What is the relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh?

What is the geopolitical and cultural relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan?

• Answer:

  The issue of Pakistan and 1971 liberation war is very important factor in Bangladeshi politics. Atrocities and genocide committed by the Pakistani army has made a large portion of Bangladeshi hateful against Pakistan. In 1971 many Bengalis collaborated with the Pakistani army. Especially Jamat e Islam Bangladesh actively supported and collaborated with the Pakistani army. Awami League use this issue to gain upper hand over its opposition. In the regional politics India is the greatest power of south Asia. They have imperial ambitions. They try to dominate all the countries around them. They have averted river from both Pakistan and Bangladesh. So, in this regard Pakistan and Bangladesh are allies. Especially when BNP-Jamaat is in power the two nations jointly try to counter the dominance of India. Bangladesh and Pakistan armed forces share a common tradition. They tend to procure similar weapons as India is the number one threat to both countries. If Indian army have Russian weapon Bangladesh and Pakistan army try to get the American weapon that was designed to counter the Russian one. Culturally Bangladesh and Pakistan are very different. Pakistanis especially Punjabis are aggressive and proud. On the other hand Bengalis are humble and simple people. The nationalism that can be seen in present Bangladeshis was primarily originated as a reaction to acute Punjabi pride and dominance during Pakistan period. I assume that factionalism among different provinces of Pakistan has originated from the same source. Bengali Muslims are less pluralistic than Pakistani Muslims. While Pakistan has significant number of Shias and Berelavis, majority of Bengali Muslims are Deobandi Hanafi. Even though Pakistan army has committed genocide, devoted simple Bengali Muslims love Pakistani Muslims only because of Islam and for sake of Allah. This is more evident when Pakistan plays cricket and most of the Bangladeshis support Pakistan. Actually among all Muslim majority countries Pakistan has the closest relation with Bangladeshi Muslims. Especially through Tableegh Jamaat and Koumi/Deobandi scholars there is a bond between Muslims of the both countries. In fact Muslims of the subcontinent from Afghanistan to Burma are united through Deobandi/Koumi Madrassas and Jam'at At Tableegh. Among all the aspects this brotherhood is something that must be appreciated by all. Personally I feel that there is Hiqma behind everything that Allah allows. Perhaps it is better for the Muslims of this two nations to be parted. Narrative of nationalism and factionalism would have been worse if Pakistan remained united. Independent Bangladesh is a better field of dawah of Islam and a bad place for Islamophobes and extremist-nationalists.