People actively involved in active operations in erstwhile East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) suffered a jolt by the end of November 2024 when they saw pictures of students of Bangladesh University in Dhaka shamelessly walking over Indian Tri colour spread on the ground at the University’s Main Gate. I was shocked and had to hang my head in shame since I had entered East Pakistan in April 1971 to train Mukti Vahini and fight along with them for their liberation from Pakistan till November 71. As far as I was concerned, this was the height of ingratitude.
Then came the icing on the cake. Special Assistant to Mohammad Yunus, Advisor to Interim Government of Bangladesh, Mahfuj Alam, blurted out on social media that,” We want to annex parts of Eastern and North Eastern Territories of India” or words to that effect. He displayed a map of this region with captured Indian areas marked under the Bangladesh flag, indicating Bangladesh’s intentions.
The crux of the matter is that India has 14.44 lakh Standing Army, 25.27 lakh Para Military Forces,538 Attack aircraft,47 Ships,4500 Tanks, 3800 Artillery Pieces, Nuclear Weapons and several Hypersonic Missiles. Bangladesh has 1.75 lakh Army and PMF, 78 Attack aircraft,21 Ships,281 Tanks and 440 Artillery Pieces. One must appreciate Mahfuj Alam’s audacity to have uttered such words despite his full knowledge of this strategic anomaly due to his important position.
This reminds me of an informal talk I once had with Tiger Siddiqui in September-October 71. We were then operating deep inside East Pakistan. He was a serving Major in East Bengal Rifles, a Bengali Army Unit of the Pakistan Army, who had instantly defected by the end of March 71. That was the time when Lieutenant General Tikka Khan unleashed “Operation Searchlight “on unsuspecting Bengali people, butchering more than four lakh Bengali elites and subjecting more than two lakh Bengali Females to unspeakable sexual atrocities. I asked Tiger Siddiqui, “What will be your future goals after you are liberated from Pakistani Tyranny?” or words to that effect. He laughed and candidly replied,” Friend, our goal would be the formation of Sonar Bangla comprising the whole of Bengal, Silchar District Area (in then Assam) and Katihar District Area (in Bihar)”. I took it as a joke, but it seems that now, his prophecy is being put to the test brought to reality by people like Mahfuj Alam,
Since the fall of Dhaka on August 05 24, there have been at least 385 attacks on Hindu Temples, Shops, Businesses, and Processions, along with 16 Incidents of Pendal destruction. 1653 Hindu Properties were burnt, and 160 Hindu Teachers, Professors, and Government Officials had to resign from their positions. Sufi Muslims, though spared of such agonies, were asked to join the Jehadi Group, “Jamaat-e-Islam”, if they wanted to stay in Bangladesh. Long, Hindus were Soft Targets in East Bengal, as was evident from the Noakhali Riots in 1946, wherein 23,000 Hindus were massacred and more than double forcibly converted to Islam by hardcore Muslims in just two days. More than 20,000 Hindu women were taken as Sex Slaves. After 1947, the Islamist Regime in East Pakistan snatched most of the rich Hindu Properties, subjected them to Punitive Taxes and gave them the option of Converting to Islam or being treated as Second Class Citizens.
Before Bangladesh came into existence, the Central Government in West Pakistan had treated the Bengali Population with total disdain. This continuous Step Motherly Treatment for over three decades led to a Bengali Struggle for Freedom. Alone, it would have been impossible for them to throw off West Pakistani yolk, what with America and Britain actively siding with the Military Junta in Pakistan. It was only due to overwhelming Financial Aid and Military Assistance from India that Bangladesh gained her Freedom in 1971.
Indian support didn’t end there. We have been helping her throughout, be it the Freedom Struggle, the Trying times afterwards, the assassination of Mujib ur Rehman, or the Military action by Myanmar. Bangladesh still relies heavily on India for essential food items including Rice, Sugar, Poultry, and Vegetables. Though she now imports sugar from Pakistan, Yunus requested Modi supply 75,000 tons of rice in late December 24. Without these imports, an average Bangladeshi would fail to meet even his basic needs. The garment industry, the main pillar of her economic stability, depends on cotton imported from India. Affected by rampant poverty and unemployment prevailing in Bangladesh for a very long time, thousands of men and women have illegally come to India and taken up jobs as Domestic workers, Coolies, Cooks, and Cleaners. Delivery Agents, Rickshaw Pullers, Auto Drivers, Construction Workers, Car Washers or Shop Assistants in almost all Cities. These men and women lack Proper Documents. Border Security Force deployed on IB regularly apprehends Immigrants crossing with Fake Documents without any of it and sends them back. So far, the Indian Government has not initiated any Mass Deportation Drive against illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants settled in India. Not only that, it is a well-known fact that Bangladeshis entering illegally in Europe, North America, Canada and other parts of the Western World run numerous Restaurants, Food Shops and Service Establishments under the guise of “Indian” Establishments”. There is no denying the fact that financially weak Bangladeshis, both in the Indian Subcontinent and abroad, in one way or another, are dependent on India for their Livelihood.
Then, there are other factors to reckon with. Every year, more than three and a half lakhs of Bangladeshi Citizens legally come to visit India for Medical Treatment. Thousands of Bangladeshi Students are studying in Indian Schools and Universities as per International Norms; these people can not participate in Anti Indian Activities. But there are instances galore wherein Bangladeshi Students and Patients have participated in Anti Indian Activities when in India. The government often overlooks such activities out of empathy for the Bangladesh government.
Despite such a Caring Attitude towards Bangladesh, previous Military and Bangla National Party-led Governments have shown complete disregard for India. Unfortunately, Political Parties and Fundamentalist Religious Groups supporting the present Interim Government under Noble Laureate Mohammad Yunus are displaying a Total Lack of Gratitude towards the Indian Government. This Interim Government has refused to pay 850 Million American Dollars due for Electric Supply to Adani Power Company in India. The Interim Government is overlooking the fact that more than 20 Million illegal Bangladeshis residing in this country are a strain on our Resources and Economy.
Violation of the sanctity of our National Flag by students in Bengal, Dhaka, Noakhali University and vandalism against Hindu Temples are not the only isolated incidents of Bangladeshi Ingratitude. As per the International Humanitarian Organisation, 68 Places of Minority Communities have been desecrated, 472 Minority Persons have been killed, more than 1300 Injured, and Property worth thousands of dollars has been destroyed since July 24 when Anti Hasina Protests and Demonstrations hit the streets of Bangladesh. Jehadi Youths in Bangladesh dream of taking possession of North Eastern States and the West Bengal Province of India. Assam Police arrested eight such Terrorist Students belonging to Bwerei Jamaat e Islami on December 22 22 for plotting Destructive Activities in the Siligurithe Neck Corridor connecting India with NE States.
We now find Bangladesh Youths displaying such hatred and disdain against India, flatly ignoring unrelenting support and extensive aid from India in All Conceivable Walks of Life. The main reason for this malady is their penchant for Jehadi Sentiments, which has been unseen in previous decades. Even fundamentalists in Pakistan are no match to this suddenly flared-up sentiments of Bangladeshi Youths. Students from all walks of life, be it from normal institutes to prestigious institutions, seem to have abandoned Reason, Logic and Historical Facts in favour of the Fundamentalist Islamic Thought Process. Prevailing Political Instability and Security Vacuum, Misplaced Loyalties, and Wobaly Leadership have given an upper hand to Anti India Forces who have exploited Communal and Religious Sentimental undercurrent in Youths.
Indian diversity, massive Hindu Population, and ever-growing Hindutva are being viewed with Religious Suspicion and Threat Percept by post 71 born Muslim Majority in Bangladesh. They now consider Pakistan a near and dear one, pardoning the sin of extremely brutal atrocities committed by them in 1971. Post 71, the born generation is firmly convinced that, had Bangladesh remained united with Pakistan, she, as part of that entity, would have risen to be a prosperous South Asian superpower. To date, this growing hatred toward India brings out the horrible spread of the most adverse attitudes of Islamic Fundamentalists and Jehadis in Bangladesh. Though India has provided every bit of help to Bangladesh in her difficult times of need during and since her Independence, this seems to have, proverbially, gone down the drain as the 71-born generation refuses to recognise it. As such, in Muslim Fundamentalists, a sense of Recognition or Gratitude is absent. For the Jehadi elements in Bangladesh, no amount of help from a non-Muslim country can overcome their deeply entrenched communal hatred against Kafirs.
Expression of disdain about gratitude shown by Muslim Jehadis is a Worldwide Phenomenon. On that account, India is not the only country whose “debts of good doing” are being rejected by emerging Bangladeshi Islamic Fundamentalists. America and countries in Europe which had, on humanitarian grounds, allowed the Refugees from the war-torn Islamic Regions, are now being subjected to Open Expression of same Ingratitude that Bangladeshi Youth is heaping on India. Such an approach is a harsh reality that; for Muslim Jehadis, irrespective of the country they belong to or are presently residing in, their affinity towards Fundamentals of Islam, Religious Leanings and Pan Islamism; will always overshadow Any Form of Assistance from a Kafir Country.
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