Bangladeshis: Biting the hands that liberated them

Himadri Sarkar

It is unfortunate but true that the present generation of Bangladeshi youth have not been taught by their elders how their forefathers got the freedom of their country from the exploitation and clutches of Pakistan. For about a quarter of a century, East Pakistanis( predominantly Bengalis) were not only being exploited and tortured by their western counterparts ( largely Punjabis, Sindhis and Balochis) who even tried to impose Urdu as the one and only official language of one Pakistan. Problems emanated from this one-sided imposition of an alien language and finally culminated in guerilla war between the two wings of Pakistan and thereafter liberation to form an independent nation named Bangladesh. It is also pertinent to mention here that this generation of Bangladeshi youngsters are being misled to believe that it was the Muktibahini and not India that got them their freedom. Nothing could be more dishonest about this notion. Muktibahini was fighting a guerrilla type of war which could have never got them freedom from Pakistani Army which was laced with modern weaponry as against mere rifles of Muktibahini. It was the Indian forces that brought the Pakis to their knees and not Mukti Bahini. Pakistan surrendered to Indian forces and not to Muktibahini. It was one of the swiftest military victories by a country in recent times. The younger generation is being brainwashed to hate India and Hindus in particular, and that is why they now hate Sheikh Mujib who, till he lived, was always friendly with India. And perhaps this is the reason why so much of hate is being laden against Sheikh Hasina too who is now being sheltered by India. One may differ in political ideology but how can one forget the person who gave his life to get them freedom? Like Sheikh Mujib was the Father of Nation,  India too has a Father of the Nation in Mahatma Gandhi whose ideology and thinking may not be agreeable  to many Indians but no Indian can show disrespect to his statues, murals, photos, establishments and other memorabilia.  Same thing applies to Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and others. India is a civilised nation with a vibrant democracy in place.

What is happening now in Bangladesh is unspeakable and atrocious to say the least as they are out to destroy everything related to Mujib including destroying and burning down his residence which was converted to a state museum after his death. They have already removed the name Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu and so on in every possible way including his image on currency notes. You cannot change History by burning and destroying some statues and murals. It is ironical that they are befriending Pakistan whose soldiers had raped, killed and looted millions of Bangladeshis not so long back. Bangladesh is heading towards an Islamic nation from a secular state and presently being ruled by radical Muslim fundamentalists who wish to make the country a total Muslim state like Pakistan. It is high time that the government of India should sever all ties with Bangladesh including trade till a democratically elected government is put in place. God save Bangladesh from total ruin.

(The views expressed are personal opinion of the author.)