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region_name=East Pakistan | region_flag=Bangladesh1971Flag.png | region_map=East Bengal Map.gif | capital= Dhaka | area=144,000 | official_languages= Bengali | established_date=14th October 1955| abolished_date=25th March 1971 (declared) 16th December 1971 (official)| footnotes = Government of Bangladesh | }} East Pakistan was a former province of Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. It replaced the former province of East Bengal and occupied the area now known as Bangladesh . Post Independence Bengal Was Split In 1947 upon the Partition Of British India into the independent states of Pakistan and India , the eastern part becoming East Bengal , one of the five provinces of Pakistan (the others being West Punjab , Sindh , Baluchistan , and the Northwest Frontier Province ). After independence from British rule, East Bengal was dominated and neglected by the Pakistani government, which was dominated by the Pakistani military, which mostly belonged to West Pakistan . A major cause of resentment among the Bengalis was economic exploitation. For example, between 1948 and 1960 , East Pakistan's export earnings had been 70% of national total, while it only received 25% of the earnings. Between 1950 and 1970, only 34% of the development expenditure was spent in East Bengal despite having more than half the population Bangladesh Liberation War . Growing tensions led to the One-Unit Policy, implemented in 1955, which abolished the provinces. Under this policy, West Punjab, Baluchistan, Sindh, and the Northwest Frontier were merged under the nominal designation of West Pakistan and East Bengal became '''East Pakistan'''. Tensions peaked in 1971 , following the cancellation by Pakistani President Yahya Khan of election results that gave the Awami League a majority in the parliament. The Awami League won almost all the seats in East Pakistan, but none in West Pakistan . East Pakistan had more than half the parliamentary seats because it was home to more than half the population. Although the Awami League was in a position to form a government without any coalition partner, it was forced to start negotiations with the Pakistan Peoples Party which had won most of the seats in West Pakistan . The negotiations failed and a 'military government' cancelled the results of the elections in 'East Pakistan'. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , Bangladesh began its struggle for independence. The official onset followed one of the bloodiest genocides of recent times carried out by the Pakistan army on Bengali civilians on 25th March, 1971 , with an estimated 1-1.5 million Bengali deaths during the war War Statistics . Independence of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , being identified as a major influencer of the Bengalis, was arrested by the Pakistan i Government. Ziaur Rahman , an army major then (later to be a President of Bangladesh) declared the Independence of Bangladesh, on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, using a makeshift radio transmitter from the port city of Chittagong . With the help of Bengali officers in the army, support of civilians and military/humanitarian aid from India , Bangladesh quickly put together the Mukti Bahini ("Freedom Fighters"), an armed group of young students, workers, farmers and other civilians. Following a military crackdown on civilians in East Pakistan on 25th March 1971 , Major Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 26th March 1971 . This started the Bangladesh Liberation War in which the Mukti Bahini , joined by 400,000 Indian Soldiers in December, faced the Pakistani Army of 100,000. On 16th December 1971 , the Pakistani Army surrendered to the Mitro Bahini (Allied Forces of Bangladesh Forces and Indian Army ). Bangladesh quickly gained recognition from most countries and with the signing of the Shimla Accord , the remaining countries too accepted the new nation. Bangladesh joined the United Nations in 1974 . Government of East Pakistan On 14th October 1955, the last governor of East Bengal (Amiruddin Ahmad) became the first Governor of East Pakistan. At the same time the last Chief Minister of East Bengal became the first Chief Minister of East Pakistan. This system lasted until the military coup of 1958 when the post of Chief Minister was abolished in both East Pakistan and West Pakistan. From 1958 to 1971 the administration was largely in the hands of the President of Pakistan and the Governor of East Pakistan who at times held the title of Martial Law Administrator . See also External links References |