The Outlook for Bangladesh

Abstract

Soon after General Yahya Khan assumed power in Pakistan in March 1969, he realized that in order to hold the nation together, the government would have to stabilize its explosive East Wing before developing and modernizing West Pakistan.1 In a last ditch effort to strengthen national solidarity, Yahya ordered nationwide elections. The results were a victory for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his Awami League party, which won 167 of the 169 seats in the national assembly allocated to East Pakistan. Not a single candidate of the Awami League was elected in West Pakistan, however, where Zulfiqur Ali Bhutto and his Pakistan People's Party won 81 of the remaining 144 seats.2 The election results thus demonstrated the striking political gap between East and West Pakistan. Subsequent political developments widened the breach between East and West, and eventually culminated in the war of independence in East Pakistan. The election results startled Yahya and many others, who had underestimated the differences between the two wings. Bhutto threatened to boycott the upcoming session of the national assembly if Mujib's party took power,3 apparently fearing the implementation of the Awami League's six-point program,4 which was considered a framework for secession of East Pakistan. Yahya postponed the national assembly session, and attempted to convince Bhutto and Mujib to govern jointly.5 But Mujib had no intention of sharing power. He had, after all, won the election. East Pakistan was the more populous half of the country, and in his view the question of secession from the rest of Pakistan did not arise. Yahya hoped that further negotiations between Bhutto and Mujib would lead to agreement on a new constitution and the formation of a democratic government;6 but his decision to postpone the national assembly frightened the East Pakistanis.