Book Review : From Autonomy Movement to Independence: The United States, Pakistan and Emergence of Bangladesh by Mahmudul Huque, New Delhi: Vikash Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 2014, pp. XII + 332, Price Rs. 495.00

Abstract

People usually think that the birth of Bangladesh is merely as the consequence of a short term war of nine months‟ duration. No, this is an injudicious consideration. The journey of the emergence of this country is not that brief. From autonomy movement, evolved shortly after the creation of Pakistan, to the bloody war of 1971 -- the canvas behind the creation of Bangladesh is very wide. Alongside the decades-long struggle for Bengali autonomy, American attitudes, especially its prominent policy of “tilt” towards Pakistan and other issues are the subject matter of the work under review. In the author’s words: “This is a study of American attitude and policy toward the Bengali quest for self-determination” (Introduction, p. 1). Dr. Mahmudul Huque, a late Professor of History in the University of Chittagong, has dedicated this scholarly work to “the memory of uncountable men, women and children who lost their lives for Bangladesh”.