Economic Disparity.
Unlike its counterpart West Pakistan, East Pakistan was deeply mired in poverty. On an average ten people lived on an annual income of six to fourteen bags of wheat. The businesses were controlled by the West Pakistan. The following facts will reveal how widespread the economic disparity was. This also serves as a fitting example of how the West was able to exert a colonial control on the East. These include[1]:
- The per capita income in West Pakistan in 1969-70 was 61% higher than in East Pakistan.
- In 1950-55 the East received only 20% of the total budget for development expenditure and the West received 80%.
- 40-50% of all West Pakistan exports had been sold to the captive market of the East.
- East Pakistan’s export surplus had been used by the central government to finance the deficits in West Pakistan resulting in a net drain of resources from East to West.
Historic Six-Point Demand
In 1966, the East Pakistan’s great leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the Awami League, proposed a six point formula for the autonomy to break free the Bengali’s from the all pervasive exploitation and deprivation. The salient points of the demands in a nut shell were [1]:
In 1966, the East Pakistan’s great leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the Awami League, proposed a six point formula for the autonomy to break free the Bengali’s from the all pervasive exploitation and deprivation. The salient points of the demands in a nut shell were [1]:
- The character of the government shall be federal and parliamentary. The representation in the federal legislature shall be on the basis of population.
- The federal government shall be responsible only for defense and foreign affairs.
- There shall be two separate currencies mutually or freely convertible in each wing for each region.
- Fiscal policy shall be the responsibility of the federating units.
- Constitutional provisions shall be made to enable separate accounts to be maintained of the foreign exchange earnings of each of the federating units, under the control of the respective governments of the federating units.
- The government of the federating units shall be empowered to maintain militia or paramilitary force in order to contribute effectively towards national security.
1. Mascarenhas, Anthony. The Rape of Bangla Desh. Delhi: Vikas Publications. 1971. Print.