Henry Kissinger and Bangladesh

Henry Kissinger, is a former National Security Adviser and Secretary of State. He was a proponent of Metternich's realpolitik and he never met a dictator that he did not like; or at least he never met one that he thought he could not do a deal with. That is, in essence, realpolitik.

From Chile, to Argentina, to East Timor, to Angola to Cambodia, Kissinger guided a US foreign policy that ran rough shod over democratic principles and international human rights law.

Unfortunately, this 84 year old man still has his fingers in the US foreign policy pie. At least up until 2005, Kissinger had President George W. Bush's ear and was whispering sweet nothings about how the US objective in Iraq must be total victory. So far the man seems to have a perfect track record.

In Bangladesh, Kissinger's name is brought up from time to time and it is never with fond memories. In 1970, Pakistan and Bangladesh were one country, West and East Pakistan, respectively. In that year, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League won a majority in the election and this frightened the West Pakistanis who felt that the Bengalis would now dominate the National Assembly. The West Pakistanis, through the Army, started to suppress the people of East Pakistan and a liberation movement was born.

Sheikh Mujibur rallied the people of East Pakistan and active resistence started. On 26 March 1971 Sheikh Mujibur, now referred to as "Bangabandhu", the father of the nation, delcared the independence of Bangladesh.

The Pakistani army commenced a major crackdown on Bangladeshi "freedom fighters" and Bangaldeshi started to see their fight as a war of liberation.

Sheikh Mujibur was arrested by the Pakistani forces and imprisoned in an effort to stifle the rebel movement.

In late 1971, with the assistance of India, Bangladeshi forces beat back the Pakistani army and gained control of what is present day Bangladesh. However, all was not well in newly liberated Bangladesh. There were maurading stray Pakistani soldiers, poverty, destruction and not all Bengalee men fought for the liberation. These pro-Pakistani elements were called "Rajakars" and they were accused of all sorts of criminal acts, ranging from rape to murder to arson.

Henry Kissinger never supported the liberation of Bangladesh. US foreign policy was focused on a strong Pakistan that would counter India, a leader in the non-alligned movement. Moreover, Kissinger feared that a newly independent Bangladesh would provide an opening for the Soviets or the Chinese. In fact, Sheik Mujibur’s first foreign trip was to Peking.

Kissinger convinced President Nixon to refuse assistance to the Bangladeshis who were fighting for their independence and, many believe, he actively worked against the liberation movement. Kissinger was quoted in 1971 as dismissing the idea of an independent Bangladesh by saying, “the place is and always will be a basket case.”

It is the basket case comment that sticks in the throat of Bangladeshis and, when Sheik Mujibur was murdered on 15 August 1975 by rogue Bangladeshi military officers, many saw the hand of the CIA in the killings.

To this day, one of the most pejorative terms used in Bangladesh is America dalal, or American stooge. Bangladeshi politicians, especially those from Sheik Mujibur’s Awami League, view American activities with suspicion.

Kissinger’s legacy in Bangladesh lives on.