesh finally materialized. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bangladesh

Question: What was Bangladesh called between 1947 and 1971?
Answer: EAST PAKISTAN