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612 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
"How many times since have I asked God to forgive me for my ignorance. I didn't see then that the democratic mandate for Pakistan had been grossly violated. The majority province of East Pakistan was basically being treated as a colony by the minority West. From revenues of more than 31 billion rupees from East Pakistan's exports, the minority in West Pakistan had built roads, schools, universities, and hospitals for themselves, but developed little in the East. The army, the largest employer in our very poor country, drew 90 percent of its forces from West Pakistan. Eighty percent of government jobs were filled by people from the West. The central government had even declared Urdu our national language, a language few in East Pakistan understood, further handicapping the Bengalis in competing for jobs in government or education. No wonder they felt excluded and exploited."