Empire 283. Partition: East Pakistan Becomes Bangladesh (Part 6)
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Aug 20, 2025 Join Sam Dalrymple, a South Asian history expert and author of "Shattered Lands," as he unravels the gripping story of Bangladesh's journey to independence from Pakistan in 1971. Discover the intricate web of Indo-Pakistani relations, from early cooperation to the brink of nuclear conflict. Dalrymple sheds light on Mujibur Rahman's rise amid Bengali discontent, the harrowing events of Operation Searchlight, and the ongoing ramifications of this pivotal moment in history. It's a riveting exploration of identity, nationalism, and transformation.
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Post-Partition Cooperation
- In the 1950s India and Pakistan cooperated closely, sharing intelligence and proposing military alliances.
- Newly declassified files show early post-partition reconciliation that later histories often ignore.
Covert Alliance Against Communism
- The Burma operation revealed covert India–Pakistan intelligence ties to contain communism.
- That secret collaboration laid groundwork for later joint initiatives like shared passports.
Rivers Became Geopolitical Assets
- Rivers crossed new religious borders, creating strategic water dependency from West to East.
- The Indus Water Treaty split river flows to prevent India cutting Pakistan's water supply.
