Let’s grow maple

The maple leaf grows in spring between March and June, and represents unity, tolerance, and peace. It has also been a symbol on the Canadian flag since 1700 AD.

This piece is about an ordinary Pakistani offering to the ordinary Bangladeshi a maple leaf – hoping that my counterparts in Bangladesh will accept it.

The scars left behind are continuous reminders of physical wounds inflicted upon you when you’re young. And if the wound is one of ‘emotional injury’; neither the pain nor the scars go away with time; the best option then is to live with it, with acceptance and no remorse.

One such wound of mine wakes up shrieking each cold December; and the memories of that cold biting winter, when the wound was inflicted gives to my soul a stabbing pain that is excruciating. I had then just left school when my beloved Pakistan was dismembered through the active collaboration of foes who had united to divide and undo the country. The grievances of our East Pakistani brethren were exploited against the nation.

The unnecessary war of December 1971 heralded in me a new awakening – religion is not a binding force, anymore. The 58-odd Muslim countries spread over the globe are at each other’s throats most of the time. My youthful and emotional idealism (on hindsight, delusional) of a united Ummah caved into a dismal fit of anger that was matched equally by a passionate denial.

The diabolic intrigue and political machinations of India alongside what was then called the USSR (Soviet Russia) caused the social and economic unrest in our eastern wing to become a movement of separation. Distanced by 1000 kms of enemy territory, which had blocked out airspace access to (former) East Pakistan, it was thus inevitable that we would have had to end with a surrender, which happened on December 16. A tragic day.

However, now looking through the rear mirror of life, the only relief I find is that growing maturity today allows for better reasoning and an ability to dispassionately view the past.

The people who in an epoch-making verdict of 1946 had lent all their support to the All India Muslim League, which ensured a landslide victory for them, chose to separate away from us. The sense of patriotism in those from the former East Pakistan should never have been doubled. A series of missteps led the most patriotic segment of the country to the precipice – which led them to revolt and secede; when rarely in history has the majority of the population seceded. This was a first.

The lamentations I have spread over the past many decades with contributions to various newspapers, journals, and periodicals during each December, I have today decided must end. It is time to move forward and towards strengthening bonds through economic, social, and cultural links.

Much water has flown under the bridge. Not only was Bangladesh recognised, but diplomatic relations have also gained strength, despite some see-saw over the years. There is today mutual respect and understanding; the aberrations were due to government changes, both at Islamabad and at Dhaka. Of late, however, there is a growing realisation in Bangladesh about the nefarious Indian design of hegemonic control over countries in the eastern part of the Subcontinent. Already there is trouble brewing for the Indian states of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, etc who are waiting to break away from the unnatural union with India. The high-handedness of New Delhi is visible to all.

It is proven without any doubt or ambiguities that if the state allows its citizens to freely undertake business enterprise through non-interference and by virtue of sensible policymaking, nations can match forward. The same population which was considered a ‘burden’ by its compatriots in the west has done wonders for their country. The government must only provide an enabling environment for private enterprise to flourish, which is exactly what the successive governments in Dhaka did. It is not the job of the government to run a business. The results in Bangladesh are extraordinary.

Bangladesh’s economy is export-oriented; their foreign exchange reserves are in excess of $46 billion; the takka is priced at 87 to the USD. There is much learning here – our pride (mostly false with no moorings to anything substantial) will prevent us from admitting that reality.

Many Pakistani entrepreneurs have moved their textile production units to Bangladesh. As part of further confidence-building measures, travel should be made easy; visa restrictions with police reporting requirements must be dispensed with. There is a need for immediate restoration of direct flights, and economic and commercial activities must be enhanced.

Of late, Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Haseena Wajid has met our ambassador two times within a fortnight – a good indication of the thawing of her own acrimony. It is best that either PM Imran Khan extends an invitation to Haseena Wajid to pay a visit to Pakistan or else be invited by her. A summit meeting between the two would augur well. During Musharraf’s era, the bond was developing rapidly, but it went off rails; it is time now to put it back.

Recently I wrote a message to a very dear Bengali friend of decades that we must contribute towards creating harmony between our respective people on the street, and to this effect we must look at business exchanges, cultural ties and above all refrain from broadcasting false narratives from both sides.

We cannot rewrite history but, based on knowledge and wisdom, we can surely steer its future direction towards positivity. And that direction is only one way – towards friendship and brotherhood.

The writer is a banker and freelance contributor.