Pakistan and Bangladesh

    Pakistan and Bangladesh

    In the context of Islam's journey in the sub-continent a few words about 
    the common factors between  Pakistan  and Bangladesh would not be out of 
    place here. We cannot  overlook  the  fact  that  it  were the people of 
    Pakistan  and  Bangladesh  that  welcomed  the  preachers  of  Islam and 
    embraced  its  teachings  spontaneously  and  earnestly  in overwhelming 
    numbers, while its  success  in  other  parts  of  the sub-continent was 
    limited.  

    The same phenomena  was  witnessed  earlier  when  Buddhism,  which  had 
    embraced a major portion of the sub-continent  was suppressed and driven 
    out by resurgent Hinduism under  the  Guptas. But large number of people 
    in Pakistan and Bangladesh  remained  firm  adherents of Buddhism which, 
    almost extinct in other parts of India, continued to persist and prevail 
    in the two wings till the arrival of  Islam. Militant Hinduism succeeded 
    in reconquering the rest of India in the 4th century AD during the Gupta 
    period but it could not re- establish  itself firmly and regain its hold 
    to the same extent in Pakistan and Bangladesh  which continued to remain 
    largely Buddhist. "While  Buddhism  in  the  rest of South Asia declined 
    before the rejuvenation of  Hinduism.......it  remained strong in Bengal 
    until the 12th century AD." (Pakistan---Birth  and Growth of a Nation, by 
    Richard Weeks).  

    According to Huen Tsang who visited  this sub-continent in the middle of 
    the 7th century AD, Buddhism of the Mahayana creed was still dominant in 
    the western/NW region  i.e.,  Pakistan.  Chach  Nama  also mentions that 
    Buddhists were in large numbers in Pakistan at the time of Muslim advent 
    in Sindh in the 8th century AD and  were  hostile  towards their Brahmin 
    rulers.  

    Whether it was a religious  issue,  such  as  the  spread of Buddhism or 
    Islam,  both  Pakistan  and  Bangladesh   accepted  them  simultaneously 
    shedding Hindu yoke at the earliest opportunity. Again, whether it was a 
    political issue, both  the  countries  asserted  their freedom again and 
    again and mostly remained independent of Central Indian Government.  

    The people of Pakistan and Bangladesh  have availed of every opportunity 
    to  work  unitedly  against  Hindu    imperialism   and,  what  is  most 
    significant, Hindu religion was  never  able to take deep roots in their 
    soil. This view is forcefully  proved  by the fact that no single sacred 
    city or holy temple of  any  importance  for  Hindus exists in the lands 
    that constitute  Pakistan  and  Bangladesh.  Of  the  seven sacred Hindu 
    cities  of  1.Banaras,  2.Hardwar,   3.Ayodhya,   4.Ujjain,   5.Dwarka, 
    6.Conjeevaram, and 7.Mathura none  is  either in Pakistan or Bangladesh. 
    The entire Hindu religious literature  insists on branding the two wings 
    of this sub-continent now known  as  Pakistan  and  Bangladesh as impure 
    lands inhabited by  'rakhashas'  i.e.,  devils.  Pakistan and Bangladesh 
    were never regarded as part of the 'holy' land of Bharatvarta.  

    These developments  and  aspects  speak  eloquently  of  the  underlying 
    historical reality:  

    That Pakistan and Bangladesh have  a  common enemy; that they survive or 
    perish together;  that  the  hearts   of   Pakistanis  and  Bangladeshis 
    invariably beat in unison  and  their  feelings  flow  in a rhythm; that 
    their thinking has  been  harmonious,  their  outlook  compatible, their 
    response to changes uniform, their  approach  to  problems similar. They 
    accepted Buddhism in overwhelming numbers  and adhered to it to the last 
    when the rest of India  had  exterminated  that  religion; they accepted 
    Islam and have adhered to it  when  the  rest  of the sub- continent has 
    remained largely Hindu. This  phenomena  of similarity of stance between 
    Pakistan and Bangladesh has  persisted  all through history, but divided 
    by a thousand miles of Hindu territory  and Brahmin intrigues they could 
    not unite.  

    Due to this unfortunate aspect the  20th  century experiment of a single 
    state of Pakistan embracing both the wings could not last even a quarter 
    of a century. Politically, Pakistan and Bangladesh may have fallen apart 
    for the time being but in due  course  they  are bound to adopt a common 
    posture against Indian expansionist efforts.  

    The history of this sub-continent is  a history of perpetual struggle of 
    the peripheral areas of the  Indus  Valley  (Pakistan)  and Padma-Meghna 
    Delta (Bangladesh) against the Gangetic Valley government