East Pakistan
{{Historic Pakistan|region_name=East Pakistan |region_flag=Bangladesh1971Flag.png |region_map=East Bengal Map.gif |capital=
Dhaka |area=144,000 |official_languages=
Bengali|established_date=
October 14,
1955|abolished_date=
March 25,
1971 (Declared)
December 16,
1971 (Recognized)|footnotes =
Government of Bangladesh|
East Pakistan was a former province of
Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. It replaced the former province of
East Bengal and occupied the area now known as
Bangladesh.
Bengal was split in 1947 upon the
partition of British India into the independent states of
Pakistan and
India, the eastern part becoming
East Bengal, one of the five provinces of Pakistan (the others being
West Punjab,
Sindh,
Baluchistan, and the
Northwest Frontier Province).
After independence from British rule, East Bengal was dominated and neglected by the Pakistani government, which was dominated by the Pakistani military, which mostly belonged to
West Pakistan. A major cause of resentment among the Bengalis was economic exploitation. For example, between
1948 and
1960, East Pakistan's export earnings had been 70% of national total, while it only received 25% of the earnings. Between 1950 and 1970, only 34% of the development expenditure was spent in East Bengal despite having more than half the population
[Bangladesh Liberation War]. Growing tensions led to the
One-Unit Policy, implemented in 1955, which abolished the provinces. Under this policy, West Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, and the Northwest Frontier were merged under the nominal designation of
West Pakistan and East Bengal became
East Pakistan.
Tensions peaked in
1971, following the cancellation by Pakistani President
Yahya Khan of election results that gave the
Awami League a majority in the parliament. The
Awami League won almost all the seats in East Pakistan, but none in
West Pakistan. East Pakistan had more than half the parliamentary seats because it was home to more than half the population. Although the
Awami League was in a position to form a government without any coalition partner, it was forced to start negotiations with the
Pakistan Peoples Party which had won most of the seats in
West Pakistan. The negotiations failed and a 'military government' cancelled the results of the elections in 'East Pakistan'. Under the leadership of
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh began its struggle for independence. The official onset followed one of the bloodiest genocides of recent times carried out by the Pakistan army on Bengali civilians on 25th March,
1971, with an estimated 1-1.5 million Bengali deaths during the war
[War Statistics].
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, being identified as a major influencer of the Bengalis, was arrested by the
Pakistani Government.
Ziaur Rahman, an army major then (later to be a President of Bangladesh) declared the Independence of Bangladesh, on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, using a makeshift radio transmitter from the port city of
Chittagong. With the help of Bengali officers in the army, support of civilians and military/humanitarian aid from
India, Bangladesh quickly put together the
Mukti Bahini ("Freedom Fighters"), an armed group of young students, workers, farmers and other civilians.
Following a military crackdown on civilians in East Pakistan on 25th March
1971, Major
Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh on behalf of
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 26th March
1971. This started the
Bangladesh Liberation War in which the
Mukti Bahini, joined by 400,000
Indian soldiers in December, faced the
Pakistani Army of 100,000. On 16th December
1971, the Pakistani Army surrendered to the
Mitro Bahini (Allied Forces of Bangladesh Forces and
Indian Army). Bangladesh quickly gained recognition from most countries and with the signing of the
Shimla Accord, the remaining countries too accepted the new nation. Bangladesh joined the
United Nations in
1974.
On 14th October 1955, the last governor of
East Bengal (Amiruddin Ahmad) became the first Governor of East Pakistan. At the same time the last Chief Minister of East Bengal became the first Chief Minister of East Pakistan. This system lasted until the military coup of 1958 when the post of Chief Minister was abolished in both East Pakistan and West Pakistan. From 1958 to 1971 the administration was largely in the hands of the President of Pakistan and the Governor of East Pakistan who at times held the title of
Martial Law Administrator.
| Tenure¦¦Governor of East Pakistan |
|---|
| 14th October 1955 - March 1956 | Amiruddin Ahmad |
| March 1956 - 13th April 1958 | A. K. Fazlul Huq |
| 13th April 1958 - 3rd May 1958 | Hamid Ali (acting) |
| 3rd May 1958 - 10th October 1958 | Sultanuddin Ahmad |
| 10th October 1958 - 11th April 1960 | Zakir Hussain |
| 11th April 1960 - 11th May 1962 | Lt Gen Mohammad Azam Khan |
| 11th May 1962 - 25th October 1962 | Ghulam Faruque |
| 25th October 1962 - 23rd March 1969 | Abdul Munim Khan |
| 23rd March 1969 - 25th March 1969 | Mirza Nurul Huda |
| 25th March 1969 - 23rd August 1969 | Muzaffaruddin (martial law administrator) |
| 23rd August 1969 - 1st September 1969 | Sahabzada Yaqub Khan (martial law administrator) |
| 1st September 1969 - 7th March 1971 | Syed Mohammad Ahsan |
| 7th March 1971 - 31st August 1971 | Tikka Khan (martial law administrator) |
| 31st August 1971 - 14th December 1971 | Abdul Motaleb Malik |
| 14th December 1971 - 16th December 1971 | A. A. K. Niazi (martial law administrator) |
| 16th December 1971 | Province of East Pakistan dissolved |
| Political Party |
|---|
| August 1955 - September 1956 | Abu Hussain Sarkar | Krishan Sramik Party |
| September 1956 - March 1958 | Ata-ur-Rahman Khan | Awami League |
| March 1958 | Abu Hussain Sarkar | Krishan Sramik Party |
| March 1958 - 18th June 1958 | Ata-ur-Rahman Khan | Awami League |
| 18th June 1958 - 22nd June 1958 | Abu Hussain Sarkar | Krishan Sramik Party |
| 22nd June 1958 - 25th August 1958 | Governor's Rule |
| 25th August 1958 - 7th October 1958 | Ata-ur-Rahman Khan | Awami League |
| 7th October 1958 | Post abolished |
| 16th December 1971 | Province of East Pakistan dissolved |
*
Partition of India*
East Bengal*
West Pakistan*
Bangladesh Liberation War*
Biharis*
Government of Bangladesh*
Government of Pakistan
