New Delhi:
Bangladesh and Pakistan relation: After the change of power in Bangladesh, changes are also being seen in the country’s trade policy and foreign policy. A cargo ship from Karachi to Chattogram (Cargo ship from karachi to bangaldesh) has arrived. This is the first ship which has reached Chattogram after traveling between Pakistan and Bangladesh. After Sheikh Hasina was out of power, it was believed that there would be major changes in the foreign and trade policy of Bangladesh. This time he told the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Dhaka that this is a big step regarding bilateral trade between the two countries. Pakistan officials also claim that this can be seen as a change in the historically tense relations between the two countries. Till now the shadow of the 1971 war was playing a very important role in the relations between the two countries.
Why is trade stalled in Pakistan and Bangladesh?
During the nine-month liberation struggle in 1971, the Pakistani Army committed countless atrocities on the people of Bangladesh. About 30 lakh people were killed. Thousands of people were tortured, women were raped and lakhs of people fled their homes. These old memories were influencing the relations between the two countries till today.
Pakistan’s answer
On the contrary, Pakistan always held India responsible for the Bangladesh incident of 1971. Pakistan has been alleging that there was no atrocities in Bangladesh but all this was sponsored by India whose aim was to fail the project of the father of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Let us tell you that this idea is suitable according to the Pakistan Army. Pakistani Army achieves an important position for itself in the country’s politics by making India its enemy among the people of its country. Taking the help of this, the Pakistani Army has never apologized for the atrocities committed in Bangladesh. The liberation war in Bangladesh has been an important issue until recent times.
bad relationship with hasina
During Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh, relations between Pakistan and Dhaka remained very bad. Bangladesh has been saying that justice was not done in the case of atrocities by Pakistani Army. They should get justice. During his rule, action was taken against traitors or Razakars by branding them as war criminals. Sheikh Hasina’s tenure was from 1996- 2001 and 2009- 2024. Hasina also created the International Crimes Tribunal in 2010 to prosecute war criminals. Not only this, Hasina had also banned Jamaat-e-Islami which supports Pakistan.
Opposition to Mulla’s hanging in Pakistan
It is noteworthy that in 2013, Jamaat leader Abdul Qadir Mulla was found guilty by ICT for murder of 344 people and war crimes. He was the first Razakar who was hanged during Hasina’s rule. On his hanging, Pakistan’s then Home Minister Nisar Ali Khan Chaudhary had said that it was an unfortunate incident. Chaudhary had said that he was hanged because of his loyalty to Pakistan.
Hasina had to face opposition from Pakistan over the hanging of Abdul Qadir Mulla in Bangladesh. The National Assembly of Pakistan passed a resolution protesting against Mulla’s hanging. The answer to this came from Hasina who said that Pakistan has not yet been able to digest the independence of Bangladesh. He also said that Pakistan has many friends in Bangladesh.
good relations with india
At the same time, during Hasina’s tenure, relations between India and Bangladesh improved a lot and the role played by India in the independence of Bangladesh was also greatly appreciated. There was a lot of respect for the people of India in Bangladesh. Hasina herself has good relations with the Nehru-Gandhi family. Sheikh Hasina was given asylum in India after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. Under Hasina’s rule, strict action was taken against fundamentalists and trade and cultural relations between India and Dhaka also intensified.
Why did a new path open for Pakistan in Bangladesh?
Three things have emerged about what and why is happening in Bangladesh after the change of government. Firstly, Hasina and her party made huge political gains during their long rule in the country. This benefit was due to the contribution of his family and party in the independence of Bangladesh. But the student rebellion proved that appeasing the opponents will no longer work. It was necessary to change the economic and social situation in the country according to the increasing population. It is no longer relevant for the youth population in Bangladesh to connect themselves with the issues of the country’s independence. The generation that saw and endured atrocities knows it, the new generation is unaware of it.
Many people in Bangladesh did not like Hasina’s good relations with New Delhi. Anti-India ideology was also increasing in Bangladesh and people believed that India was interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh. Its example can be understood like this. Some time ago, the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, built for five decades, where Indian cultural activities used to take place, was attacked by local people.
The third important reason has been that there is a section in Bangladesh which also opposes the incident of 1971. He does not consider 1971 as the victory of Bangladesh and Bengali nationalism. These types of people consider 1971 a betrayal of the promise of partition. After Hasina’s departure, Jamaat-e-Islami has a deep presence in Dhaka.
Seeing the increasing influence of people with anti-India views in the capital of Bangladesh, it can be said that in the coming times, Bangladesh’s hostility towards India will increase further and at the same time, relations with Pakistan will further improve.
