Consolidate the gains of liberation
Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistan occupation forces forty-five years ago on December 16, 1971. The country was declared independent on March 26, 1971 but remained under enemy occupation till December 16. During the intervening period of 297 days the Bangladeshis suffered heavily in terms of death, destruction, looting, arson, rape and displacement. Every Bangladeshi, every family was affected in one way or the other. One does not have to go into chilling details of the genocide perpetrated by Pakistanis on Bangladeshis who were their own countrymen at that time. But it would suffice to say that Bangladesh's Liberation War was one of the costliest in terms of bloodshed by citizens of any country in their fight for independence.
During the darkest period of Bangladesh's history the Indian government and people and the Russian government (USSR) stood with their Bengali brothers and sisters. Almost ten million refugees took shelter in India. India was not as developed economically as it is today. But every Indian took the war of independence of Bangladesh as his/her own struggle and contributed in whatever way one could. Indian youths, especially from the state of Bengal, were at the forefront to help the refugees and take up the cause of Bangladeshis. President Pranab Mukherjee and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were amongst thousands of such youngsters. New Delhi helped in establishing the Provisional Government of Bangladesh which operated from Kolkata. The Indian Army provided all possible assistance in raising, organising, training and equipping Mukti Bahini. By the end of November 1971, Bangladesh forces were organised in three infantry brigades with requisite artillery, one hundred thousand guerrillas and a number of sectors deployed along the Indo-Bangladesh border for facilitating guerrilla operations. Bangladesh also had a small navy and air force. With the formation of joint command of Indian and Bangladeshi forces in November 1971, the noose around the occupying Pakistan army was tightened.
December 3, 1971 Yahya Khan ordered air attacks on eight Indian airfields. The joint forces were waiting for such provocation and launched their multi-pronged offensive from all directions to liberate Bangladesh. The Indian navy blockaded the Bay of Bengal and Indian air force pounded the Pakistanis from the skies. The whole affair was brought to an end by the joint forces in just 12 days, forcing the Pakistan army's 93,500 from all ranks to surrender. The victory was gained against all odds. The US dispatched its mightiest naval task force of Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal. It was supported by Great Britain which dispatched Royal Navy armada to the Arabian Sea. Both naval forces were checkmated by USSR's navy, forcing the British armada to take a U-turn and the seventh fleet downing its anchors mid Bay of Bengal. China made noises on India's Himalayan frontiers but was contained by India and countervailed by the USSR which deployed its forces on the Sino-USSR border. The clouds of nuclear war hovered on the horizon. But the biggest challenge was on the diplomatic front. In the UN all western countries, US allies and the Muslim nations formed a bloc to strangulate Indo-Bangladesh forces' attempts to liberate the country. These moves were stalled with the usage of veto power by USSR and skilful diplomatic manoeuvring by India.
The Indian Army and Bangladeshi freedom fighters fought shoulder to shoulder. Some of them were martyred with the same Pakistani artillery shell or volley/burst of fire. The Redcliff Line was not a barrier in 1971. The Indian Army officers and their co-warriors of Bangladesh became lifelong friends and are in touch even today. The friendship and cooperation between the governments and people of both countries was at its zenith by the end of 1971. When Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a stopover in New Delhi on January 10, 1972 after being released from Pakistani jail, he was given a rousing welcome as the whole of Delhi turned out to greet him. Bangladeshis and Indians, especially veterans of the Liberation War, hoped that the friendship of freedom struggle between the two governments and people would last forever and they would eradicate poverty together. But alas, it did not happen that way. Almost two decades of military rule in Bangladesh and the concomitant not-so-friendly attitude of New Delhi undid everything. Gains of war were lost in peace. There were accusations and counter-accusations, even hostility towards each other. There were instances of tension on Redcliff Line. Fencing was erected with guards keeping 24/7 vigils. Anybody trying to cross it would face bullets. All this seems to be fantastic and absurd.
Relations have improved in the past few years. The two nations are bound by common culture, language, history, literature and ethnicity. The economies of eastern and north eastern states of India and Bangladesh are intertwined and dictate that the countries should cooperate in all fields—economy, culture, education—at the diplomatic and strategic level. Fifty-four rivers from India run into Bangladesh but sharing of water remains a bone of contention because of Bengal's Chief Minister's obstinate attitude, who, as a student in 1971, espoused the cause of Bangladesh's independence. During monsoons these rivers cause devastating floods in both countries with millions of cusecs of water wastefully draining into the Bay of Bengal. A canal linking all these rivers can be made and series of dams constructed to store water which can irrigate large chunks of land throughout the year in both countries.
Cooperation between both nations can eradicate poverty which is the biggest challenge facing them. BBIN, BIMSTEC and bilateral agreements must be put into place to speed up the growth rate. Bangladesh is the gateway to India's 'Act East' policy. It is an overall manpower surplus country. Same is the case with Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal. Projects to employ the people must be worked out jointly. BIMSTEC can be an ideal platform. North eastern states of India and north Myanmar have large chunks of sparsely inhabited territory. Agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, timber, forestry, tourism and allied projects must be initiated in these areas under the auspices of BIMSTEC besides road and rail construction for better connectivity. Biometric identity cards and central monitoring of movement can allay the apprehensions of illegal migration. Movement of manpower is essential with biometric safeguards. People-to-people contact needs to be enhanced drastically. Joint ventures in industry, IT, power generation and distribution, transit facilities, tourism, hospitality and allied fields can provide employment to millions.
Both countries are on an upward trajectory of economic growth. Bangladesh registered 7.05 percent growth during the last financial year with very good progress in Human Development Index, literacy and higher education. Governments of both countries have an obligation to consolidate the gains of the Liberation War for which people sacrificed so much. There is hope that the level of bonhomie and cooperation will touch the mark of 1971.
The writer is a retired Brigadier General of the Indian Army. He participated in the Liberation War of Bangladesh.