Soviet Policy towards Bangladesh 1971-1975

Abstract

The Republic of Bangladesh is a newly formed country, which was an important part of Pakistan, which was established in August 1947 after India's independence from British occupation in the same year. East Pakistan was a vital part of that country. As a result of the policies of successive Pakistani governments, which aroused the ire of Bengali nationalism, especially after they ignored the national rights of Bengalis and imposed the Oriya language on them instead of their own language, and the absence of Bengalis in many important positions in the country, Bengalis considered this a marginalization of their legitimate rights. During that period and before the separation, East Pakistan was the headquarters of many communist socialist movements, despite the banning of the Pakistani Communist Party until the crisis led to the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War in 1971, which led to the separation and establishment of the Republic of Bangladesh. This study deals with the policy of the Soviet Union towards Bangladesh 1971-1975. The study shows the position of the Soviet Union on the Bangladesh crisis and the establishment of the new republic, and its international support for its membership in the United Nations. The study shows the nature of Soviet-Bangladeshi relations during the period of the research study, and points to the most important internal events and developments. The study also examined the impact of the Soviet-Bangladeshi relations on the relations between the two countries, and clarified Moscow's position on those events. The study highlighted the activities of the communist and socialist parties in the country, and Moscow's role in empowering those parties loyal to it in the new political system in Bangladesh. It also reviewed the dispute between the communist parties loyal to Moscow and the communist parties loyal to Beijing, and the impact of that dispute on strengthening Soviet-Bangladeshi relations. The study also addressed the development of internal political events in Bangladesh, and the Bangladeshi government's attempts to confront crises in light of the growing opposition to the government's domestic and foreign policy, in addition to the coup that led to the assassination of leader Mujibur Rahman. The study pointed to Moscow's official and popular position on those events.