RAW and Bangladesh
http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/view.php?hidDate=2005-12-09&hidType=HIG&hidRecord=0000000000000000076709
From The Book By Zainal Abedin (Ch-27 to Ch-29 )
Indian designs against Bangladesh Army were evident from the very beginning. They did not leave any military equipment captured from Pakistan Army in the then East Pakistan. In this regard the Daily Meillat reported, "The Indians took away the abandoned military hardwares(tanks, artillery, guns etc.) worth Taka 80,000 million of the Pakistan Army’s Eastern Command in order for materialization of their goal i.e. not to permit Bangladesh Army to grow strong(Daily Meillat : May 26, 1993).
When Indians realized that Sheikh Mujib is determined to raise an Army in defiance of the treaty signed by Interim Bangladesh Government and India, they encouraged a dissident party to take up the issue of raising a people’s Army or ‘Gano Bahini’. The dissident leaders started propagating that Bangladesh does not require a regular professional Army. They labelled the Army as God’s Khasi(castrated of God). They organised so-called ‘Revolutionary Soldier’s Council’ to realise the goal of ‘Scientific Socialism’. It was actually formed to create division and disunity among the rank and file of the Armed Services.
Soon afterthe change over of 1975 some cadres of Gono Bahini attempted to create chaos and lawlessness in the country. RAW also stage managed fake kindapping in Dhaka of Mr
Samor Sen, the then Indian High 90mmissioner in Bangladesh. The aim was to create plausible excuse for India to move in Indian Army into Bangladesh. However, the ‘kidnapping’ drama did not go too far and thus Bangladesh was saved from direct Indian aggression.After coming to power the late President Ziaur Rahman re-organized the Armed Forces. He gave them an honourable position in the society.
But RAW did its best to obstruct him. That is the reason for so many coups staged against Ziaur Rahman. He was killed in the 19th coup attempt. Although apparently the coups were aimed at ousting Zia but the ultimate goal was to weaken or liquidate the Armed Forces.
RAW engineered conspiracies to divide rank and file of the Bangladesh Army in various groups. The division between ‘Freedom Fighters’ and ‘Repatriated’ was fuelled to pave way for internal strife and disintegration. RAW has also been endeavouring to project Bangladesh Army as’anti-people’. During the peak period of anti-Ershad movement, RAW spread a rumour that the Army was supporting Ershad. The rumour was aimed at damaging the popularity of the Armed Forces of Bangladesh.In order to protect country’s independence, sovereigpty and territorial integrity there is no substitute to adequately strong Armed Forces.
If Sikkim had an effective and strong Army she would not have been occupied and annexed by India.On the other hand Srilanka could withstand Indian pressure because she has her own effective Army .The Maldives, on the contrary, had to seek Indian Army’s help to drive out Indian henchmen from Maldives, because she had no Armed Forces of her own.
Bangladesh must have its own Army not only to thwart aggression from abroad but also to quell internal troubles and rebellions. The credit goes to valiant Bangladesh Army for checking nefarious designs of Shanti Bahini. If Bangladesh did not have an effective Army, Indian supported Chakma insurgents might well have succeeded in dividing the country. Similarly Indian Army would have marched into Bangladesh on any flimsy pretext. The need for strong Army is further highlighted by growing internal threats supported by- India in form of secessionist movements in Bangladesh in the name and style of Jhumland, Hinduland (Bangabhumi) and Garoland etc.
However, the RAW sponsored henchmen have been unleashing constant propaganda against the Armed Forces primarily on financial grounds.Every year before the presentation of budget, discussion starts in newspapers calling for reduction of military expenditure. While need for increasing budgetary provisions for education and health is acknowledged, such increase cannot be made at the cost of Armed forces. Appropriate military expenditure is necessary if country’s existence and sovereignty are to be safeguarded. Everything else comes after the safety of the state.
Cont’d…