Letter Concerning Bengali-Non-Bengali Agitation in East Pakistan

Sub title : Confidential Report on Political Tensions and Countermeasures

Subject: Post-Partition Politics | East Bengal | Bengali vs. Non-Bengali Agitation | Provincial-Central Relations

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 1p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27951

Keyword: Bengali-Non-Bengali Conflict -- East Pakistan -- A.K. Fazlul Haq | Azad Newspaper -- Provincialism -- Muslim Unity | Pakistan Administration (1947) -- Civil Service -- Dacca -- Karachi -- Political Agitation

Abstract: This confidential letter, addressed to the Honorable Mr. Fazlur Rahman, a central minister in Karachi, discusses the serious political agitation in East Bengal between Bengali and non-Bengali Muslims. The author confirms the reality of the issue, identifies political figures like A.K. Fazlul Haq as chief exponents, and mentions taking action with the editor of the "Azad" newspaper to moderate its stance. The letter outlines the author's efforts to combat this divisive "differentiation between Muslims and Muslims" and proposes a practical solution: employing Bengali officers in the central government at Karachi and in Punjab to counteract the feeling of alienation, despite an acute shortage of officers.

Description: This is a significant primary source document from the immediate aftermath of Pakistan's creation. It reveals the early emergence of regional ethnic tensions within the new state, specifically in its eastern wing. The letter provides firsthand insight into the political challenges faced by the administration in East Bengal, including the role of the press and opposition politicians in fomenting discord. Most importantly, it highlights a strategic recognition that addressing feelings of regional exclusion required tangible representation in the central state apparatus (Karachi) and other provinces (Punjab). This document is crucial for understanding the roots of center-province and inter-provincial relations in early Pakistan. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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