Dead Reckoning

Abstract

I owe a debt of gratitude to many people who helped me in innumerable ways over the several years it took to research and write this book. lt is not possible to acknowledge by name everyone who helped in some way, but I would like co mention the following: I thank all those who agreed to calk to me about their experiences of the I 971 conflict. They are acknowledged by name throughout the book and in the Appendix, e;cept for the few instances of anonymity. In Bangladesh I thank Tanvir Mokammd and his entire team for their immense assistance, from helping identify incidents to investigate, contacting witnesses, finding books and audio-visual material to transporting me to many incident sites, and providing rhe most scrumptious Bengali meals along the way; Rashid Haider, who simply gave me a number of his edited volumes of witness testimony which I was having difficulty acquiring; Jvfofidul Hoque 'and the staff at the Liberation War Museum for providing vital research mate~ rial; Achinrya, without whom research in Khulna district would be truly 'achintyaniya'; Zafar Ahmed for his pointers to research material and people to talk to, Ghulam Hasnain and family: the Karim ~amily of Dhaka. In Pakistan I am grateful to Farid and Zahida Ahsanuddin and family for invaluable help and enduring all manner of imposition; Abdul Hamid and Hawa Adamjee, Mariam Oomerbhoy and family for their wonderful hospitality; Indu Mitha and family for music and refuge: Ashraf Jehangir Qazi for reproaching me on hearing about my first paper (without reading it); Lr Gen. Ali Kuli Khan for the term that became the tide of the book, and he and Brig. Saleem Zia, Brig. Shaukat Qadir, Brig. Jafar Khan, Col. Anis Ahmed and Col. Sam in Jan Babar for helping me establish contact with other officers of rele· vance to my research. Across three conrinenrs I thank ltry Abraham, Rukun