India-Bangladesh Relations : after 1971
Rifat-ul-Ahsan
“Why Bangladeshis don’t like Indians?”-A common question I come across when participating in different Internet forums. Things that come to my mind instantly are Farakka and BSF killing Bangladeshi civilians. But,there is more to it.These are just the tip of the ice. As the Bengali saying goes, “Taali ek haate baje na” (means you can’t clap with one hand), so I decided to dig deeper.
The subject is so vast,that volumes can be written on this and yet we might feel it is incomplete.This is a small attempt to understand why the relation between these two neighbors turned sour .
Chapter- 1: Indian army in Bangladesh immediately after Pakistan’s surrender
The Indian army entered Bangladesh as saviour and were welcomed as one.This was the time when the relation between Bangladesh and India was on an all time high.However,that feeling slowly died down thanks to some rumours and suspicious activities of Indian Govt.,regarding the withdrawal of Indian army from independent Bangladesh.
A large section of Indian army was staying in Bangladesh since 1971,and as the time passed by they began to look like an “Occupying army”.There were reports that Indian army was sending back large quantities of arms seized from Pakistan army. According to rumors circulating in Dhaka at that time, the Indian Army also took away not only large quantities of household items, furniture and electrical goods left by the Pakistanis but was also dismantling industrial machineries of abandoned factories.However,there were no reports filed against these actions at that time.So we have to depend on eyewitnesses and/or rumours if we really want to believe the looting and plundering by Indian army.
The history of Bangladeshis/Bengalis shows that we always resisted any type of foreign occupation.Bangladeshi people fearful of Indian occupation this time,believed those reports or rumours,whatever you chose to call them.So the honeymoon between India and Bangladesh was slowly ending.Indian army slowly earned a new image of “Occupation army”.
In addition,the Bangladeshi Freedom fighters felt that their achievement and hard work were overshadowed by Indian army.They felt Indian army “just walked in Bangladesh when we had already finished the job.” And they were quite right. Their work were put in the shades by India.That is the reason we still find many Indians living under the false belief that India single handedly gave us freedom.Thus insulting the martyrs and freedom fighters.
These may seem minor reasons, but these were just the start.They were followed by controversial actions by both sides which proved fatal for India-Bangladesh relation in future.
Chapter- 2: India-Bangladesh treaties during and after liberation
The clauses of the India-Bangladesh Friendship treaty are here:
BANGLAPEDIA: India-Bangladesh Friendship Treaty
But what led Bangladesh and India to this treaty?
Let’s discuss the Bangladeshi point of view in short:
1)Withdrawal of Indian troops as it was becoming a headache for Sheikh Mujib.
2)Bangladesh suffered destruction of enormous proportion. Total damage were estimated at 12.5 billion Taka or $ 3 billion (1971 rate).
3)More than 20 million Bangladeshi displaced and were in refugee camps in India.
Indian interest in the treaty:
Indian policy was always to establish itself as a regional power,and 1971 gave India a golden chance.So Indian interest in the treaty was greater than that of Bangladesh.India certainly did not want Bangladesh to let go off the hand.Like it went into Bi-lateral treaties with Nepal and Bhutan after 1947,it was expected that India would do the same for Bangladesh. Otherwise in future Bangladesh could have turned into an state forming alliance with Pakistan or themselves be hostile to India.There was a fear in Indian policymakers’ mind that Mao would play a part and ultra leftist element in Bangladesh would take over.Which really could trigger trouble in NE India at that time.
Although this friendship Treaty was not a defence pact,but Indian Govt.’s intention was clearly shown in article
8,9 and 10 of the treaty.
We shall see how India broke its own treaty in the coming chapters.As termed by Shah Mohammad Saifuddin,Bangladesh walked into a strategic Trap signing the 25 year treaty with India..This treaty took away most, if not all, options for Bangladesh to independently establish foreign, defense, and economic relations with other nations in the world.
There were many secret treaties signed between Indian Govt. and the exiled Bangladeshi Govt. during the liberation war.The points of infamous
“Treaty of Subservience” or Seven point agreement is here;
1. Bangladesh government will select only those people for administrative posts who have actively participated in the liberation war and any shortfall therein will be filled by the Indian government officials.
2. A joint force will be formed comprising of the Indian army and the Mukti Bahini and this force will be placed under the command of the chief of staff of the Indian army who will lead the liberation war.
3. Bangladesh will have no standing army.
4. India will help raise a paramilitary force to protect the internal law and order of the country.
5. Open market will be the basis for trade relation between the two nations and this arrangement will be subject to periodical reviews.
6. The Indian army will be stationed in Bangladesh for an indefinite period of time, but the time frame for their gradual withdrawal will be determined through annual meetings between the two governments.
7. Bangladesh will formulate its foreign policy only in consultation with India.
Source: Dr. Kalidas Baidya, Bangalir Muktijudhe Antoraler Sheikh Mujib, p:166-167
The policy makers of Bangladesh at that time,in fact believed that no country could attack Bangladesh by land if India was not attacked first.They believed India would not attack Bangladesh.It was argued that having an army was a luxury for Bangladesh and we don’t need one!India would give protection from external threat.
But the reality is that only India is capable of attacking Bangladesh from all the fronts.
The clause Three of the seven point treaty prohibits Bangladesh from having an army,and clause 4 says India will help Bangladesh raise a paramilitary force.It is widely believed that is why the infamous Rakhkhi Bahini was formed.
Chapter- 3: Rakkhi Bahini and the descent of Sheikh Mujib
The law and order of the newly born country deteriorated fast,with arms available to civilians who fought in the war.There was a need to bring order in place. It was argued that army was still nor organized and so the task fell on Rakkhi bahini.They were trained by Indian military personnel as promised by the seven point agreement.
The Rakkhi Bahini soon became a tool for suppressing political rivals of Sheikh Mujib.They were involved in extra-judicial killings,raping and torture.When the Supreme court found that the Rakkhi Bahini had no code of conduct, no rules of procedure and no register of arrests and interrogation. Instead of reining in the outfit, Sheikh Mujib stripped the court of its powers to intervene in such matters.
Without a doubt, people loathed this outfit for its conduct.In addition, Sheikh Mujib’s sons were proving them on par with the Rakkhi Bahini.They were involved in extortions,raping and more.Probably felt they owned the country.
Now you are wondering what this has got to do with India-Bangladesh relation. Military equipment was supplied to this paramilitary force by India, as per the request of the Bangladesh government and that they also used an identical uniform to that worn by the Border Security Force.Moudud Ahmed, pointed these on his book, “Era of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman” in 1983.He does not deny the point one of the seven point agreement.As he states, “The service provided by the Indian bureaucrats, at the request of Bangladesh government, was considered as interference and the looting - the ‘spoils of war’ – is a much overstated incident”.
Chapter- 4: Resentment in Bangladesh Army
Indian authority certainly did not want Bangladesh army to grow in size.The reasons being;
1. A strong Bangladesh military could become future security threat to India.
2. If Army becomes powerful enough,it might seize power just like in Pakistan.
3. The ideology and principles of a military Govt. would be fundamentally different from that of a democratic India.
Therefore, Rakkhi Bahini was created so that India could have authority over Bangladesh. This Rakkhi Bahini was obedient to India and they were run like a parallel army.Brig.Nurruzzaman,the commander of Rakkhi Bahini even asked for issuing of tanks and APCs to them.But Sheikh Mujib did not issue such orders.Thankfully he did not,otherwise we would find ourselves in another civil war within a decade of gaining independence.
Now this is a clear case of intervening into the internal matters of Bangladesh by an over suspicious regime of Indira Gandhi.
Coming to the Bangladesh army,there were defected officers from Pakistan army who fought in the Liberation war.Then there were repatriated army officers who were in jails of West Pakistan during the liberation war,and were released in 1973.They were absorbed into the military and constituted half of Bangladesh army.The other half was dominated by former guerilla fighters.The repatriates were denied deserved promotions.Probably because they were not as loyal as the Rakkhi Bahini was to Mujib.The repatriates viewed this as a breach of discipline and threat to the integrity of the military.
These men were highly trained officers of former Pakistan army.They were trained in British tradition of strict military professionalism. To them the prospect of serving an individual rather than an institution was reprehensible. The officers were engaged in disarming the civilians and taming Mujib's political opponents. Moreover most of them were assigned to functionless jobs as "Officers on special duty".The power of Rakkhi Bahini and it running as a “Parallel army” was indignant to these army officers.
It was increasingly becoming a hot chamber.But probably neither Sheikh Mujib nor Indira Gandhi noticed it.
Chapter- 5: Sheikh Mujib era
Sheikh Mujib was indeed a charismatic leader when it came to leading us to independence. However,he was certainly not the man best suited for the role of Prime minister.
Corruption, chaotic law and order, nepotism, dictatorship are probably some words to describe his era. Contrary to the wide belief that he was extremely pro-Indian,But here are some facts which shows otherwise.
1. He was a capitalist,which went against Indian socialism.
2. He defied Indian warnings and went ahead to form an army.Ironically,it brought his downfall.
3. He annoyed India by asking Indian troops to leave Bangladesh.
4. Indian Govt. was further irritated when Mujib ordered for return of Indian civil administrators who were sent to Bangladesh to take over the key positions after the fall of Dhaka on December 16, 1971.
5. Joined OIC meeting in Lahore in 1974, despite Indian disliking.This was needed very much as Bangladesh was struggling in the Muslim world for recognition,despite the fact that bangadesh had Muslim majority.
6. At the end of his era,he slowly moved away from his traditional “Jai Bangla” to saying “assalamualaikum”,to the Bangladeshi people who were mainly Muslim.This also proves a point that he often claimed that he was proud of being “Sheikh”.
7. India feared Sheikh Mujib for one factor.He could turn millions of people against India just by his words.Just like he did it against West Pakistan.That really was an exceptional quality of Sheikh Mujib.
These and some other facts leads some conspiracy theorists to the belief that India might have ordered the killing of Sheikh Mujib,as he was getting out of control.
However he took many steps which portrays him as a “Pro-Indian”, but he probably took those steps or were forced to take to liberate Bangladesh with Indian help. Indian Govt. on the other hand saw a chance to divide its archrival in two,and at the same time wanted Bangladesh as puppet state, which would probably be consumed into India in future.So they put forward treaties which suited their purpose. It is believed that after the seven point treaty was signed, Indira Gandhi started preparing for war.
Now,you might think I am starting the “Akhandya Bharat” theory again,which you feel irrelevant today.But keep in mind,that this was during cold war era.There is no reason to be surprised that India wanted Bangladesh to become one of its states at that time. Indira Gandhi tried her best to keep Bangladesh under her grips but failed miserably after Sheikh Mujib was assassinated.
The lust for power had gotten so much in Sheikh Mujib,that he forgot his country and his countrymen.That’s why we had famine in 1974,that was created artificially by AL leaders,who were too busy filling their pockets.Terrible handling of the disaster lead to emergency rule.He formed BKSHAL,one party rule abolishing all other parties.From a democratically elected leader,he turned into a dictator.His end was fast approaching now.
Chapter- 6: Assassination of Sheikh Mujib,coups and counter coups.
On 15th August 1975, a group of mid ranking army officers did the unthinkable.They assassinated the Father of the Nation,Sheikh Mujib.I must admit,that personally I feel this change was priority for survival of Bangladesh at that time.But the way it was executed is totally shocking and brutal. It was a barbaric act.Except Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana,everyone of the Mujib family was killed.Including Sheikh Rasel,who was only 10 years old.
Indira Gandhi probably would have thought of interfering militarily.But due to the internal problems within India,it was not possible.As emergency was declared in India on the same year.Now this was probably blessing in disguise for both the countries.
Lawrence Lifschultz has alleged that the CIA was involved in the coup and assassination, basing his assumption on the then US ambassador in Dhaka Eugene Booster.Which again was a possibility.
Then between August 1975 to April 1977,there were a series of coups and counter coups.I will not go in the history of those coups.But the end result was that,Bangladesh was no longer under Indian dominance.
Chapter-7:CHT insurgents,Kaderia Bahini and India’s Foul play
Indian Govt.’s despair at keeping Bangladesh under her control became clear when India decided to support Kaderia Bahini to fight the govt. right after Sheikh Mujib was killed.This is totally in contrast to the India-Bangladesh 25 year treaty.As article 9 states that:
(ix) Each of the contracting parties shall refrain from giving any assistance to any third party taking part in an armed conflict against the other party.
Kader Siddique and 2000 of his followers,asked India for assistance in their armed resistance against Bangladeshi Govt. India agreed to give them shelter,training and arms.No wonder the treaty was useless.
Then there was the CHT insurgents who were known as Shanti Bahini.This terrorist outfit is to be blamed for murdering of Bengali settlers in Chittagong and killing army men.Though the word “Shanti” means peace,their way was not of peace.
According to New York Times and many other international newspapers of that time,India supported the Shanti Bahini.Even Shanti Bahini leaders confessed that.The New York Times reports,
Bangladeshi Insurgents Say India Is Supporting Them - The New York Times According to the F.E.E.R. Asia Yearbook 1981;
“Indian arms and ammunition were sent in substantial quantities on two occasions, in November 1975 and later in March 1977. The fall of Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the 1977 Indian election and the installation of the Janata government meant an end to the arms supplies, . . . with the return to power of Mrs. Gandhi earlier this year [1980], there have been no indications of renewed support for the Bangladesh insurgents.”
BSF and Kaderia Bahini cadres trained these Shanti Bahini insurgents. Untill 1997,we had insurgency problem which was fuelled by India.Even after surrender of arms,some hardcore extremists among Shanti Bahini are still active and are now involved in drug and gun smuggling and kidnapping.
Now when all these came to Bangladeshi people’s knowledge,it certainly did not help India-Bangladesh relations.
Chapter-8:General Ziaur Rahman and re-introduction of Jamat e Islami
On April 21, 1977,General Ziaur Rahman became Bangladeshi President.He won Bir uttom in 1971 and Hilal-i-jurrat in 1965 war.Surely a man who was not fond of India,and he proved it too.It was during his rule Bangladesh established its relation with the muslim world,and China.It was for the first time Bangladesh took the courage to take its own independent foreign policy since its independence.Military spending was slowly increased.The reason Bangladesh army is in reasonable position today,is because right initiatives were taken at that time to strengthen the army.
His strong stance against Indian invasion of South Talpatti island and in other matters made him a trouble for Indian govt.As admitted by Indian parliamentarian Mr. Subramaniam. Swamy,provided important insight about RAW's plan to assassinate Ziaur Rahman. He stated in an interview given to the weekly magazine 'Sunday', 'RAW had plotted the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman with approval from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Mr. R. N Kao, the RAW Chief and Shankaran Nair, a senior official of RAW had plotted to kill General Ziaur Rahman. The scheme was already at an advanced stage with Ganghi's approval. But the Congress Government fell and Mr. Morarji Desai became Prime Minister. Mr. Desai was appalled to learn about assassination plan. He called halt to the murder plot. The RAW warned the Prime Minister that it was too late to back out now and that many RAW assets would be endangered if the plan was aborted at this stage. However, Desai remained adamant and finally RAW abandoned the assassination'. Mr. Subramaniam Swamy commented, 'Zia continued to rule Bangladesh for many more years. He was assassinated after Indira Gandhi returned to power but Indira said that she was not involved'.
Unlike his family members who are into Bangladeshi politics now,he abstained from corruption.But he did take some controversial steps.One being the re-introduction of Jamat-e-Islami into Bangladeshi politics again.These were the same men who supported Pakistan during liberation war and participated in war crimes.
As we found out later on that Jamat propelled its political agenda by selling hate against India.And believe me they do influence people’s mind.No wonder they got back on power,though through coalition,in 2001.