Abstract

The separation of East Pakistan in 1971 provides an appropriate case for the assessment of factors responsible for the success of any separatist movement. This paper attempts to focus the institution of bureaucracy that is, indicated by many as, partly accountable for the separation of East Pakistan. The paper takes up the point that the individual bureaucrats rather than the institution of bureaucracy ruled over the country most of the time that is considered as the time of bureaucratic rule. Another discovered point is that the bureaucratic institution in Pakistan had been built in such a way that one individual at the top of the hierarchy could easily run a whole machinery of the bureaucracy. Therefore the top leaders, bureaucratic as well political, were responsible for all of the ills of the country including the menace of separatism that led to the separation of East Pakistan. The paper is analysis based and the sources include the official documents, biographies and research books. Quantitative data has also been analysed for the clarification of some concepts.