On December 16, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked Vijay Diwas—the day India celebrates its victory over Pakistan in 1971. Conspicuously absent from his speech was any acknowledgment of the Bangladeshi freedom fighters who endured a brutal nine-month war against the Pakistan Army. For Bangladeshis, this omission is no small slight. The country’s liberation was not simply handed to it; it was fought for with blood, resilience, and an unyielding desire for sovereignty.
From December 3 to December 16, 1971, Bangladeshi forces, supported by Indian troops, engaged in a fierce joint struggle. However, over the years, India’s retelling of the conflict has focused overwhelmingly on its own military prowess, with history books and Bollywood films crafting a narrative that sidelines Bangladesh’s sacrifices. For many in Bangladesh, the Indian media's portrayal of the 1971 victory as an “Indian gift” feels patronizing and dismissive.
Bangladesh’s quest for self-determination predates 1971. When British India was partitioned in 1947, the people of East Bengal initially sought an independent Bengal. Their dream was dashed by Indian leaders who feared losing Kolkata, the economic powerhouse built largely on East Bengal’s wealth. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, reportedly declared, “We want Kolkata,” prioritizing West Bengal’s inclusion in India over East Bengal’s aspirations. Even Pakistan’s leader, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was open to the idea of a united Bengal as a third independent state.
Forced to settle for “Plan B,” East Bengal joined Pakistan in what would prove to be a deeply unequal partnership. For decades, the region’s wealth was siphoned off by Pakistani elites to develop cities like Lahore, replicating the exploitation East Bengal had suffered under British rule.
East Bengal’s identity, rooted in its history of prosperity and cultural richness, faced further erosion under successive rulers. The imposition of Urdu as Pakistan’s national language sparked the Bengali Language Movement in 1952, a pivotal moment that galvanized resistance against cultural hegemony.
By the 1970s, East Pakistan’s grievances had reached a breaking point. When Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League won a landslide victory in Pakistan’s national elections, the West Pakistani elite refused to cede power. What followed was brutal: Operation Searchlight, a military crackdown in March 1971, led to widespread massacres, atrocities, and the displacement of millions.
This was the moment India stepped in, aiding Bangladeshi freedom fighters and hosting millions of refugees. But, while India’s intervention was critical, the idea that it was purely altruistic ignores geopolitical realities. For Indian leaders, Bangladesh’s independence also served as an opportunity to weaken Pakistan and extend influence over the region.
Bangladesh’s emergence in 1971 was a shared triumph, but India’s post-war policies often veered into paternalism. Attempts to establish a pliant regime in Dhaka began almost immediately. While Sheikh Mujibur Rahman maintained some balance, India’s influence grew substantially after Sheikh Hasina took power in 2008, aided by Indian support.
Pranab Mukherjee, India’s former president, candidly acknowledged in his memoir Coalition Years that he brokered deals to consolidate Hasina’s hold on power. Hasina, in turn, presided over an increasingly authoritarian regime accused of human rights violations, corruption, and eroding Bangladesh’s sovereignty. Critics argue that her alignment with Indian interests has undermined the country’s independence, making Dhaka appear as a client state of Delhi.
For younger Bangladeshis, born in the 21st century, the narrative of dependency on India holds little sway. They view Hasina’s tenure as a period of subjugation, marked by her government’s willingness to sacrifice national interests for political survival. In 2024, this discontent boiled over into a mass movement that ousted Hasina. Fleeing to New Delhi, she sought refuge with her longtime allies, while the streets of Dhaka erupted in celebration of a new era.
India’s reaction was predictable. Its media and political establishment launched a campaign to discredit the interim government in Bangladesh, accusing it of harboring Islamist fundamentalists. However, these allegations failed to resonate with a population determined to reclaim its sovereignty. In a symbolic move, India’s Army Chief replaced the iconic 1971 Vijay Diwas photograph in his office with imagery reflecting Hindu nationalism, a stark shift that underscores the region’s evolving dynamics.
Bangladesh’s struggle for independence is far more complex than a single war in 1971. Its fight for sovereignty spans centuries: from the Battle of Plassey in 1757 to the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, from peasant revolts against British collaborators to the 1947 partition and the 1952 Language Movement.
The lesson for India is clear. If it continues to cling to a neo-colonial mindset, treating Bangladesh as a subordinate state, it risks alienating a proud and independent neighbor. The old paradigm of dadagiri—bullying diplomacy—has outlived its usefulness.
Bangladesh, for its part, continues to follow the principle of “friendship to all, enmity to none.” Its people breathe sovereignty as oxygen, and they will not allow that to be taken away—by any oppressor, foreign or domestic.
Maskwaith Ahsan: Editor-in Chief, E-SouthAsia
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