East Delta University Assignment Assessment Guideline

Course Title: Bangladesh, Culture and Heritage Course Code: BCH 101

Program: BBA Section: 01

Student’s Name: Fahmida Jahan Student ID: 183006202

Assignment Weight: 10 Marks Assignment No(s): 01

Assignment Title(s): Discussion and Analysis on British Bengal and the Liberation War of Bangladesh

Instructor: Ridoan Karim Submission Deadline: 5thNovember, 2019

Referencing: Referencing is a way of acknowledging the sources of information that you use to
develop your assignments. You need to provide a reference whenever you draw on
someone else's words, ideas, or research.
In the main body of your submission, you must give credit to authors on whose
research your work is based. Append a reference list to your submission that enlists
the books, articles, etc. that you have explored or quoted in order to complete this
assignment (e.g. for books: surname of author and initials, year of publication, title of
book, edition, publisher: place of publication).
You should also provide references for any graphic information you use. Films,
television programs, personal communications, and online sources also need to be
referenced. Not referencing other people's work can constitute plagiarism.
Disclosure: Please include the following statement on the title page of the submitted assignment,
followed by your name:

I declare that this assignment is entirely my own work and I have acknowledged all
the materials used from the published or unpublished works of other people. All
references have been duly cited.

Please note that all assignments must be submitted to Turnitin. Acceptable similarity score for all Turnitin
submissions is 25% or less.
Late submissions will be penalised.

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 Only the Course Instructor or Program Coordinator may grant an extension.

Learning Outcomes

1. The assignment attempts to create the ability to understand all the key points, theories and
discussions on the domain knowledge related to this specific course.
2. The assignment provided will test the critical and problem-solving ability of the student which is very
much required in today’s learning environment.
3. The assignment should be able to evaluate the innovativeness of the students; hence, such a task
might help them to put their leadership ability in writing and demonstrate process that the students are
indirectly learning the motivational tools of research write-up.
4. The assignment not only provides a general idea on a specific topic, instead it also provides a global
picture relating to such given topic. Such a global image will help them understand the current
international business or literary trends and eventually make them a global citizen.
5. The assignments should motivate the students to be more career-oriented and help them to
understand the real- life scenarios.

TASK DESCRIPTION – ASSIGNMENT

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 DETAILED TASKS

The Instructor will provide a broad description here about the assignment. Additionally, tasks
might be explained in details by the Instructor.

FORMATTING AND LAYOUT

Please note the following issues when completing your written assignment.

1. Writing: Write in English following appropriate business styles/academic norms.

2. Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3. Formatting: Type in Times New Roman or Arial font (size 12) with at least 1-inch (2.5 centimetres)
margin on all four sides, use double space in paragraph setting, and number the pages at the bottom
right corner.
4. Cover page: Provide a clear title of the assignment, course code and title, and your name and ID on a
cover sheet.
5. Reference List: Provide a list of References or Bibliography using a uniform referencing style
throughout the assignment (Referencing style will be suggested by the respective instructor).
6. Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic books and
journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive, analytical, and empirical.

The use of a range of information sources is expected, e.g. academic books, indexed and peer
reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings, professional articles, press releases and
newspaper articles, reliable statistics, company annual reports, literary pieces, films and other
authentic semiotic adaptations, published government documents, and other company information.

Introduction:

Independence is that touchstone that turns a human race into a nation. It glorifies their identity by
uplifting it to a nationality and presents them their own color flying haughtily inside a sovereign
territory. For the want of independence and to have a separate nationality people have made

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supreme sacrifice since the emergence of human civilization. Innumerable wars and struggles
took place in the world between suppressors and the suppressed on the issue of liberation and
sovereignty.

We, the ‘Bangladeshis’, are also one of those diehard daring nations who had to sacrifice millions of
human lives and shed a sea of blood for freeing the motherland from the clutches of evil forces. The
liberation war of Bangladesh occupies an important place in the world history of independence. The
liberation movement of Bangladesh was not only limited to nine months of freedom fight, but it was
shaped through a process of long termed evolution. It was a revolution to speak in one’s own language,
it was a protest to have one’s own right and finally it was a war to save humanity. Almost 3 million
people of Bangladesh have lost their lives, 10 million were routed out from their homes and rest 60
million were subjected to untold miseries. The freedom fighters that were the successors of DuduMiah
and Titumeer had to fight an unequal battle against the highly armed and equipped Pakistan army only
with their bold courage and never diminishing determination. They dared to accept death as they cared
for independence.

British Period:

During the rule of the emperor Aurangzeb (reigned 1658–1707), the English East India Company
was permitted to establish its base at Calcutta (Kolkata). The British gained strength in the region
as the Mughal Empire weakened. In 1757, following a battle in the town of Plassey between
forces led by British soldier Robert Clive and the Mughal nawab (viceroy) Sirāj-ud-Dawlah, the
East India Company emerged as the dominant political power in Suba Bangalah. Under Gov.-
Gen. Charles Cornwallis (served 1786–93), a permanent settlement system was established in the
territory—now called the Bengal Presidency—whereby property rights were granted in
perpetuity to local zamindars (landlords). This property policy indirectly stimulated the growth
of a new landed middle class—especially in Calcutta—called the bhandralok. Initially, the
bhandralok was dominated by upper-caste Hindus, but the Muslim presence began to increase
toward the end of the 19th century. In time, this middle class emerged as the most active
advocate of Indian self-government.

The province of Bengal was almost impossible to administer, even after Assam was made a
separate province in 1874. In 1905, largely at the initiative of the viceroy George Nathaniel
Curzon, two new provinces were created, ostensibly on a geopolitical basis; these provinces were
Western Bengal, including Bihar and Orissa, and Eastern Bengal and Assam. With its capital at
Calcutta, Western Bengal had a Hindu majority, while the province of Eastern Bengal and
Assam, with its capital at Dhaka, was predominantly Muslim. Aside from increasing
administrative efficiency, Curzon’s move was intended to position the Muslims as a
counterweight to the Hindus.

The partition elicited vociferous protest in Western Bengal, especially in Calcutta, where the
Indian National Congress (also called the Congress Party; formed in 1885) played a prominent
role. Indian Muslim leaders, however, mostly supported the partition, and in 1906 they gathered
at Dhaka under the patronage of Nawab Salimullah and set up the All-India Muslim League.
Their efforts secured separate electorates and separate constituencies for the Muslims under the

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constitutional reforms of 1909, but they could not save the partition. In 1912 the partition was
annulled, Bihar and Orissa were constituted into a new province, and Assam reverted to its
separate status.

Following the reunification of Bengal, the Congress Party and the Muslim League worked
together for self-government; among the leaders of this effort were Nawab Salimullah, Chitta
Ranjan Das, Fazl ul-Haq, and Sarat Chandra Bose. Communal animosities resurfaced in the early
1920s, however, in the wake of a failed nonviolent alignment between the Indian Muslim front
known as the Khilafat Movement and the Hindu-led Indian nationalist Noncooperation
Movement under Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi. Consequently, in order to achieve
political goals, it became necessary to adopt coalition tactics that would transcend communal
antagonisms; the politician who proved most adept at this was Fazl ul-Haq, chief minister of
Bengal from 1937 to 1943. He set up his own Peasants and Tenants (Krishak Proja) Party and
formed a coalition with the Muslim League. In 1940, at the league’s annual gathering at Lahore,
Fazl ul-Haq proposed the so-called “Pakistan Resolution,” demanding independent states for
Muslims. The following year, however, he was expelled from the Muslim League; he formed a
new coalition and continued to serve as chief minister.

In 1942 new rounds of political dialogue commenced, but no agreement could be reached. With
legislative elections in 1946, the Muslim League returned to power under the leadership of
Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, who subsequently became chief minister of Bengal. In August of
that year an intense Muslim-Hindu communal conflict erupted in Calcutta, and it eventually
spread well beyond the borders of Bengal. This event, combined with protracted and unfruitful
discussions between the various groups, made the partition of India appear inevitable.
Suhrawardy, Sarat Chandra Bose, and several other prominent political leaders reopened
negotiations for a separate, independent, united Bengal.

In March 1947 Louis Mountbatten became the last viceroy of British India, with a mandate to
transfer powers. As plans were being formulated for the partition of India, Mohammed Ali
Jinnah, a leading figure of the Muslim League, advocated for the formation of a united Bengal;
Mountbatten was not against the idea, but Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress Party opposed it.
When British colonial rule ended in August 1947, two new countries—India and Pakistan—were
born, and Bengal was split between them. West Bengal went to India, and East Bengal formed
the eastern wing of Pakistan, which was bisected by a vast tract of northern India.

Causes of liberation war of 1971:

During the Partition of India, Pakistan, as a country, gained independence on August 14,
1947following the end of British rule over South Asian countries. The division was made based
on religion. Pakistan was created out of Muslim majority territories in the West and East, and

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India was created out of the vast Hindu majority regions in the center. The Western zone was
popularly (and for a period of time, also officially) called West Pakistan and the Eastern
zone(modern-day Bangladesh) was called East Bengal and later, East Pakistan. The capital of
Pakistan was established in Karachi in West Pakistan and then moved to Islamabad in 1958.

 Difference in religious standpoints:

One of the key issue was the extent to which Islam was followed. West Pakistan with an
overwhelming 97 percent Muslim population was less liberal (in religious terms) than East
Pakistan which was at least 15 percent non-Muslim (mainly Hindus). Bengalis' are proud of their
common literary and cultural heritage in which Muslim, Hindu and Christian writers are held in
high esteem across the religious divide. The difference was made further clear after Bangladeshi
independence, when Bangladesh was established as a secular country under the name "People's
Republic of Bangladesh" rather than as the Islamic Republic of Bangladesh. This was in tribute to
all those, Muslim and non-Muslim, who had taken part in the independence struggle.
 Language Movement:
In 1948, Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared in Dhaka, capital of East Pakistan that "Urdu, and only
Urdu shall be the state language of Pakistan." Urdu is a language that was only spoken in the
West by Muhajirs and in the East by Biharis, while Bangla was spoken by the majority of people.
East Pakistan revolted and several students and civilians lost their lives on February 21,
1952.The day is revered in Bangladesh and in West Bengal as the Language Martyrs' Day. Bitter
feelings among East Pakistanis never ceased to grow, especially with repeated arrivals of military
rulers. Later, in remembrance of the 1952 killings, UNESCO declared February 21 as
International Mother Language Day.
 Political Climax:
The political prelude to the war included several factors. Due to the differences between the
two states, a nascent separatist movement developed in East Pakistan. Any such movements
were sharply limited, especially when martial law was in force between 1958 and 1962 (under
General Ayub Khan) and between 1969 and 1972 (under General Yahya Khan). These military
rulers were of West Pakistani origin and continued to favor West Pakistan in terms of economic
advantages. The situation reached a climax when in 1970 the Awami League, the largest East
Pakistani political party, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a landslide victory in the national
elections winning 167 of the 169 seats allotted for East Pakistan, and a majority of the 313 total
seats in the National Assembly. This gave the Awami League the right to form a government.
However, the leader of Pakistan People's Party, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, refused to allow Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Instead, he proposed a notion of
two Prime Ministers. Bhutto also refused to accept Rahman's Six Points which would result in
autonomy for East Pakistan. On March 3, 1971, the two leaders of the two wings along with the
President General Yahiya Khan met in Dhaka to decide the fate of the country. Talks failed.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for a nation-wide strike.

 Violence of 25th March:

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 On the night of March 25, Pakistan Army began a violent effort to suppress the Bengali
opposition. In Bangladesh, and elsewhere, the Pakistani actions are referred to as
genocide. Before carrying out these acts, all foreign journalists were systematically
deported from Bangladesh. Bengali members of military services were disarmed. The
operation was called Operation Searchlight by Pakistani Army and was carefully devised
by several top-ranked army generals to "crush" Bengalis.

Although the violence focused on the provincial capital, Dhaka, the process of ethnic
elimination was also carried out all around Bangladesh. Residential halls of University of Dhaka
were particularly targeted. The only Hindu residential hall—the Jagannath Hall—was destroyed
by the Pakistani armed forces, and an estimated 600 to 700 of its residents were murdered. The
Pakistani army denies any cold blooded killings at the university, though the Hamood-ur-
Rehman commission in Pakistan states that overwhelming force was used at the university. This
fact and the massacre at Jagannath Hall and nearby student dormitories of Dhaka University are
corroborated by a videotape secretly filmed by Prof. Nur Ullah of the East Pakistan Engineering
University, whose residence was directly opposite to the student dormitories.

Hindu areas all over Bangladesh suffered particularly heavy blows. By midnight, Dhaka was
literally burning, especially the Hindu dominated eastern part of the city. Time magazine
reported on August 2, 1971, "The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a
majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred."

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was considered dangerous and, hence, arrested by Pakistan Army.
Awami League was banned by General Yahiya Khan. Some other Awami League leaders were
arrested as well, while few escaped Dhaka to avoid arrest.

Declaration of liberation war:

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Bangladesh. May God aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla. [source: The Daily Star, March
26, 2009] A telegram reached some students in Chittagong. They realized the message could be
broadcast from Agrabad Station of Radio Pakistan. The message was translated to Bangla by Dr
Manjula Anwar. They failed to secure permission from higher authorities to broadcast the
message. They crossed Kalurghat Bridge into an area controlled by East Bengal Regiment under
Major Ziaur Rahman. Bengali soldiers guarded the station as engineers prepared for
transmission. At 19:45 on March 26, 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman broadcast another
announcement of the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur which is as
follows. This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of
Bangobondhu Mujibur Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People's Republic of
Bangladesh has been established. At his direction, I have taken command as the temporary
Head of the Republic. In the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bengalis to rise
against the attack by the West Pakistani Army. We shall fight to the last to free our Motherland.
By the grace of Allah, victory is ours. Joy Bangla. [Source: The Daily Star, March 26 2005]. other,
are people harness their patriotism and productivities to fulfill the dream of a Golden Bengal.

Victory in liberation war:

When West-Pakistan launched attacks against India on the 3rd of December 1971, the Indian
military forces joined Bangladeshi guerrilla forces to fight against the West-Pakistani military.
The latter did not receive any support during this crucial period of the war although they were
expecting military aid from the United States and China. West-Pakistani military camps were
attacked and they lost control over their previously captured territories. Consequently, they had
to accept defeat and capitulate to the joint forces. Finally, in the afternoon of the 16th of
December 1971, General Niazi of West-Pakistan signed the agreement of surrender. After a
bloodbath of 9 months, Bangladesh was finally an Independent State. Today Bangladesh,
celebrates 16th December as Victory Day.

Conclusion:

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 After nine months of long war of liberation, we achieved our freedom. Our independence
would not be possible without the contribution and sacrifice of those native and foreign
contributors. We cannot but remember our indomitable freedom fighters, drawn from all parts
of this vast landmass characterized by unique diversity who underwent superhuman sacrifices
and shed their precious blood so that we belonging to a different generation, live a better life
unfettered by the ignominy of imperialist domination and colonial exploitation. The debt of
gratitude that we owe to them cannot be repaid.

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