When British India was partitioned and the independent dominions of India and Pakistan were created in 1947, the region of Bengal was divided along religious lines. The predominantly Muslim eastern half was designated East Pakistan — and made part of the newly independent state of Pakistan — while the predominantly Hindu western part became the Indian state of West Bengal. Dominion status was reje
cted in 1956 in favor of an "Islamic Republic within the Commonwealth." Attempts at civilian political rule failed and the government imposed martial law between 1958 and 1962 and again between 1969 and 1971. Soon after partition, frictions developed between East and West Pakistan, which were separated by more than 1,000 miles of Indian territory. East Pakistanis felt exploited by West Pakistan. Linguistic, cultural and ethnic differences contributed to the estrangement of East from West Pakistan. Bengalis strongly resisted attempts to impose Urdu as the country's sole official language. Responding to these grievances, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 4, 1948 formed a students' organization called the Chhatra League. BCL, known as the East Pakistan Student League, formed on 4 January 1948. Naimuddin Ahmed became its first convener, Dabirul Islam became President and Khaleque Nawaz Khan became General Secretary. The League participated in the Bengali language movement, the 1962 "education commission" movement, the 1966 six point movement, and the 1969 "Egaro Dofa Andolon" (11 Point Movement). Nawaz Khan defeated incumbent Prime Minister of East Pakistan Nurul Amin in the Jukto Front election in 1954 in Nandail constituency of Mymensingh. BCL contributed to the 1969 Mass Upsurge, the 1971 Liberation War, the 1990 Anti-Autocracy Movement and others. They formed "Mujib Bahinee", separate from Freedom Fighters, under the direct supervision and guide of RAW but the war ended before they participated..
