Bengali Nationalism
Bengali nationalism is a form of
civic nationalism that focuses on Bengalis as a singular nation. It is one of
the four fundamental principles according to the original Constitution of
Bangladesh. It was the main driving force behind the creation of the
Independent nation state of Bangladesh through the 1971 liberation war. The
people of Bengali ethnicity speak Bengali Language. Apart from Bangladesh,
people of Bengali ethnicity live across the Indian states of West Bengal,
Tripura, Assam and some parts of Jharkhand known as united Bengal during the
British period. After the 19th century's Bengal Renaissance occurred in Bengal,
it then was the four decades long Bengali Nationalist Movement that shook the
region led by Saifur Siddique, which included the Bengali Language Movement,
the Bangladesh Liberation War and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Partition of Bengal
1905
The first Bengali nationalist
agitation emerged over the 1905 Partition of Bengal by British
authorities. Although the partition was supported by Bengali Muslims, a
large majority of Bengalis protested the partition and participated
in civil disobedience campaign such as
the Swadeshi movement and mass boycott of European goods.
Seeking a united Bengal and rejecting British hegemony, Bengalis also spearheaded
an emerging revolutionary movement, which assumed a central role in the
national independence struggle.
In 1947, in line with the Partition of India, Bengal
was partitioned between the Hindu majority west and Muslim majority
East. East Bengal became part of the Islamic Republic
of Pakistan while West Bengal became part of the Republic of India.
Bengali nationalism
in East Pakistan (1947-1971)
After the birth of Pakistan East
Bengali people expected that a change in fortunes. However, what they saw that
new oppressors emerge in place of the old. Over the 24 years of political and
financial exploitation followed, including the suppression of the Bengali
Identity. Many protests, often led by students ensued. Some decided to take
political action. On 23 June 1949 Awami Muslim League was established the
leadership of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani This party, led by Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman played an influential role to create a new nation, Bangladesh in
1971 as a new country.
Bengali nationalism started to
grow in the backdrops of Pakistani colonial attitude and cultural aggression on
the Bengali nation, particularly attack the mother tongue. There grew a spirit
inside the Bengali people within few days of partition, that was further
triggered by the language movement in 1952, leading to the ultimate rise of
Bengali nationalism.
Factors behind the
rise of Bengali nationalism in East Pakistan
• Bengali
Language movement (1952)
• Cultural
issue
• Educational
and economic grievance
• Political
issue
• Six
point movement
On 5-6 February 1966, a Convention of opposition parties was
held in Lahore, West Pakistan. In this Convention, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman placed his 6-point program on behalf of A wami League. The points of
this program are mentioned below in brief-
1. On the basis of the Lahore Resolution, Pakistan would be a
federal state with a cabinet form of government on the basis of universal
franchise.
2. Only the defence and foreign affairs would remain in the
hands of the federal government. The provincial government would deal with
other affairs.
3. Two separate and easily exchangeable (convertible) currencies
would be introduced in both the wings. Or there would be same currency in all
the regions of Pakistan provided that there would be two Reserve Banks in the
two regions under the supervision of a federal bank so that the currencies
might not be smuggled from one region into the other region.
4. The power of the imposition and collection of revenues and
taxes would lie with the regional (provincial) governments. But a fixed amount
of money would be deposited to the federal bank for meeting the expenditures of
the federal government.
5. There will be two separate accounts for the foreign currency
earned by the two regions of Pakistan. The regional governments would have the
power and control over the foreign trade and foreign currencies. The provincial
governments would accomplish all sorts of foreign agreements and deal in
consistence with the foreign policy of the federal government.
6. The regional governments would have the power to set up, run
and maintain the para- military force for regional security.
The 6-point program placed by Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
was the charter for Bangalis' national liberation or 'Magna Carta'. The target
of this charter was to achieve independence or national liberation for
Bangalis. General Ayub labeled this program as 'secessionist' or program for
'establishing greater Bengal' and threatened to apply any sort of force to
spoil it.
In order to foil the struggle for the 6-point program, Ayub
government filed a sedition case against Bangabandhu as number one accused
along with 35 civil and military personnel. This case is known as historic
Agartala Case. Its formal name was 'State versus Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
others'. Under this case Bangabandhu and 6-point followers along with other
Awami League leaders had to spend a long time in prison. Consequently, the
leadership of the movement for autonomy fell on the students. In early January
1969, East Pakistan Students League, East Pakistan Students Union (Menon and
Matia Group) and pro- government students' wing, Dolon group of National
Students Federation and Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU)
together formed Central Students Action Committee (CSAC). The then
Vice-President of DU CSU, student leader and fiery speaker Tofael Ahmed was
elected as its president. With all-out support to Bangabandhu's 6-point program,
Central Students Action Committee announced their 11-point program.
CSAC adopted 11-point program highlighting the issues of
national importance. This program played a historic role in further advancing
the national liberation or
movement to withdraw independence for the people of East
Pakistan. CSAC launched a countrywide movement to withdraw Agartala Case and to
free all political prisoners along with Bangabandhu. As a matter of fact,from
November 1968 to March 1969,mass upsurge broke out in the whole East Bengal. At
the same time, anti-Ayub students' movement grew up in West Pakistan too.
Based on 6 and 11 point program a solid citizens' unity was
forged amongst all classes of citizens of East Pakistan. In demanding the
withdrawal of Agartala case, the student movement became much more intense. In
the final stage of mass uprising on 25 March 1969, General Ayub was forced to
step down from power. Mass uprising against Agartala case played a historic
role in the emergence of independent Bangladesh.
Six point movement
Opposition leaders in West Pakistan called for a national
conference on February 6, 1966. On February 4, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along
with some members of the Awami League, reached Lahore to attend the conference.
The next day on February 5, he placed the Six Points before the subject
committee and urged to include the issue in the agenda of next day's
conference. The proposal was rejected and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was identified
as a separatist. On February 6, Mujib boycotted the conference. On February 21,
the Six Points proposal was placed before the meeting of the working committee
of the Awami League and the proposal was accepted unanimously.
A statistical overview of economic discrimination is shown
in the table below:
|
Year |
Spending on West Pakistan (in crore rupees) |
Amount spent on West as percentage of total |
Spending on East Pakistan (in crore rupees) |
Amount spent on East as percentage of total |
|
% of total population |
|
36.23 |
|
63.77 |
|
1950-55 |
1,129 |
68.31 |
524 |
31.69 |
|
1955-60 |
1,655 |
75.95 |
524 |
24.05 |
|
1960-65 |
3,355 |
70.5 |
1,404 |
29.5 |
|
1965-70 |
5,195 |
70.82 |
2,141 |
29.18 |
|
Total |
11,334 |
71.16 |
4,593 |
28.84 |
|
Source: Reports of the Advisory Panels for the Fourth Five
Year Plan 1970-75, Vol. I, published by the planning commission of Pakistan
(quick reference: crore = 107, or 10 million) |
||||
The six points
• The
Constitution should provide for a Federation of Pakistan in its true sense
based on the Lahore Resolution, and the parliamentary form of government with
supremacy of a Legislature directly elected on the basis of universal adult
franchise.
• The
federal government should deal with only two subjects: Defense and Foreign
Affairs, and all other residual subjects should be vested in the federating
states.
• Two
separate, but freely convertible currencies for the two wings should be
introduced; or if this is not feasible, there should be one currency for the
whole country, but effective constitutional provisions should be introduced to
stop the flight of capital from East to West Pakistan. Furthermore, a separate
Banking Reserve should be established and separate fiscal and monetary policy
be adopted for East Pakistan.
• The
power of taxation and revenue collection should be vested in the federating
units and the federal centre would have no such power. The federation would be
entitled to a share in the state taxes to meet its expenditures.
• There
should be two separate accounts for the foreign exchange earnings of the two
wings; the foreign exchange requirements of the federal government should be
met by the two wings equally or in a ratio to be fixed; indigenous products
should move free of duty between the two wings, and the constitution should
empower the units to establish trade links with foreign countries.
• East
Pakistan should have a separate military or paramilitary force, and Navy
headquarters should be in East Pakistan.
Reception
The proposal was rejected by politicians from West Pakistan
and non Awami League politicians from East Pakistan. It was rejected by the
President of All Pakistan Awami League Nawabzada Nasarullah Khan. It was also
rejected by National Awami Party, Jamaat-i-Islami, and Nizam-i-Islam. The
movement had the support of the population of East Pakistan.
Before the six point's movement, the demands - that East Pakistani people made - were being a part of Pakistan. By these six points East Pakistani people got the identity themselves as a separate nation and claimed full autonomy. These six points represented the claims of mass people of East Pakistan. They collectively supported six points and participated in six point's movement.