"Bengalis = academic" used to historically apply only for the Hindu community in Bengal. They formed coalitions and allied with the Brits to keep Muslim peasants poor and illiterate. That's why East Bengal was so neglected compared to West Bengal. And it ultimately triggered the Muslim homeland movement.

The massive improvements in modern-day Bangladesh have been thanks to partition and our willpower against a deceitful Hindu neighbour. By restructuring East Bengal as a Muslim state, our ancestors made massive gains. This would not be possible without Jinnah.

So, it makes me sad that most of my countrymen treat faraway (West) Pakistan still as a bogeyman and scorn the very Jinnah that gave them their Islamic liberty. Just a few bad years from the 50's to '71 and they forgot their forefathers' struggles against the gangus.

Makes my blood boil lol