Bangladesh genocide remains unrecognised unlike those in Europe, Africa: Paris-based think tank

Center of Political and Foreign Affairs -- a Paris-based think-tank -- published a report on March 15 titled "East Pakistan Genocide: Still Yearns for Global Acknowledgement" saying that there has been no proper acknowledgment of the genocide perpetrated by the Pakistan Army during the 1971 Liberation War. 

Mario de Gasperi, in the report, wrote, "The Bangladesh genocide is considered to be the largest and longest since it covers the entire length of the nine-month-long Liberation War of Bangladesh. Ironically, the Bangladesh genocide remains unrecognised while other genocides in Europe and Africa have been acknowledged."

As per the report, three million people were killed, half a million girls and women were raped, and entire villages were left in ruins. Men became primary targets -- almost 80% male, as reported by the Bangladesh Genocide Archives. The abduction and subsequent rape of women by soldiers happened in camps for months. 

Gasperi writes that March is significant in Bangladesh's valiant struggle against the Pakistani army. March 25, which is observed as Genocide Day, holds a special significance, since on this day 50 years back, the Pakistan army launched 'Operation Searchlight' -- resulting in the worst genocide in human history over nine months till the Pakistan army was defeated on December 16.

Gasperi added, "The Liberation War in erstwhile East Pakistan marked by the horrific genocide committed by the Pakistani Army and razakars, or collaborators, is not acknowledged widely even to this date."

The author states that there is no doubt that the mass killing in Bangladesh was among the most carefully and centrally planned of modern genocides. "Bengalis were often compared with monkeys and chickens. Said Pakistan General Niazi, 'It was a low lying land of low lying people.'"