Bangladesh–Pakistan relations

The bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh are influenced by the fact that Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan until 1971, when it achieved independence after the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. As part of Shimla Agreement, India sought to make sure that Pakistan would take steps to recognize Bangladesh. Pakistan sought China's help in blocking Bangladesh's entry into United Nations till 1974. Behind the scene India rallied behind Bangladesh to help gain international recognition. By end of March 1973, 98 countries had recognized Bangladeshcite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/1972/1972-1-9.htm|title=Situation in the Indian Subcontinent|date=1972|publisher=www.mofa.go.jp|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-28] . Pakistan eventually recognised Bangladesh in 1974 after being pressured from other Muslim nations particularly from the Arab states as Mujib stated he would only go to the OIC conference in Lahore if Pakistan recognised Bangladesh.Fact|date=August 2008 Pakistan established full diplomatic relations with Bangladesh on January 18, 1976 and relations improved considerably in the 1980s and 1990s.

Independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan

Until 1971, Bangladesh was a province of Pakistan, known as East Bengal or simply East Pakistan. Relations between the two wings grew strained over the lack of official recognition for the Bengali language, democracy, regional autonomy, disparity between the two wings, ethnic discrimination and the central government's weak and inefficient relief efforts after the 1970 Bhola cyclone, which had affected millions in East Bengal. These grievances led to several political agitations in East Bengal and ultimately a fight for full independence. In March 1971, the Pakistani Army began "Operation Searchlight," which targeted intellectuals, political activists, Hindus and other minorities. [Sarmila Bose " [http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=2005&leaf=10&filename=9223&filetype=html Anatomy of Violence: Analysis of Civil War in East Pakistan in 1971: Military Action: Operation Searchlight] " Economic and Political Weekly Special Articles, 8 October 2005] The figure of people killed by Pakistani forces remains disputed, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 3 million;Matthew White's " [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat2.htm#Bangladesh Death Tolls for the Major Wars and Atrocities of the Twentieth Century] "] [ [http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/history/holocaust.html Virtual Bangladesh : History : The Bangali Genocide, 1971] ] about 8-10 million people became refugees in India.Rummel, Rudolph J., [http://www.Hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.CHAP8.HTM "Statistics of Democide: Genocide and Mass Murder Since 1900"] , ISBN 3-8258-4010-7, Chapter 8, [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.TAB8.2.gifTable 8.2 Pakistan Genocide in Bangladesh Estimates, Sources, and Calcualtions] : lowest estimate 2 million claimed by Pakistan (reported by Aziz, Qutubuddin. "Blood and tears" Karachi: United Press of Pakistan, 1974. pp. 74,226), all the other sources used by Rummel suggest a figure of between 8 and 10 million with one (Johnson, B. L. C. "Bangladesh". New York: Barnes & Noble, 1975. pp. 73,75) that "could have been" 12 million.] Many Bengali policemen and soldiers mutinied and nationalists formed a guerrilla force, the Mukti Bahini with Indian and Soviet Union support. When a declared war broke out between India and Pakistan in December 1971, the Indian Army defeated Pakistani forces in East Bengal and the independent state of Bangladesh was created. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/17.htm Bangladeshi war for independence] ]

Establishment and growth of bilateral relations

Pakistan and its allies such as United States, Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of China refused to recognise Bangladesh, which in turn demanded an apology for the war crimes committed by Pakistani forces. Pakistan was kicked out of the Commonwealth of Nations after the body's decision to recognise Bangladesh. Full diplomatic relations were not established until after the assassination and overthrow of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding leader and president in 1975. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/19.htm Fall of the Bangabandhu] ] [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] Both nations reached an agreement in 1975 in which Bangladesh accepted half of Pakistan's pre-1971 external debt but Bangladesh's claims on receiving half of the country's pre-1971 assets and credit went unresolved. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] Relations improved considerably under the military regimes of Ziaur Rahman and Hossain Mohammad Ershad in Bangladesh, which had grown more distant from its war ally, India. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/21.htm The Zia regime] ] [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ]

Five Pakistani heads of government made official visits to Bangladesh since the 1980s and numerous trade and cultural agreements have been signed. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2158900.stm Bangladesh's emotional scars] ] Common concerns over India's regional power have influenced strategic cooperation "gifted" several squadrons of F-6 fighter aircraft to the Bangladesh Air Force in the late 1980s. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2158900.stm Bangladesh's emotional scars>]

Bihari refugees issue

An issue of continuing controversy is the status and return of Biharis, also called Stranded Pakistanis to Pakistan. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2163374.stm Musharraf's visit] ] Numbered around 540,000, these communities had migrated to what became East Pakistan from the Indian state of Bihar after the partition of India in 1947. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] During the liberation war, these communities supported the Pakistani government and later wanted to emigrate to Pakistan, which stalled and hesitated. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] By 1982 about 127,000 had been repatriated, leaving about 250,000 people still demanding repatriation. [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] In 1985 there was some progress in this area when Pakistani president Zia-ul-Haq agreed to accept the "stranded Pakistanis." [http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/107.htm Bangladesh - Pakistan] ] In a 2002 visit to Bangladesh, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf signed numerous bilateral agreements but said he could not allow the emigration of Biharis to Pakistan for the time being. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2163374.stm Musharraf's visit] ]

References