BENGALI REPRESENTATION IN PAKISTAN DEFENCE FORCES (1947-1971): A REVISIT

Outline

1. INTRODUCTION
2. MILITARY AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION
3. RECRUITMENT POLICY
4. COMPOSITION OF MILITARY ELITE AND BENGALI
REPRESENTATION
5. EXPLANATIONS FOR UNDER-REPRESENTATION
6. TREATMENT TOWARDS THE BENGALI MEMBERS
7. EAST WING'S SHARE OF DEFENCE EXPENDITURE
8. PAKISTAN'S DEFENCE STRATEGY AND INDO-PAK WAR
OF 196
9. IMPLICATIONS - REINFORCING BENGALI ALIENATION
10. CONCLUSION

BENGALI REPRESENTATION IN PAKISTAN DEFENCE FORCES (1947-1971): A REVISIT

Author: Md. Nazrul Islam

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/BIISSj2002v23n4a2

ABSTRACT

History affirms that the rise of the modem nation-state was closely associated with the development of an equalitarian and representative military. An officer corps recruited on representative and equalitarian criteria may contribute to national integration. The present study presumes that to determine the dynamics of Bengali nationalism and its effect on socio-political development, an insight into the representativeness of applicability of the criteria is essential in order to make the military 'national' in the context of Pakistani military. The author argues that the Defence Forces of Pakistan miserably failed to withstand the 'standard' of 'National' Army and the neglect of nation-building policies in the process eroded the thin veneer of Pakistani national identity. This inquiry into the composition and policies of Defence Services of Pakistan has revealed how the woeful level of under-representation of the Bengalis aided the failure of nation building in Pakistan and deepened the Bengalis' sense of alienation.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Outline