Bangladeshis in Pakistan
Encyclopedia
The population of Bengalis
and Bangladeshis in Pakistan is said to be in millions however there is no exact figure. Different sources dub as much as between 1 - 3 million immigrants in Karachi with Bengali
origin. Many of the migrants are remnants of East Pakistan
settled in West Pakistan
(now Pakistan) who chose to stay back even after the Bangladesh Liberation War while others immigrated from Bangladesh
later. Much of the Bangladeshi-origin population also includes the thousands of stateless Biharis (called Stranded Pakistanis
) who were allowed resettlement in Pakistan after the 1971 war in Bangladesh.
After Bangladesh became independent in 1971, the total Bengali-speaking population of Karachi came down to 10,000. By 1995 however, continuous migration led it to cross the 1.6 million mark. During the era of Benazir Bhutto, some top officials became concerned with the large Bangladeshi migrant population, afraid they could overtake the Urdu-speaking Muhajir people
and disturb sensitive demographics. Accordingly, Bhutto ordered a crackdown and deportation on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Her action strained and created tensions in Bangladesh–Pakistan relations, with Khalida Zia, who was in power in Dhaka during the time, refusing to accept the deportees and reportedly sending two planeloads back towards Pakistan and religious parties also criticising Bhutto and dubbing the crackdown as anti-Islamic. She was ultimately forced to abandon the order.
There are numerous Bengali colonies in Karachi, often called "mini Bangladesh." Bengali communities are often found in the same areas where Burmese people in Pakistan
are found, due to a shared culture and similar language.
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
and Bangladeshis in Pakistan is said to be in millions however there is no exact figure. Different sources dub as much as between 1 - 3 million immigrants in Karachi with Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
origin. Many of the migrants are remnants of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
settled in West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
(now Pakistan) who chose to stay back even after the Bangladesh Liberation War while others immigrated from Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
later. Much of the Bangladeshi-origin population also includes the thousands of stateless Biharis (called Stranded Pakistanis
Stranded Pakistanis
Stranded Pakistanis, also known as Biharis, describes the people mainly of the Bihari ethnic group currently residing in Bangladesh who immigrated to East Pakistan with the hopes of joining Pakistan but after the East Pakistan seceded and became Bangladesh were unable to re-immigrate in 1971 and...
) who were allowed resettlement in Pakistan after the 1971 war in Bangladesh.
After Bangladesh became independent in 1971, the total Bengali-speaking population of Karachi came down to 10,000. By 1995 however, continuous migration led it to cross the 1.6 million mark. During the era of Benazir Bhutto, some top officials became concerned with the large Bangladeshi migrant population, afraid they could overtake the Urdu-speaking Muhajir people
Muhajir people
Muhajir [literally – migrants] is a term commonly used especially by Pakistanis to describe the Muslim immigrants who chose to settle in Pakistan and shifted their domicile after partition of British India into Pakistan and India. Some had participated in the movement for creation of Pakistan in...
and disturb sensitive demographics. Accordingly, Bhutto ordered a crackdown and deportation on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Her action strained and created tensions in Bangladesh–Pakistan relations, with Khalida Zia, who was in power in Dhaka during the time, refusing to accept the deportees and reportedly sending two planeloads back towards Pakistan and religious parties also criticising Bhutto and dubbing the crackdown as anti-Islamic. She was ultimately forced to abandon the order.
There are numerous Bengali colonies in Karachi, often called "mini Bangladesh." Bengali communities are often found in the same areas where Burmese people in Pakistan
Burmese people in Pakistan
The Burmese people in Pakistan are a Muslim community based in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. They are Rohingya Muslims from western Burma, who claim to have fled their homeland of Arakan State under the persecution of Muslim citizens by the Burmese junta...
are found, due to a shared culture and similar language.
Notable people
- Munni BegumMunni BegumMunni Begum is a famous Pakistani ghazal Singer. Her real name is Nadira . She is based in Chicago, IL, USA.-Early life:Munni Begum was born in Murshidabad, West Bengal, India. The youngest child of seven children, she first started taking music lessons from the famous singer Ustad Khwaja Ghulam...
- M. Shahid AlamM. Shahid AlamMuhammad Shahid Alam, D.Phil, is a Pakistani economist, academic, and noted social scientist. He is a Professor of Economics at Northeastern University, Boston. He is on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Policy Research & Development, London....
- Muhammad Mahmood AlamMuhammad Mahmood AlamAir Commodore Muhammad Mahmood Alam is a retired Pakistani fighter pilot, North American F-86 Sabre Flying ace and one-star general who served with the Pakistan Air Force...
- Habibullah Bahar ChowdhuryHabibullah Bahar ChowdhuryMohammad Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury was a politician and writer from East Bengal, who served in the political spheres of India and Pakistan.Publisher along with his sister Shamsunnahar Mahmud of the literary journal Bulbul, his political offices included serving on the executive committee and as...
- Zaib-un-Nissa HamidullahZaib-un-Nissa HamidullahZaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah was a pioneer of Pakistani literature and journalism in English, and also a pioneer of feminism in Pakistan, West Pakistan till 1971. She was Pakistan's first female columnist , editor, publisher and political commentator...
- Indu MithaIndu MithaIndu Mitha is a Pakistani exponent of Bharatnatyam and one of only two in the nation . She is also a faculty member at the Rawalpindi campus of the National College of the Arts.-Personal life:...
- Alamgir (pop singer)Alamgir (pop singer)Alamgir is a Pakistani pop singer of the 1970s, who is in fact one of the pioneers of the Urdu pop music in Pakistan. His style of singing is inspired by legendary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi.-Life & career:...
- Roopa FarookiRoopa FarookiRoopa Farooki is a British novelist. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, to a Pakistani father and Bangladeshi mother in 1974, they moved to London at the age of seven months...
- British writer (half Pakistani, half Bangladeshi)