Bangladesh forgets 1971 pangs to embrace tormentor

Bangladesh's recent decision to sign a pact with Pakistan for military training marks a startling and controversial shift in its foreign policy, one that has left both historians and strategists baffled.

- K S Tomar

This could be attributed to India's defective foreign policy of putting all eggs in one basket i.e., patronising the unceremoniously ousted leader of that country, Sheikh Hasina, thereby alienating other political forces therein.

Scheduled to commence in February 2025, this agreement will see Pakistani military trainers operating across four cantonments in Bangladesh. For a nation that endured one of the most horrific genocides at the hands of the Pakistani army in 1971, this move is not only a betrayal of its own history but also a troubling sign of shifting regional dynamics. The shadow of 1971 looms large over this development. The Pakistani military's campaign of atrocities during the Liberation War, which left three million dead and countless others displaced, is etched in the collective memory of Bangladesh.

Yet, this decision to collaborate with the very institution responsible for those horrors signals a troubling erosion of historical accountability. Pakistan has never issued a formal apology for its actions, let alone made reparation, and its persistent denial of the genocide remains a source of anguish for many Bangladeshis. By engaging with Pakistan in this manner, Dhaka risks alienating its citizens and opening old wounds that were thought to be long healed.

Beyond the moral and historical implications, this agreement is poised to have significant strategic consequences, particularly for India. Mohammad Yunus's efforts to warm up ties with Islamabad threaten to undermine the robust relationship India and Bangladesh have cultivated over the past decade.

New Delhi has played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s development, providing economic aid, infrastructural support, and critical cooperation on issues ranging from counter-terrorism to trade. The spectre of Pakistani influence within the Bangladeshi military poses a direct challenge to India’s efforts to maintain stability in its eastern neighbourhood.