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| | '''Bangladesh''' (officially the '''People's Republic of Bangladesh''') is a country in South Asia which is bordered by [[India]] and to a lesser extent Myanmar. It is a heavily [[Muslim]] country with a substantial [[Hindu]] minority. It was called Eastern Pakistan, being the easternmost region of Pakistan before the Bangladeshi War of Independence in 1971, an armed conflict which lasted for 9 months and resulted in the creation of the nation of Bangladesh and resulted in it being severed from Pakistan. | | '''Bangladesh''' (officially the '''People's Republic of Bangladesh''') is a country in South Asia which is bordered by [[India]] and to a lesser extent Myanmar. It is a heavily [[Muslim]] country with a substantial [[Hindu]] minority. It was called Eastern Pakistan, being the easternmost region of Pakistan before the Bangladeshi War of Independence in 1971, an armed conflict which lasted for 9 months and resulted in the creation of the nation of Bangladesh and resulted in it being severed from Pakistan. |
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| − | The war with [[Pakistan]] started due to a variety of factors but chiefly because of the suppression of the ethno-linguistic identity in East Bengal. The Pakistani army used force to suppress the rebellion. The war ended with Indian intervention and the new nation of Bangladesh was formed on 1971. | + | The war with [[Pakistan]] started due to a variety of factors but chiefly because of the suppression of the ethno-linguistic and religious identity of Bengali Hindus and Muslims in East Bengal. The Pakistani army used extreme force to suppress the rebellion, and engaged in a systematic genocide of Bengalis, chiefly targeting Hindus<ref |
| | + | name="sundaytimes6_13_71">''The Sunday Times'', London, June 13, 1971, From ''The Sunday Times'', June 13, 1971: |
| | + | <blockquote>The Government's policy for East Bengal was spelled out to me in the Eastern Command headquarters at Dacca. It has three elements: 1. The Bengalis have proved themselves unreliable and must be ruled by West Pakistanis; 2. The Bengalis will have to be re-educated along proper Islamic lines. The - Islamization of the masses - this is the official jargon - is intended to eliminate secessionist tendencies and provide a strong religious bond with West Pakistan; 3. When the Hindus have been eliminated by death and fight, their property will be used as a golden carrot to win over the under privileged Muslim middle-class. This will provide the base for erecting administrative and political structures in the future.</blockquote></ref>, for total eradication.<ref |
| | + | name="thedailystar-2005-12-14">Asadullah Khan ''[http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/12/14/d512141501115.htm The loss continues to haunt us]'' in The [[Daily Star (Bangladesh)|]] [[December 14]], 2005 |
| | + | </ref><ref |
| | + | name="usconsulate-1971-03-31">U.S. Consulate (Dacca) Cable, Sitrep: [http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB79/BEBB6.pdf Army Terror Campaign Continues in Dacca; Evidence Military Faces Some Difficulties Elsewhere], [[March 31]], [[1971]], Confidential, 3 pp</ref> At the onset of the Bengali nationalist rebellion led by the [[Awami League]], Pakistani forces targeted [[Hindus]], Bengali intellectuals, students and political activists, especially at college campuses in the capital [[Dhaka]] and other cities.<ref |
| | + | name=sajit-gandhi>Sajit Gandhi ''[http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB79/ The Tilt: The U.S. and the South Asian Crisis of 1971 National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 79]'' [[December 16]], [[2002]]</ref><ref>[http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Kissinger/Bangladesh_TOHK.html]</ref>. The Bangladesh Liberation War war ended with Indian intervention, resulting in the total defeat of Pakistani forces, and the new nation of Bangladesh was formed on 1971. |
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| | The national language of Bangladesh is Bangla or Bengali. It is the third largest Muslim nation. | | The national language of Bangladesh is Bangla or Bengali. It is the third largest Muslim nation. |