The impact of media on the cultural and political consequences of disasters is a significant focus within the field of disaster politics. This is particularly relevant in regions prone to conflicts, where media coverage can influence public perceptions and government responses. The current research aims to examine the influence of national, regional, and international media on the political landscape of East Pakistan, now known as Bangladesh, in the aftermath of the devastating Bhola cyclone of 1970. It is hypothesized that the cyclone played a pivotal role in the outcome of the December 1970 national election in Pakistan, where a party based in East Pakistan achieved a landslide victory but was prevented from forming the government by the central military administration, leading to a violent military crackdown that killed thousands within six months after the disaster and ultimately establishing the independent country of Bangladesh in 1971. The study argues that the collective outcry of media outlets during the post-catastrophic period contributed to political repercussions in East Pakistan, fueling anti-central sentiments that were effectively leveraged by the East Pakistani parties, particularly the Awami League, in the course of their electoral campaigns. This study aims to explore the impact of media on disaster narratives and electoral politics in Pakistan in 1970 by conducting a qualitative analysis of historical newspapers, visual materials, and interviews, using discourse analysis as a method.

Authors:
Muhammad Asiful Basar, North South University, Bangladesh

About the Presenter(s)
Muhammad Asiful Basar, Senior Lecturer, Department of History and Philosophy, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. https://www.northsouth.edu/faculty-members/shss/history-philosophy/muhammad.basar.html

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