This is an excellent case study comparing Bangladesh and Pakistan by Mr. Sadanand Dhume. Despite of a common history the two countries have many differences. Some of the things he points out are as follows.
1. Since electing Sheikh Hasina, the economy has grown by 6% over three years.
2. Growth rate has gone down from six children per woman in the 1970's to three children now.
3. Since Khaleda Zia's ouster, relations with India are on an all-time high.
4. The Hasina government has curbed Jihadi activity.
5. As a percentage of gross domestic product, Islamabad spends more on its soldiers than on its school teachers; Dhaka does the opposite.
6. Hero of Bangladesh: Economist Muhammad Yunus. Hero of Pakistan: Nuclear weapon smuggler and thief: A Q Khan.
The entire article traces the progress from a "Basket case" (in words of a frustrated Kissinger) to a relative success is succinctly traced in this article. What he does not do is why that is. I will try to do that.
Pakistanis go out of their way to show that they have nothing in common with India or Hindus. All of them claim to be direct descendents of the invading Mughals. The darker skinned obvious converts from Hinduism are discriminated against on a daily basis. An innocuous festival like Basant which entails kite flying and partying in Lahore has now been essentially curtailed. Why? Because it is deemed too "Hindu". Pakistanis have multiple channels of Arabic on their TV (They have Chinese channels as well but that will be another post). In short, they do not want to have anything to do with their Indian past and have or have tried to cut all ties with Indian culture. To them Islam and Indian culture cannot co-exist. Perhaps they are right. Indian culture is Hindu culture. There cannot be any argument to that. You can't be following Indian culture without following the Hindu philosophy to some extent (maybe unknowingly but so it is). I can see how that will be a problem in Pakistan.
Now in Bangladesh, probably because of geography, they do not make tall claims about being descendents of Mughals or Arabs. They are just happy being who they are which is Bengali!! In Bangladesh, people are very proud of their Bengali heritage and culture. They celebrate literature, music, cinema just like the Indian Bengalis. To them, this rich culture CAN and DOES co-exist with their religion. I think that it is the cultural spirit of Bangladesh which has a Hindu hue is what keeps them looking and thinking forward. They do not suffer from an extreme case of hatred for anyone and do not waste time and resources trying to hurt anyone. Other than the fundamentalists (who probably get money from Saudi Arabia and support from Pakistan), no one is trying to go out of their way to denounce their culture and deny their Indian past. Therein lays the difference.
Read the complete article:
Bangladesh, 'Basket Case' No More
Pakistan could learn about economic growth and confronting terrorism from its former eastern province. By SADANAND DHUME
1. Since electing Sheikh Hasina, the economy has grown by 6% over three years.
2. Growth rate has gone down from six children per woman in the 1970's to three children now.
3. Since Khaleda Zia's ouster, relations with India are on an all-time high.
4. The Hasina government has curbed Jihadi activity.
5. As a percentage of gross domestic product, Islamabad spends more on its soldiers than on its school teachers; Dhaka does the opposite.
6. Hero of Bangladesh: Economist Muhammad Yunus. Hero of Pakistan: Nuclear weapon smuggler and thief: A Q Khan.
The entire article traces the progress from a "Basket case" (in words of a frustrated Kissinger) to a relative success is succinctly traced in this article. What he does not do is why that is. I will try to do that.
Pakistanis go out of their way to show that they have nothing in common with India or Hindus. All of them claim to be direct descendents of the invading Mughals. The darker skinned obvious converts from Hinduism are discriminated against on a daily basis. An innocuous festival like Basant which entails kite flying and partying in Lahore has now been essentially curtailed. Why? Because it is deemed too "Hindu". Pakistanis have multiple channels of Arabic on their TV (They have Chinese channels as well but that will be another post). In short, they do not want to have anything to do with their Indian past and have or have tried to cut all ties with Indian culture. To them Islam and Indian culture cannot co-exist. Perhaps they are right. Indian culture is Hindu culture. There cannot be any argument to that. You can't be following Indian culture without following the Hindu philosophy to some extent (maybe unknowingly but so it is). I can see how that will be a problem in Pakistan.
Now in Bangladesh, probably because of geography, they do not make tall claims about being descendents of Mughals or Arabs. They are just happy being who they are which is Bengali!! In Bangladesh, people are very proud of their Bengali heritage and culture. They celebrate literature, music, cinema just like the Indian Bengalis. To them, this rich culture CAN and DOES co-exist with their religion. I think that it is the cultural spirit of Bangladesh which has a Hindu hue is what keeps them looking and thinking forward. They do not suffer from an extreme case of hatred for anyone and do not waste time and resources trying to hurt anyone. Other than the fundamentalists (who probably get money from Saudi Arabia and support from Pakistan), no one is trying to go out of their way to denounce their culture and deny their Indian past. Therein lays the difference.
Read the complete article:
Bangladesh, 'Basket Case' No More
Pakistan could learn about economic growth and confronting terrorism from its former eastern province. By SADANAND DHUME
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