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Pak Studies History IGCSEPDF 104
181 pagesrevision 46928
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People in East Pakistan strongly opposed the decision to make Urdu the
only national language.
They argued that Bengali should also be recognized because,
It was spoken by the majority of Pakistan’s citizens.
It had a rich literary and cultural tradition.
The decision was seen as unfair and West Pakistan-dominated, creating
resentment in the eastern wing.
Early Protests (1948)
In March 1948, protests broke out in Dhaka (Dacca) demanding that
Bengali be made a state language.
During his visit to Dhaka, Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah addressed the students
and leaders, firmly declaring:
“Urdu, and only Urdu, shall be the state language of Pakistan.”
He emphasized that Urdu would be the symbol of Muslim unity, but his
stance did not satisfy the Bengalis.
Consequences
The issue created linguistic and political tensions between East and
West Pakistan.
It marked the beginning of the sense of alienation felt by East
Pakistanis, who believed their culture and identity were being ignored.
This dispute later intensified in the 1950s, leading to the Language
Movement (Bhasha Andolon) and eventually contributed to the
separation of East Pakistan in 1971.
iv. Other Problems
After independence in August 1947, Pakistan faced severe political, economic,
social, and administrative challenges. These problems arose mainly because
Pakistan was created hastily, received an unfair share of resources, and lacked
the infrastructure and experience needed to run a new state.
1. Political Problems
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