Smruti S. Pattanaik – författare

This book encapsulates the creation of Bangladesh with stories of some of those who made it happen —from the perspectives of people who fought for recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan, those who brought the stories of war to life as it progressed through the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro, operations by valiant military men, sacrifices of Birangonas (women of valour) whose contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh has often been neglected, martyrs who laid down their lives for the birth of the nation, and those who worked among the freedom fighters and refugees and kept their morale high.

The emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 shaped both the nation and its narratives that revolved around partition of the subcontinent earlier in 1947. The history of Bangladesh was rewritten from the people’s perspective. The struggle of individuals and families who contributed to the liberation of Bangladesh is etched in blood and it is but natural that their perspectives would inform those interested in studying the history of liberation in a larger context. More than fifty years have passed since Bangladesh was liberated. Yet stories of individual suffering, sacrifices and contributions illustrate how people endured the repression inflicted by the Pakistan Army on them and yet fought gallantly. Three million were killed, 2 million were raped and 10 million became refugees in India. Bangladesh’s liberation war also represents the struggle of a people to preserve their culture and identity. This book captures all these and much more, bringing in reminiscences of what 1971 represented to those who contributed directly to the war of liberation.

The book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics and international relations, partition studies, South Asian studies and refugee and diaspora studies. The chapters in this book were originally published in Strategic Analysis.

This book encapsulates the creation of Bangladesh with stories of some of those who made it happen —from the perspectives of people who fought for recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan, those who brought the stories of war to life as it progressed through the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro, operations by valiant military men, sacrifices of Birangonas (women of valour) whose contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh has often been neglected, martyrs who laid down their lives for the birth of the nation, and those who worked among the freedom fighters and refugees and kept their morale high.

The emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 shaped both the nation and its narratives that revolved around partition of the subcontinent earlier in 1947. The history of Bangladesh was rewritten from the people’s perspective. The struggle of individuals and families who contributed to the liberation of Bangladesh is etched in blood and it is but natural that their perspectives would inform those interested in studying the history of liberation in a larger context. More than fifty years have passed since Bangladesh was liberated. Yet stories of individual suffering, sacrifices and contributions illustrate how people endured the repression inflicted by the Pakistan Army on them and yet fought gallantly. Three million were killed, 2 million were raped and 10 million became refugees in India. Bangladesh’s liberation war also represents the struggle of a people to preserve their culture and identity. This book captures all these and much more, bringing in reminiscences of what 1971 represented to those who contributed directly to the war of liberation.

The book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics and international relations, partition studies, South Asian studies and refugee and diaspora studies. The chapters in this book were originally published in Strategic Analysis.

Four Decades of India Bangladesh Relations The book Four Decades of India Bangladesh Relations: Historical Imperatives and Future Direction is a joint effort of scholars from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi and Bangladesh Institute for International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dhaka. This book brings out perspectives from India and Bangladesh on various important issues of bilateral cooperation. Bringing together scholars from two premier think tanks in India and Bangladesh who play an important role in providing policy inputs, generating informed debates and discussion and act as an interface between policy makers and the people, this is the first effort of its kind. The book has thirteen chapters on major bilateral issues and nine annexures. The authors have dealt not only with problems but have also suggested various measures to take the bilateral relations forward. Given the nature of the India-Bangladesh relationship, there is a need for greater bilateral engagement at the highest level. A congenial atmosphere would provide an opportunity to heal the relationship that is bound by historic socio-cultural ties. Envisaging a commonality of interests, and delineating the means to achieve this would provide a road map for further enhancement of ties between India and Bangladesh.