East Pakistan Central Peace Committee Explained

East Pakistan Central Peace Committee
Colorcode:
  1. 008000
President:Syed Khwaja Khairuddin
Chairperson:Farid Ahmad
Ideology:
Headquarters:Dacca, East Pakistan
Country: Pakistan
Abbreviation:PPKSC (Bengali)
EPCPC (English)
Founder:12 people, including Tikka Khan and Ghulam Azam
Predecessor:Dhaka Nagorik Committee
Membership:140[1]
Membership Year:April 1971
Position:Far-right
Religion:Islam

East Pakistan Central Peace Committee was one of several committees formed in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 to aid efforts of Pakistani forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Nurul Amin, as a leader of Pakistan Democratic Party, led the formation of the Shanti Committee to thwart the Mukti Bahini, which fought for the liberation of Bangladesh.[2] [3] [4] [5] Bangladesh Genocide Remembrance Day is held in the memory of victims of 1971 Bangladesh genocide and massacre by Pakistan Army and organisations created and abetted by Pakistan Army such as Razakars (and its wings Al-Badr & Al-Shams) and the so-called "East Pakistan Central Peace Committee".

Background

On 25 March 1971, the war in East Pakistan began. On 4 April 1971, twelve pro-Pakistan leaders, including Nurul Amin, Ghulam Azam and Khwaja Khairuddin, met General Tikka Khan of the Pakistan Army and assured him of co-operation in opposing the Bengali rebellion.[6] After subsequent meetings, they announced the formation of the Citizen Peace Committee, with 140 members.[7] [8] [9] The first recruits included 96 Jamaat-e-Islami members, who started training in an Ansar camp at Khanjahan Ali Road, Khulna.[10] [11] The Shanti Committee is also alleged to have recruited Razakars.[12] [13]

History

The leaders of the East Pakistan Central Peace Committee called on citizens of Pakistan to defend Pakistan from "Indian aggression", as India was accused of supporting the Bangladesh liberation movement. The Peace Committee organised a rally from Baitul Mukarram to Chawkbazar Mosque on 13 April. The rally was to end with a meeting near New Market. At the end of the rally, participants began rioting in Azimpur, Shantinagar and Shankhari Bazar areas. They set fire to the houses of known people supportive of liberation and killed some.[14]

The Peace Committee spread throughout East Pakistan, reaching even rural villages. Compared to the indiscriminate killing of Pakistan Army, the Peace Committee were more specific and guided by lists, they made of opponents. The members of Peace Committee were feared and hated by the population of East Pakistan. Peace committee members were killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[15]

On 14 April, at a meeting in Dhaka, the Citizen Peace Committee renamed itself as the East Pakistan Central Peace Committee. A working committee was formed consisting of 21 members.[16] They set up an office in Maghbazar. The Peace Committee appointed one or more liaison officers for the different police station areas of Dhaka. On 17 April 1971, the members of the peace committee apprised Governor Tikka Khan of the progress made by them toward restoring normalcy and confidence among the citizens.[17] The central peace committee was being deputed to the district and divisional headquarters throughout east Pakistan.[18] The peace committee in Munshiganj gave a grand reception to the West Pakistani militaries on 11 May 1971.[19]

According to the historian Azadur Rahman Chandan in his 2011 book about the war, the Peace Committee was the first organisation to be set up by local residents who collaborated with Pakistan.[6] Its members were drawn from the political parties of the Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami, which thought an independent Bangladesh was against Islam; as well as the Urdu-speaking Biharis.[20]

Genocide

The victims of Bangladesh genocide (1971) are remembered by the annual national Bangladesh Genocide Remembrance Day, the perpetrators were the

Abolition

On 16 December 1971, after the end of the war, the committee was abolished.

Former members

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/different-news/news/414986. April 9, 2019. bn. bn:ঢাকায় মুক্তিযুদ্ধবিরোধী নাগরিক শান্তি কমিটি. Dhaka's anti-liberation Citizen Peace Committee. November 15, 2024. Janakantha.
  2. Peace Committee.
  3. News: 13 April 1971 . bn:ভারতীয় চক্রান্ত বরদাস্ত করব না . We will never tolerate Indian conspiracy . The Daily Sangram.
  4. Book: Rubin, Barry A. . 2010 . Guide to Islamist Movements . . 59 . 978-0-7656-4138-0.
  5. Book: Fair, C. Christine . 2010 . Pakistan: Can the United States Secure an Insecure State? . . 21–22 . 978-0-8330-4807-3.
  6. Book: Chandan, Azadur Rahman . bn:একাত্তরের ঘাতক ও দালালরা . The Killers and Collaborators of 71 . February 2011 . 2009 . Revised 2nd . Jatiya Sahitya Prakash . . . 984-70000-0121-4 --> . 48–54.
  7. News: 'Peace Committee formed on Apr 10 in '71 to resist birth of Bangladesh' . The Daily Star . 7 March 2016 . 8 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160308055315/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=133777 . dead .
  8. News: bn:ঢাকায় নাগরিক শান্তি কমিটি . Dainik Pakistan . 11 April 1971.
  9. News: Wartime crime charges against Ghulam Azam . . 7 March 2016.
  10. News: 25 May 1971 . Daily Pakistan.
  11. News: 26 May 1971 . The Daily Azad.
  12. The Wall Street Journal, 27 July 1971; quoted in the book Muldhara 71 by Moidul Hasan
  13. News: Guilty of all grisly acts . . 15 July 2013 . 7 March 2016.
  14. Book: Karlekar, Hiranmay . 2005 . Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan? . registration . SAGE . 149 . 978-0-7619-3401-1.
  15. Book: United States Congress . 1971 . Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress . . 27134–27135.
  16. News: Citizens Peace Committee Renamed . . 16 April 1971.
  17. News: 17 April 1971 . Peace Committee Leaders call on the Governor . The Pakistan Observer.
  18. News: 26 April 1971 . Peace Committee to be set up in districts . The Pakistan Observer.
  19. News: 11 May 1971 . Daily Purbadesh.
  20. News: Peter R. . Kann . 27 July 1971 . East Pakistan Is Seen Gaining Independence, But It Will Take Years . The Wall Street Journal.