Bangladesh: Eyewitness to Separation

The 1971 separation of East Pakistan was more than a war – it was a trauma, a family split that still haunts the subcontinent. Few men are better placed to tell this story than Burhanul Islam: a Bengali diplomat who, when his homeland became Bangladesh, made the agonising decision to stay with Pakistan.

Bangladesh: Eyewitness to Separation is not a detached academic history. It is the raw, first‑hand testimony of a man who lived the catastrophe from inside the corridors of power. Burhanul Islam was a rising Bangladeshi diplomat serving in Pakistan’s foreign service when the civil war erupted. As a Bengali official in a country that was turning against his people, he experienced the discrimination, the political exclusion, and the economic disparity that fuelled the independence struggle. Yet when the war ended and Bangladesh was born, he made the almost unheard‑of decision to remain in Pakistan – carrying with him the memories of what he had witnessed.

This 306‑page memoir spans the critical decade leading up to 1971 and its aftermath. Drawing on his unique perspective as both an insider in West Pakistan and a son of the eastern wing, Islam recounts the political machinations, the personal betrayals, and the human cost of separation. He gives us rare behind‑the‑scenes glimpses of diplomatic missions, the bitter atmosphere of the dying days of united Pakistan, and the painful choices forced upon minority communities. This is an essential document for anyone seeking to understand not just the "how" of Bangladesh’s birth, but the lasting psychological wounds that remain unhealed.

About the Author
Ambassador (R) Burhanul Islam is a retired Pakistani diplomat and a senior associate of the Institute of Strategic Studies (IPS), Islamabad. A Bengali‑origin officer who served in Pakistan’s foreign service, he opted to remain in Pakistan after the 1971 separation. His diplomatic postings included assignments as Consul General in Munich and Ambassador to Chile. He has written extensively on Pakistan‑Bangladesh relations and frequently appears in policy discussions on healing the wounds of 1971. This is his first book-length memoir.

Bangladesh: Eyewitness to Separation is available now at Kitab Markaz. We deliver across Pakistan and worldwide – so this unique insider’s account of the 1971 tragedy can reach you, wherever you are.