Despite the historical fact that Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan, the term 'Pakistani Bengali' is now no longer popularly used. However, a large population of nearly 2 million exists.[3] The majority of Bengali residents in Pakistan are denied the right to vote, effectively excluding them from local politics. Consequently, local leaders often overlook their basic needs.
The absence of strong bilateral communication between the two nations prevents Pakistani Bengalis from visiting relatives in Bangladesh or sending financial support. Local employers practice hiring Bangladeshis because their charges for work are lower than local Pakistanis.[4] Their lack of citizenship documentation makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers. Additionally, the absence of a birth registration certificate (referred to as a B-form) has obstructed the education of many and, without a Computerised National ID Card (CNIC), barred them from pursuing high-paying job opportunities.[5]
The founding members of the Pakistani Bengali community were early migrants from East Bengal who arrived in Sindh during the early 20th century. This community of early Bengali settlers assimilated into Pakistani culture and adopted Urdu or became bilingual Bengali speakers.
1947-1971edit
After Pakistan's independence in 1947, a large influx of Bengalis arrived in Karachi from East Pakistan to West Pakistan. In 1971, some Bengalis opted to return to the newly independent Bangladesh while others opted to remain in Pakistan.
Post-1971edit
Thousands of East Pakistan Bengalis were living in West Pakistan before the 1971 war and Bangladeshi immigrants arrived in Pakistan right after their war against the same country. These Bengalis were Pakistan supporters, however, due to the political climate of the war they were not socially accepted or granted citizenship of Pakistan.[6] By 1995, continuous migration of Bangladeshis crossed the 1,500,000 mark. During the administration of Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto, members of the political party became concerned with the large Bangladeshi migrant population, afraid they could become the second largest group in Karachi after the Muhajir people and disturb sensitive demographics. Accordingly, Bhutto ordered a crackdown and deportation of Bangladeshi immigrants. Benazir Bhutto's action strained and created tensions in Bangladesh–Pakistan relations, with Khaleda Zia, who was in power in Dhaka during the time, refusing to accept the deportees and reportedly sending two planeloads back towards Pakistan and Muslim political parties in Pakistan criticising Bhutto and dubbing the crackdown as anti-Islamic. She was ultimately forced to abandon the order.[3][7]
In 2021, it was reported that over two million Bangladeshis illegally resided in Pakistan. The Bangladeshi government has refused to accept refugees because it is government policy to not accept citizens who left the country illegally.
Demographicsedit
According to Shaikh Muhammad Feroze, chairman of the Pakistani Bengali Action Committee, over 200 settlements of Bengali-speaking people exist in Pakistan (mainly in Sindh) of which 132 are in Karachi while other smaller communities exist in Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tando Adam and Lahore.[8] There are numerous Bengali colonies in Karachi, often called "Little Bangladesh" (or East Pakistan Colony in memorandum),[9] such as Machar Colony, Musa Colony and Chittagong Colony. Colorful Bengali signboards, Bhashani caps, lungis and kurtas are often seen in these areas of Karachi and remain unique.[9] The Chittagong Colony has a bazaar, which is famous throughout Pakistan as the center for Dhaka cloth.[10] In more recent times, the Bengali population has seen a decline as the journey from Bangladesh is dangerous and crosses the tense India-Pakistan border.[11][12] Furthermore, given the tense ethnic rivalries and lack of social acceptance in Pakistan, Bengalis have now been migrating elsewhere.[12] Instances of Bengali Pakistanis being denied access to essential public services, such as hospitals and clinics, are frequently reported. Several cases have emerged where Bengalis, despite possessing official Pakistani National Identity Cards (NIC), were rejected by hospitals and denied medical assistance solely due to their Bengali heritage.[13]
Muhammad Ali Bogra, Pakistani Politician who served as Pakistan's third Prime Minister (1953-55) and also as foreign minister (1954-55 and 1962-63).
Alamgir, a popular Pakistani pop singer in the 1970s and 80s, known as founder of pop in Pakistan.
Hassan Jahangir, famous Pakistani popstar and singer of Hawa Hawa. Born in Karachi to Bengali parents.
Robin Ghosh, Pakistani music composer and playback singer.[14]
Shabnam, one of Pakistan's most popular actresses.[15]
Rahman, one of Pakistan's most popular actors, famously paired with Shabnam.
Runa Laila, singer who later moved back to Bangladesh.
Shahnaz Rahmatullah, singer who sang Pakistan's two most popular patriotic songs Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan and Sohni Dharti. Later moved back to Bangladesh.
A. K. Fazlul Huq, Pakistani lawyer and politician who was Chief Minister of East Bengal 1954, Interior Minister 1955-56, Governor of East Pakistan 1956-58.
Roopa Farooki – British writer (half Pakistani, half Bangladeshi).
Tariq Fatemi, a Pakistani diplomat who serves as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, and previously served as Pakistan Ambassador to the United States and to the European Union.
Abdul Motaleb Malik, politician who was the last civilian governor of East Pakistan.
Mawlana Abdur Rahim, Islamic scholar, politician, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami East Pakistan, and Naib Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.
Ghulam Azam, politician and Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami East Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
Motiur Rahman Nizami, Islamic scholar and politician who led the Islami Chhatro Shongho (student wing of JIEP) and was Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
^"Stateless and helpless: The plight of ethnic Bengalis in Pakistan - Al Jazeera". 29 September 2021. Ethnic Bengalis in Pakistan – an estimated two million – are the most discriminated ethnic community
^Karim, Naimul (6 July 2018). "The struggle to return home". The Daily Star. from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021. It's difficult to state exactly how many Bengalis reside in Pakistan. Various reports however suggest that the figure can vary from around 7 to 20 lakhs, with most of them living in Karachi. Many of these Bangladeshis had found their way into Pakistan in the mid-80s looking for work.
^ abRahman, B. (4 February 2003). "Indo-Bangladesh Standoff". South Asia Analysis Group. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
^Hasan, Rakib Al. "Bengalis in Pakistan: A neglected community crying for recognition". South Asia Monitor. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
^"Bangladeshi immigrants in Pakistan find it hard to go home". Nikkei Asian Review.
^"Five million illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
^"Fringe Pakistan: Bengali-speaking Pakistanis demand right to vote". The Express Tribune. 10 March 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2016. Shaikh Muhammad Feroze, the chairman of the committee, said during a press conference on Friday that political parties and the government should acknowledge the sacrifices of their ancestors. 'We live in Sindh and feel proud to be called Sindhis rather than Bengalis. We appeal to Sindhi nationalists and Sindhis to help us in our struggle,' he added. He said that Bengali-speaking people were not given educational rights as they did not possess national identity cards. 'Our children can't get an education after matriculation because colleges ask for the identity cards but the National Database Registration Authority has never accepted us as Pakistani citizens.' Shaikh said that over three million Bengalis and Biharis were grateful to the government for accepting them as Pakistani citizens. 'We postponed a hunger strike planned for 25 March after the government made decisions,' he added. 'We can go on a hunger strike, if our rights are not given.' He claimed that there were 200 settlements of Bengali-speaking people across the country, including 132 in Karachi. They populate different parts of Pakistan, including Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tando Adam and Lahore.
^ abTohid, Owais; Mahmud, Arshad (29 November 1995). "Homeless in Karachi". Outlook. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
^Naqvi, Abbas (17 December 2006). . Daily Times. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
^Bloch, Hannah (25 September 2000). "You Can't Get There From Here". Time Asia.
^ abRefugee Review Tribunal, Australia. "RRT Research Response" (PDF). Refworld.org.
^Hasan, Rakib Al. "Bengalis in Pakistan: A neglected community crying for recognition". South Asia Monitor. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
^"Renowned music composer Robin Ghosh passes away".
^"Shabnam biography, complete biography of Actresses Shabnam". pak101.com.
Further readingedit
You Can't Get There From Here: Bengali immigrants in Pakistan now wish they'd never left Bangladesh, Time Asia
Bengali immigrants in Karachi polarised over violence in Bangladesh, Express Tribune
Bengalis afraid of losing their identity and rights, Express Tribune
The Bengal Borderland: Beyond State and Nation in South Asia, The Bengal Borderland: Beyond State and Nation in South Asia by Willem van Schendel
Too many mouths to feed in Karachi's slum fishermen's colony, Express Tribune
In Search of an Identity, News International
Baloch, Saher; Mughal, Bilal Karim (4 June 2017). "The woes of Bengalis, Burmese and Iranians of Karachi". Dawn.
No CNICs for Pakistani Bengalis means no jobs for them, News International
Pace, Eric (24 April 1971). "To the Bengalis in Karachi, Home Seems Far Away". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
External linksedit
Bangladeshi Students Association of Pakistan
February 16, 2024
bengalis, pakistan, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, septemb. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bengalis in Pakistan news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Bengalis in Pakistan are ethnic Bengali people who had lived in either West Pakistan or East Pakistan prior to 1971 or live in present day Pakistan 2 Most Pakistani Bengalis are bilingual speaking both Urdu and Bengali and are mainly settled in Karachi Bengalis that arrived in Pakistan before 1971 have now assimilated with the Urdu speaking people in Karachi citation needed Bengalis in Pakistanপ ক স ত ন ব ব ঙ ল پاکستان میں بنگالیপ ক স ত ন ব ঙ ল Total population2 000 000 2021 1 Regions with significant populationsMainly in KarachiLanguagesBengali native Sindhi provincial native Urdu national English Pakistani English ReligionPredominantly Sunni IslamDespite the historical fact that Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan the term Pakistani Bengali is now no longer popularly used However a large population of nearly 2 million exists 3 The majority of Bengali residents in Pakistan are denied the right to vote effectively excluding them from local politics Consequently local leaders often overlook their basic needs The absence of strong bilateral communication between the two nations prevents Pakistani Bengalis from visiting relatives in Bangladesh or sending financial support Local employers practice hiring Bangladeshis because their charges for work are lower than local Pakistanis 4 Their lack of citizenship documentation makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers Additionally the absence of a birth registration certificate referred to as a B form has obstructed the education of many and without a Computerised National ID Card CNIC barred them from pursuing high paying job opportunities 5 Contents 1 History 1 1 Pre 1947 1 2 1947 1971 1 3 Post 1971 2 Demographics 3 Notable people 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editPre 1947 edit The founding members of the Pakistani Bengali community were early migrants from East Bengal who arrived in Sindh during the early 20th century This community of early Bengali settlers assimilated into Pakistani culture and adopted Urdu or became bilingual Bengali speakers 1947 1971 edit After Pakistan s independence in 1947 a large influx of Bengalis arrived in Karachi from East Pakistan to West Pakistan In 1971 some Bengalis opted to return to the newly independent Bangladesh while others opted to remain in Pakistan Post 1971 edit Thousands of East Pakistan Bengalis were living in West Pakistan before the 1971 war and Bangladeshi immigrants arrived in Pakistan right after their war against the same country These Bengalis were Pakistan supporters however due to the political climate of the war they were not socially accepted or granted citizenship of Pakistan 6 By 1995 continuous migration of Bangladeshis crossed the 1 500 000 mark During the administration of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto members of the political party became concerned with the large Bangladeshi migrant population afraid they could become the second largest group in Karachi after the Muhajir people and disturb sensitive demographics Accordingly Bhutto ordered a crackdown and deportation of Bangladeshi immigrants Benazir Bhutto s action strained and created tensions in Bangladesh Pakistan relations with Khaleda Zia who was in power in Dhaka during the time refusing to accept the deportees and reportedly sending two planeloads back towards Pakistan and Muslim political parties in Pakistan criticising Bhutto and dubbing the crackdown as anti Islamic She was ultimately forced to abandon the order 3 7 In 2021 it was reported that over two million Bangladeshis illegally resided in Pakistan The Bangladeshi government has refused to accept refugees because it is government policy to not accept citizens who left the country illegally Demographics editAccording to Shaikh Muhammad Feroze chairman of the Pakistani Bengali Action Committee over 200 settlements of Bengali speaking people exist in Pakistan mainly in Sindh of which 132 are in Karachi while other smaller communities exist in Thatta Badin Hyderabad Tando Adam and Lahore 8 There are numerous Bengali colonies in Karachi often called Little Bangladesh or East Pakistan Colony in memorandum 9 such as Machar Colony Musa Colony and Chittagong Colony Colorful Bengali signboards Bhashani caps lungis and kurtas are often seen in these areas of Karachi and remain unique 9 The Chittagong Colony has a bazaar which is famous throughout Pakistan as the center for Dhaka cloth 10 In more recent times the Bengali population has seen a decline as the journey from Bangladesh is dangerous and crosses the tense India Pakistan border 11 12 Furthermore given the tense ethnic rivalries and lack of social acceptance in Pakistan Bengalis have now been migrating elsewhere 12 Instances of Bengali Pakistanis being denied access to essential public services such as hospitals and clinics are frequently reported Several cases have emerged where Bengalis despite possessing official Pakistani National Identity Cards NIC were rejected by hospitals and denied medical assistance solely due to their Bengali heritage 13 Notable people editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Khwaja Hassan Askari the last Nawab of Dhaka Muhammad Mahmood Alam Ace Pilot flying ace of Pakistan Air Force most famous for his service and numerous kills in Indo Pak Wars Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui Pakistani fighter pilot Khwaja Khairuddin a Pakistani Politician Khwaja Shahabuddin a Pakistani Politician amp diplomat Khwaja Zakiuddin Pakistani aristocrat and stateman Khwaja Habibullah the penultimate Nawab of Dhaka Muhammad Ali Bogra Pakistani Politician who served as Pakistan s third Prime Minister 1953 55 and also as foreign minister 1954 55 and 1962 63 Alamgir a popular Pakistani pop singer in the 1970s and 80s known as founder of pop in Pakistan Hassan Jahangir famous Pakistani popstar and singer of Hawa Hawa Born in Karachi to Bengali parents Robin Ghosh Pakistani music composer and playback singer 14 Shabnam one of Pakistan s most popular actresses 15 Rahman one of Pakistan s most popular actors famously paired with Shabnam Runa Laila singer who later moved back to Bangladesh Shahnaz Rahmatullah singer who sang Pakistan s two most popular patriotic songs Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan and Sohni Dharti Later moved back to Bangladesh Munni Begum a Pakistani ghazal singer Nurul Amin a jurist who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan A K Fazlul Huq Pakistani lawyer and politician who was Chief Minister of East Bengal 1954 Interior Minister 1955 56 Governor of East Pakistan 1956 58 Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury a politician journalist and sportsman Hamidul Huq Choudhury Pakistani politician lawyer and newspaper proprietor who served as Foreign Minister 1955 56 Golam Wahed Choudhury Pakistani political scientist and diplomat Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Pakistani politician who served as second and fourth Speaker of the Pakistani National Assembly Abdul Wahab Khan Pakistani politician who served as third Speaker of the National Assembly Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry Pakistani politician who served as 5th Speaker of the National Assembly Abdul Jabbar Khan Pakistani politician who served as 6th Speaker of the National Assembly and as Acting President of Pakistan in 1965 and 1969 Abdullah al Mahmood Pakistani politician and lawyer Roopa Farooki British writer half Pakistani half Bangladeshi Tariq Fatemi a Pakistani diplomat who serves as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs and previously served as Pakistan Ambassador to the United States and to the European Union Zaib un Nissa Hamidullah feminist writer Altaf Husain a Pakistan Movement activist and founding editor and the first editor in chief of Dawn Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah a prominent Pakistani female politician diplomat and author Naz Ikramullah British Canadian artist and film producer of Pakistani Bengali origin Sarvath Ikramullah Jordanian royal and wife of Prince Hassan bin Talal who is of Pakistani Bengali origin Shahida Jamil is a Pakistani lawyer and politician Begum Akhtar Riazuddin feminist activist Perween Rahman Pakistani social activist Iskander Mirza a politician who served as the first President of Pakistan Indu Mitha is a Pakistani exponent of Bharatnatyam and faculty member at the National College of Arts Deebo Bhattacharya musician painter and singer Satya Prakash Singha Pakistani politician Jogendra Nath Mandal Pakistani politician Bhupendra Kumar Dutta revolutionary and politician Tridev Roy politician diplomat writer and Chakma Chief Ashraf Tai pioneer of Bando karate in Pakistan Fazlul Karim politician lawyer businessman and soldier who served as Cox s Bazars Mayor in the 1950s Mohammad Akram Khan Islamic scholar politician and journalist Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin a conservative Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the 2nd Prime Minister of Pakistan Sir Abdur Rahim jurist and Islamic author who participated in the Pakistan Movement Jalaludin Abdur Rahim Nietzschean philosopher and one of the founders of the influential Pakistan People s Party Hamoodur Rahman a jurist who served as the Chief Justice of Pakistan Hameedur Rahman a senior judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Syed Sajjad Hussain academic writer and Pakistan Movement activist Muhammad Qudrat i Khuda Pakistani chemist Abdus Salam Chatgami Islamic scholar and former Grand Mufti of Jamia Uloom ul Islamia Abdul Monem Khan governor of East Pakistan 1962 69 Abdul Motaleb Malik politician who was the last civilian governor of East Pakistan Mawlana Abdur Rahim Islamic scholar politician Ameer of Jamaat e Islami East Pakistan and Naib Ameer of Jamaat e Islami Pakistan Ghulam Azam politician and Ameer of Jamaat e Islami East Pakistan and Jamaat e Islami Bangladesh Motiur Rahman Nizami Islamic scholar and politician who led the Islami Chhatro Shongho student wing of JIEP and was Ameer of Jamaat e Islami Bangladesh Chowdhury Mueen Uddin former Pakistani journalist and British Muslim leader Ashrafuz Zaman Khan former employee of Radio Pakistan and American Muslim leader Yusuf Ali Chowdhury Pakistani politician Najma Sadeque journalist author and women s rights activist Ikram Sehgal Defence analyst Abul Hassan Isphani Pakistani politician and diplomat Farahnaz Ispahani Pakistani American writer and politician Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy a politician who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy polyglot scholar and diplomat brother of the former Begum Akhtar Sulaiman Pakistani social worker political activist and the daughter of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy Mahmud Ali Pakistani politician Abdul Matin Chaudhary Pakistani politician and journalist Ajmal Ali Choudhury Pakistani politician Mahbub Jamal Zahedi Pakistani journalist and philatelist Parvez Mir Pakistani cricketer and TV anchor Mohammad Sajjad Alam Pakistani American physicist Mohammad Shahid Alam economist academic and social scientist Nighat Seema Pakistani singer Ahsan Ali Taj Pakistani musician songwriter and singer Tina Sani Pakistani singer Muslehuddin Pakistani composer See also editList of Pakistani Bengali films Musa Colony Daily Qaumi Bandhan Machar Colony Chittagong Colony Rohingya people in Pakistan Stranded Pakistanis in BangladeshReferences edit Stateless and helpless The plight of ethnic Bengalis in Pakistan Al Jazeera 29 September 2021 Ethnic Bengalis in Pakistan an estimated two million are the most discriminated ethnic community Karim Naimul 6 July 2018 The struggle to return home The Daily Star Archived from the original on 10 July 2021 Retrieved 2 September 2021 It s difficult to state exactly how many Bengalis reside in Pakistan Various reports however suggest that the figure can vary from around 7 to 20 lakhs with most of them living in Karachi Many of these Bangladeshis had found their way into Pakistan in the mid 80s looking for work a b Rahman B 4 February 2003 Indo Bangladesh Standoff South Asia Analysis Group Archived from the original on 12 September 2012 https migration ucdavis edu mn more php id 679 Hasan Rakib Al Bengalis in Pakistan A neglected community crying for recognition South Asia Monitor Retrieved 1 October 2023 Bangladeshi immigrants in Pakistan find it hard to go home Nikkei Asian Review Five million illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan The Express Tribune 16 January 2012 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Fringe Pakistan Bengali speaking Pakistanis demand right to vote The Express Tribune 10 March 2012 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Shaikh Muhammad Feroze the chairman of the committee said during a press conference on Friday that political parties and the government should acknowledge the sacrifices of their ancestors We live in Sindh and feel proud to be called Sindhis rather than Bengalis We appeal to Sindhi nationalists and Sindhis to help us in our struggle he added He said that Bengali speaking people were not given educational rights as they did not possess national identity cards Our children can t get an education after matriculation because colleges ask for the identity cards but the National Database Registration Authority has never accepted us as Pakistani citizens Shaikh said that over three million Bengalis and Biharis were grateful to the government for accepting them as Pakistani citizens We postponed a hunger strike planned for 25 March after the government made decisions he added We can go on a hunger strike if our rights are not given He claimed that there were 200 settlements of Bengali speaking people across the country including 132 in Karachi They populate different parts of Pakistan including Thatta Badin Hyderabad Tando Adam and Lahore a b Tohid Owais Mahmud Arshad 29 November 1995 Homeless in Karachi Outlook Retrieved 2 March 2010 Naqvi Abbas 17 December 2006 Falling back Daily Times Archived from the original on 9 October 2013 Retrieved 19 January 2010 Bloch Hannah 25 September 2000 You Can t Get There From Here Time Asia a b Refugee Review Tribunal Australia RRT Research Response PDF Refworld org Hasan Rakib Al Bengalis in Pakistan A neglected community crying for recognition South Asia Monitor Retrieved 2 November 2023 Renowned music composer Robin Ghosh passes away Shabnam biography complete biography of Actresses Shabnam pak101 com Further reading editYou Can t Get There From Here Bengali immigrants in Pakistan now wish they d never left Bangladesh Time Asia Bengali immigrants in Karachi polarised over violence in Bangladesh Express Tribune Bengalis afraid of losing their identity and rights Express Tribune The Bengal Borderland Beyond State and Nation in South Asia The Bengal Borderland Beyond State and Nation in South Asia by Willem van Schendel Too many mouths to feed in Karachi s slum fishermen s colony Express Tribune In Search of an Identity News International Baloch Saher Mughal Bilal Karim 4 June 2017 The woes of Bengalis Burmese and Iranians of Karachi Dawn No CNICs for Pakistani Bengalis means no jobs for them News International Pace Eric 24 April 1971 To the Bengalis in Karachi Home Seems Far Away The New York Times Retrieved 18 April 2020 External links editBangladeshi Students Association of Pakistan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bengalis in Pakistan amp oldid 1206777167, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
