On Wednesday, February 5, another attempt was made to try and wipe out memories of the Bangladesh Liberation War, which resulted in the creation of a new country. Pakistan was defeated in the war of 1971 which eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh.
The current dispensation under Muhammad Yunus has granted space to radical Islamists who subscribe to the view that the country should have a new constitution and must be under the rule of Sharia.
These radicals are getting ample support not only from the government, but also from the new friends that Yunus has in Pakistan. Since the outer of the Sheikh Hasina government, the country has witnessed chaos and with the ISI becoming a major player every attempt is being made to restore the pre-1971 presence of Pakistan in the country.
ISI wants a pre-71 presence
A delegation of the ISI had visited Bangladesh recently. The Yunus government welcomed the rogue agency with open arms and in the bargain ended up granting unlimited access to Pakistan.
The ISI has also scouted some strategic areas in Bangladesh and if it is successful in its plan, then the scenario would become problematic for Bharat. During his visit, ISI chief Lt. General Asim Malik discussed the possibility of having a Pakistan army presence in Cox Bazar, Teknaf, Habiaganj, Sharper, Ukhia and Moulvibazar.
All these areas were part of East Pakistan prior to the formation of Bangladesh in 1971. During this period, the presence of the Pakistan army had become problematic for India. This was primarily because the Pakistan army backed the insurgent groups in Nagaland and Mizoram thus creating a security nightmare for Bharat.
Pakistan however may not be able to send its army in to Bangladesh officially as it would violate international norms. To achieve their larger agenda, the ISI has been coordinating with Islamists and pro-Jamaat officers in the Bangladesh Army. The Pakistan army is already in talks with Lt. General Faizur Rahman, the quarter master general of the Bangladesh Army. Further talks were held with general officer commanding of 24 Division, Major Mir Mushfique Rahman. Both these officers are close to the ISI and will tow the Pakistan line.
Attempts to change history
The Pakistan army is yet to forget the humiliation it suffered at the hands of the Indian army in the 1971 war. Since that defeat the ISI has made various attempts to gain control over Bangladesh. One of the first plans it devised along with the DGFI post 1971 was to send in as many illegal immigrants into the northeastern states. The idea was to change the demographics in Hindu majority areas and ensure that the Muslims were a dominant force.
Pakistan however faced certain difficulties in implementing its plan since there have been governments in Bangladesh which have shared close ties with New Delhi. This had become a dampener for the ISI. However with Yunus at the helm the plan has become easy to execute.
In a bid to re-write history, the educational curriculum in Bangladesh has been witnessing significant changes.The revised textbooks will now attribute the Declaration of Independence in 1971 to Ziaur Rahman. Currently independence is attributed to ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. While Mujibur’s title as the Father of the Nation has been eliminated, on Wednesday, a violent mob even vandalised his home in Dhaka.
Mujibur Rahman is the father of Sheikh Hasina, while Ziaur Rahman was married to Khaleda Zia. He had founded the BNP which is the main rival of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League.
Since the outer of Hasina, all attempts have been made to wipe out Mujibur Rahman from public memory. His statues have been vandalised and attempts have been made to remove his image from the currency notes.
The Yunus led government also decided to cancel eight National Days, including the March 7 and August 15 celebrations which are associated with the Liberation War led by Mujibur Rahman.
Constitutional changes
Attorney General of Bangladesh, Mohammad Asaduzzaman recently called for amendments to the Constitution of Bangladesh. He suggested the removal of key provisions such as socialism, Bengali nationalism, secularism and the designation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as “Father of the Nation.”
He argued that socialism and secularism do not reflect the realities of a nation where 90 per cent of the population is Muslim. He said target the original phrasing be reinstated, which emphasised unwavering faith in Allah.
After Yunus took over as interim chief, a Constitution reform commission had been formed. It had promised replacing secularism and two other core tenets with four new principles.
Of the current four fundamental principles, only democracy would remain unchanged. In 1972, the existing principles-nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism had been established. The commission proposed five new principles-equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism and democracy. This according to the commission reflect the spirit of the Liberation War and also the students’ uprising of 2024.
