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Persecution of Biharis in Bangladesh
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The Bihari minority in Bangladesh were subject to persecution during and after the Bangladesh War of Independence (a part of the Indo-Pakistani conflicts and the Cold War)[1] (called the Civil War in Pakistan),[2] experiencing widespread discrimination.[3] They largely maintained a pro-Pakistani stance, supported the Pakistan Armed Forces and opposed the independence of Bangladesh and the Bengali language movement of the Bengali Muslims. Biharis faced reprisals from Mukti Bahini and Bengali militias[4][1] resulting in an estimated death toll ranging from 1,000[5] to 150,000.[6][7]
Within the context of the conflict in Bangladesh, the term "Bihari" implies the migrants predominantly from the Indian state of Bihar and West Bengal, who headed for then East Pakistan, after the partition of India in 1947. Later on, all Urdu speaking people, even the Punjabis, Pathans, Sindhi and Baloch from West Pakistan, who were posted to East Pakistan or settled in the Eastern Wing were labeled as Biharis by Bengalis.[8][9]
Bihari representatives claim that 500,000 Biharis were killed, while the Pakistani government's "white paper" and the US Consul estimated at least 64,000-66,000 deaths.[10][11]
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh ruled Biharis eligible for Bangladesh citizenship in 1972, and about 500,000 chose repatriation to Pakistan.[1][12] Some repatriation was implemented by the Red Cross over a number of years,[13] but in 1978, the Pakistani government stripped Pakistanis remaining in Bangladesh of Pakistani citizenship.[12] Researchers (such as Sumit Sen)[14] maintain that the Pakistani government's denationalization of the Biharis and reluctance to rehabilitate them in Pakistan are sufficient evidence of persecution to warrant refugee status. The Biharis have also faced institutionalized discrimination linked to their citizenship status,[15] and many live in squalor in refugee camps.[16]
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
Khan 2010 p101was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Social 2005 p93was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
BBC 19 May 2008was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ van Schendel, Willem (2009). A History of Bangladesh. Cambridge University Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-316-26497-3. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MAR-1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Fink, George (2010). Stress of War, Conflict and Disaster. Academic Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-12-381382-4.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict: Po - Z, index. 3. Academic Press. 1999. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-12-227010-9.
- ^ Redclift, Victoria (2017). "The demobilization of diaspora: history, memory and 'latent identity'". Global Networks. 17 (4): 500–517.
- ^ Hali, S. M. (30 March 2022). "The plight of Biharis". Brecorder. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Gerlach, Christian (2010). Extremely Violent Societies: Mass Violence in the Twentieth-Century World. Cambridge University Press. p. 148. ISBN 978-1-139-49351-2. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ^ Rummel, R.J. (1997). Death by Government. Transaction Publishers. p. 334. ISBN 9781560009276. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ a b Ghazali, Abdus Sattar (24 January 2013). "Four decades of sufferings of the stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh". The Milli Gazette. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015.
- ^ "Bangladesh: ICRC honoured for helping victims of 1971 conflict". 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Sumit Sen (1999-2000). Stateless Refugees and the Right to Return: The Bihari Refugees of South Asia (Parts 1 & 2), International Journal of Refugee Law Vol.11 No.4 and Vol.12 No.1
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Bradley 2013 p201was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Bremen Donovan (2014) "'Stranded Pakistanis' living in camps in Bangladesh – in pictures". The Guardian. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
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