Dhaka, March 26 -- The people of Bangladesh have just gone through yet one more anniversary of Independence Day. When fifty-four years ago, in March 1971, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, in the aftermath of the brutality unleashed by the Pakistan army, questions were raised about why the Yahya Khan junta had chosen the path of repression rather than go for a negotiated settlement of the crisis.

There were all the mistakes the military rulers based in Rawalpindi made, one after another in that tumultuous political season. Of course, there was little question that the Bengalis of Pakistan would sooner rather than later opt out of Pakistan. Had 1971 not happened, there would be 1976 or 19...