Not only was the total population of Pakistan (East + West Pakistan) was well over 50% Bengali, but the Muslim League also was both founded by and intially mainly dependent on support from Bengali Muslim voters. At least early on, the Muslim League didn’t really have that much support within the region that later came to be known as West Pakistan.
As a Bangladeshi, this contrast between the majority Bengali demographic and the political dominance of the Urdu-speaking minority is frequently brought up when East Pakistani history is taught in our schools and colleges. But as to how this situation came to being is pretty much entirely glossed over.
I have some vague idea that this has something to do with the strong landed gentry of West Pakistan, and the dominance of Punjabis in Pakistan’s nascent military. But I’d certainly appreciate a more in-depth analysis about such an important part of my own country’s history.l
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