Bangladesh on Thursday placed a formal demand of $4.52 billion in financial claims from Pakistan, covering its share of undivided Pakistan’s pre-1971 assets, including foreign aid, unpaid provident funds, and savings instruments.
Even as the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime claimed success for taking up the pending issues with Pakistan and seeking apology for the atrocities committed during the 1971 Liberation War, a large section of Bangladeshi society called it another “insult” to the country’s freedom struggle.
“They killed 30 lakh people in nine months... More than four lakh women were raped. Thousands of teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists and engineers were systematically killed to impede the development of our country,” Ahkam-Ullah, general secretary, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, a platform of civil society organisations.
“And our government is approaching the killers with a begging bowl... This is an insult to our freedom struggle and the martyrs,” he added, before decrying the Yunus regime’s proximity with Islamabad since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government last August.
As part of a series of high-level exchanges, the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) was held between the two nations for the first time in 15 years. Foreign secretary Md Jashim Uddin led the Bangladesh delegation while Pakistan was represented by his counterpart, Amna Baloch.
Following the talks, Jashim Uddin said the pending issues need to be resolved for solid Dhaka-Islamabad relations, an objective that has become a priority for Yunus.
A veteran of the Liberation War, on conditions of anonymity, told this correspondent that the approach smacked of an attempt to put value to the lives lost in the freedom struggle. “Pakistan committed unprecedented atrocities on our country... Yunus is putting a monetary value to the lives lost by asking for about Tk 50,000 crore,” said the veteran.
“Those precious lives, which gave us our freedom, are valued at Tk 17,000... It’s a shame,” added the veteran, who is in hiding fearing arrest.
The growing clout of hardline Islamists belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami, who had opposed the 1971 freedom struggle and colluded with the Pakistanis, on Yunus has made life difficult for the believers in the ideals of the Liberation war. Human rights activist Shahriar Kabir, who did extensive research on casualties during the freedom struggle, has been behind the bars for eight months on murder charges.
“This government is against the ideals of the Liberation War... Those who wanted a ban on Jamaat and supported the trials of the war criminals are under attack today,” said Ahkam-Ullah, who has been slapped with seven murder cases.
“Those who committed genocide on Bangladesh are given red carpet treatment... And Yunus is letting them off lightly by putting a monetary value on lives lost,”he added.