455 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ পোকিস্তান সংকটের পটভূমিকা রিপন সোসাইটি ৩ এপ্রিল, ১৯৭১ PAKISTAN: BACKGROUND TO A CRISIS A Ripon Society Position Paper April 3, 1971 This paper was reviewed for the Ripon Society by a committee consisting of: J. Lee Auspitz President Ripon Society Stephen A. Marglin Professor of Economics Harvard University Custav F. Papenek Lecturer on Economics and former Director, Development Advisory Service Harvard University. HISTORY OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DOMINATION OF EAST PAKISTAN In many ways East and West Pakistan have never been one country. Even at its strongest, the bond between East and West Pakistan was somewhat tenuous. They are physically more than 1,000 miles apart, the people speak different languages, have different cultures and different economics. They have in common religion, a short history, and the same Central Government. Since the formation of the state of Pakistan 24 years back, the East Bengalis have derived little benefit from the association other than a limited sense of security that the Hindu landlords would not be able to returns and repossess the land. It has become increasingly apparent that the economic and political interests of the East Pakistanis have been systematically subordinated to those of West Pakistan. Even the Central Government's highest planning authority was forced to take official notice of the widening economic disparities between the two regions. A recent report by a panel of experts to the Planning Commission of the Government of Pakistan showed that, while average (per capita) income in the West was 32% higher than in th East in 1959-60, the disparity had almost doubled to 61% ten years later in 196970*. The Central Government's instruments of tariffs, import controls, industrial licensing, foreign aid budgeting, and investment allocation have been used to direct investment and imports to develop high-cost industries in West Pakistan whose profitability is
