Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 was a moment of immense hope, however, its outcomes were far from the unrestrained freedom its people had envisioned. On paper, the country gained independence, but this newfound sovereignty came wrapped in layers of constraints that left much undone. Geographically, Bangladesh achieved only partial freedom; you can say 50%. While its land was liberated, the vast Bay of Bengal remained unclaimed and undefined, leaving half its potential territory unresolved. This missing piece was a glaring reminder that independence was not absolute.
Economically, the situation was precarious. The country’s survival depended heavily on allies like India, Russia, and to some extent, the UK. This dependency, though practical in the short term, shackled Bangladesh to external powers. Economic freedom stood at a mere 30%, as the young nation struggled to lay the groundwork for self-reliance. The economic strings pulled by powerful partners echoed the colonial dynamics of the past, subtly limiting Bangladesh’s ability to shape its destiny.
Politically, the freedom was even thinner—just 20%. The country’s political arena became a gated space dominated by pro-Indian factions. Dissenting voices, whether from the communist left or Islamist movements, were systematically purged, reducing Bangladesh’s politics to a controlled theater. Democracy existed, but only in a shallow, heavily curated form.
The cultural landscape fared no better. The soul of the Bengali civilization—its farmers, workers, and spiritual traditions—was sidelined in favor of an elitist, homogenized narrative. The rich, metaphysical culture of the masses, rooted in both economic struggles and religious identity, was rendered invisible. What emerged was a cultural vision that felt incomplete and distant from the people it claimed to represent.
While 1971 brought undeniable progress, it also laid bare a neocolonial reality. Bangladesh’s liberation, though transformative, was entangled in a web of external control. Instead of unleashing the full force of a thriving Bengali civilization, it became a carefully managed state, shaped to fit the interests of global and regional powers.
The writer is Editor of Geopolits.com and Author of the book titled "Bengal Nexus"
