This is an incisive collection and erudite analysis of historic and current data on our neighbour in the eastern state which is rapidly re-Islamising to ?its own and to others?, particularly its neighbour?s, risk.? Shri R.N.P. Singh calls it re-Islamisation and not Islamisation as some think, because Bangladesh in its earlier incarnation as East Bengal (divided by Lord Curzon in 1905 and later into East Pakistan and divided by M.A. Jinnah in 1947) was a product of strategically-induced political Islamisation.
As million of East Pakistanis turned into refugees and took refuge in India, the Indian Government was forced to step in to end the exodus of refugees and rescue them from the tyranny of West Pakistan. India succeeded in handing out a military defeat to West Pakistan. Consequently the truncated West Pakistan had to sign a humiliating military surrender to India, leading to thousands of its soldiers becoming prisoners of war. Subsequently came the creation of independent Bangladesh.
With this the Islamisation process of Bangladesh halted seemingly for some time. But this was short-lived. The gradual Islamisation of East Pakistan soon gained momentum. As the events unfolded later, they revealed that the creation of Bangladesh through the efforts of India had only resulted in the temporary hibernation of the Islamic elements before resurfacing.
Today this resurgence of the anti-Hindu political Islam in Bangladesh has thrown up profound issues concerning ?the influence of Islamic theology on the psyche of the Muslims and its decisive, even determinative, influence on their relations with non-Muslim peoples and States.?
By the year 1975, India'sillusions about Bangladesh as a friendly neighbour completely evaporated. Border skirmishes, river-water disputes, boundary demarcation complexities and rampant entry of Bangladeshis into India became common issues, causing perennial friction between the two neighbours. The author explains in the chapter titled ?Ungrateful Bangladesh? how the powerful Islamic groups in Bangladesh polity turned Bangladesh ?obsessive about Islam and apprehensive about India? and how Bangladesh began alleging that it was an Indian conspiracy to undermine the Islamic character of Bangladesh. Under the chapter ?Players in Anti-India Game Plan?, the author reveals how concerned Indians are worried about the future of India, particularly its north-eastern states where insurgency is getting its succour from terrorist and fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh duly assisted by the ISI of Pakistan.
How many can forget the formation of ULFA with the declared objective of preventing Bangladeshis from inundating Assam and changing drastically its demographic profile? Strangely enough, now that very ULFA is getting operational support from the Bangladesh Government itself. Today India faces a greater danger from its eastern neighbour that what it does in Kashmir from Pakistan. Keeping in mind the despicable designs of the Muslim fanatics and fundamentalists, Bangladesh has become a safe haven for the activities of terrorist groups of all colours and hues. Its poverty, population rise and inefficient system of governance are being exploited through the networks of ISI and the flow of funds to religious madrasas from abroad.
The author makes sterling revelations on the role of Bangladesh NGOs, the mosques and madrasas, the insurgent activities in the north-eastern states and warns, ?Bangladesh has been in a state of disturbance and unrest for quite some time, but the developments taking place after imposition of Emergency in Bangladesh have the potential to seriously damage India'ssecurity interests.?
Shri R.N.P. Singh tries to answer some of the questions like why India, who saved Bangladesh from the Pakistani army, has become an enemy of Bangladesh; why it has become a safe haven for Islamic terrorists and separatists operating within India; why it has become a close friend of the same country that perpetrated savage and inhuman measures on its people?
This book not only provides answers to some of the questions stated above but also warns that if the situation remains unchecked, ?the days are not far when Bangladesh would become a haven for the Islamic terrorists of the world? and it would be no surprise that ?if the rate of the growth of fundamentalism continues as usual in Bangladesh, it may become another nodal point for exporting fundamentalism and terrorism to other parts of the world too.? Hence, beware India before it is too late!
(India First Foundation, A-301, Gauri Sadan, 5, Hailey Road, New Delhi-110 001.)
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