Americans today are much better informed about Bangladesh than when Henry Kissinger described it (not without reason) as a “hopeless case” in 1971, the year he achieved independence. This label has remained in Bangladesh as an evil limpet, and proud Bangladeshis have been resenting the shadow it has cast over their resilient and entrepreneurial land for decades.
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence – formerly East Pakistan. On March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the popular Bengali separatist leader, declared independence from Punjabi-dominated Pakistan, of which he was an incongruous part. (A two-wing country – west and east – Pakistan was 2,100 kilometers from India.) After the declaration of independence, a brutal civil war ensued. The number of Bangladeshi civilians killed is a matter of dispute: the Central Intelligence Agency estimates 200,000, while Bangladeshis say three million have been murdered. Bangladesh was not, in fact, free from Pakistan until December 16, 1971, when the Pakistani army surrendered. Even so, by choosing March 26 as Independence Day, Bangladeshis made a very Bengali choice: to elevate their state of mind above their objective reality.
Bangladesh today is a transformed country. Twice decolonized – first from Britain, then Pakistan – is a rare example of a constitutionally secular Muslim majority nation. Most Bangladeshis adhere to a relatively tolerant form of Islam, born of centuries of cohabitation with Hindus, and are one of the few Muslim countries that are winning the fight against radicalization. With the erosion of secularism in neighboring India, it is possible to argue that Bangladesh is the most secular country in South Asia.
The government of Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Rahman, is committed to eradicating Muslim fundamentalism. However, their methods often come at the expense of democracy. Sheikh Hasina, in her third consecutive term as prime minister, is widely accused of defrauding the last election in 2018. Her actions were motivated by arrogance and paranoia: neutral observers believe she would have won without resorting to fraud.
If the West is afraid to suppress its criticism of an authoritarian leader because his regime suppresses Islam, he should have no trouble assessing the many areas in which Bangladesh has made progress. In human development indices, Bangladesh has not only surpassed Pakistan, but has effectively achieved parity with India. In just one example – crucial in a poor and overpopulated country – the fertility rate in Bangladesh (2.04 births per woman) has dropped below India (2.22). Even on its own terms, Bangladesh has made remarkable strides: its infant mortality rate is 25.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with 148.2 in independence; life expectancy, 72.3 years today, was 46.6 in 1971.