Independance Movement of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh War of Independence or the Bangladesh Liberation War refers to an armed conflict
between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) that lasted for roughly nine
months in 1971. The war resulted in Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.

Pakistan's partition from India in 1947 had arisen from the 'two-nation' thesis that Muslims and Hindus
in India were both 'nations' whose people could not live together. Pakistan was the first modern-state
founded solely on the basis of religion, since although India had a Hindu majority its population, with
Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and Christians was multi-religious and its constitution was secular. When East
Bengal was included in the partition, many thought this mistaken because of the cultural differences
between Bengal and the peoples of what became West Pakistan. When the West tried to impose Urdu as
the official language in the East, a linguistic-cultural opposition movement began.

Bangladesh would be founded on the basis of cultural and linguistic identity. Muslims, Hindus, Christians,
Buddhists and animists, united by a common language and a common culture, struggled for their
freedom. Few families were unaffected by the war. Most lost relatives. Bengali have been conquered by
others but have not had a history of aggression. They have traded, written poetry, sung songs and have
developed a rich cultural tradition of which they are proud. However, denied equal rights with West
Pakistan and the right to form a government even though the largest number of seats in Pakistan's
Parliament were held by East Pakistani members, they bravely asserted their right to self-determination.
The atrocities committed by Pakistani soldiers during this war are regarded by some as genocide.

Years before the war

During the Partition of India, Pakistan, as a country, gained independence on August 14, 1947 following
the end of British rule over South Asian countries. The division was made based on religion. Pakistan was
created out of Muslim majority territories in the West and East, and India was created out of the vast
Hindu majority regions in the center. The Western zone was popularly (and for a period of time, also
officially) called West Pakistan and the Eastern zone (modern-day Bangladesh) was called East Bengal
and later, East Pakistan. The capital of Pakistan was established in Karachi in West Pakistan and then
moved to Islamabad in 1958.
 Economic exploitation

West Pakistan (consisting of four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and North-West Frontier
Province) dominated the divided country and received more money than the more populous East.

Between 1948 and 1960, East Pakistan's export earnings had been 70 percent while it only received 25
percent of import earning. In 1948 (shortly after independence from the UK), East Pakistan had 11 textile
mills while West had 9. In 1971, the number of textile mills in the West had grown to 150 while that in
the East had only gone up to 26. A transfer of 2.6 billion dollars (in 1971 exchange rates) worth resources
was also done over time from East Pakistan to West Pakistan. Moreover it was felt that much of the
income generated by the east was primarily diverted towards fighting wars in Kashmir.

Difference in religious standpoints

One of the key issue was the extent to which Islam was followed. West Pakistan with an overwhelming
97 percent Muslim population was less liberal (in religious terms) than East Pakistan which was at least
15 percent non-Muslim (mainly Hindus). Bengalis' are proud of their common literary and cultural
heritage in which Muslim, Hindu and Christian writers are held in high esteem across the religious divide.
The difference was made further clear after Bangladeshi independence, when Bangladesh was
established as a secular country under the name "People's Republic of Bangladesh" rather than as the
Islamic Republic of Bangladesh. This was in tribute to all those, Muslim and non-Muslim, who had taken
part in the independence struggle.

Other factors including language

Close ties existed between East Pakistan and West Bengal, one of the Indian states bordering
Bangladesh, as both were composed mostly of Bengalis. West Pakistan viewed East Pakistani links with
India unfavorably as relations between India and Pakistan had been very poor since independence.
In 1948, Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared in Dhaka, capital of East Pakistan, that "Urdu, and only Urdu," a
language that was only spoken in the West by Muhajirs and in the East by Biharis, would be the sole
official language for all of Pakistan, while Bangla was spoken by the majority of people. East Pakistan
revolted and several students and civilians lost their lives on February 21, 1952. The day is revered in

Bangladesh and in West Bengal as the Language Martyrs' Day. Bitter feelings among East Pakistanis never
ceased to grow, especially with repeated arrivals of military rulers. Later, in remembrance of the 1952
killings, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day.

Military preparation in West Pakistan

General Tikka Khan was flown in to Dhaka to become Governor of East Bengal. East-Pakistani judges,
including Justice Siddique, refused to swear him in.

MV Swat, a ship of the Pakistani Navy, carrying ammunition and soldiers, was harbored in Chittagong
Port and the Bengali workers and sailors at the port refused to unload the ship. A unit of East Pakistan
Rifles refused to obey commands to fire on Bengali demonstrators, beginning a mutiny of Bengali
soldiers.

Between March 10 and 13, Pakistan International Airlines canceled all their international routes to
urgently fly "Government Passengers" to Dhaka. These so-called "Government Passengers" were almost
exclusively Pakistani soldiers in civil uniform.
 Bangobondhu's speech of March 7

On March 7, 1971, Bangobondhu (friend of the Bengalis) (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) gave a speech at the
Racecourse Ground (now called the Suhrawardy Udyan). In this speech he mentioned a further four-
point condition to consider the National Assembly Meeting on March 25:

The immediate lifting of martial law.

Immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks.

An inquiry into the loss of life.

Immediate transfer of power to the elected representative of the people before the assembly meeting
March 25.

He urged "his people" to turn every house into a fort of resistance. He closed his speech saying, "The
struggle this time is for our freedom. The struggle this time is for our independence."

Sheikh Mujib: addressing in the

mass rally of March 7, 1971

Violence of March 25

On the night of March 25, Pakistan Army began a violent effort to suppress the Bengali opposition. In
Bangladesh, and elsewhere, the Pakistani actions are referred to as genocide. Before carrying out these
acts, all foreign journalists were systematically deported from Bangladesh. Bengali members of military
services were disarmed. The operation was called Operation Searchlight by Pakistani Army and was
carefully devised by several top-ranked army generals to "crush" Bengalis.

Although the violence focused on the provincial capital, Dhaka, the process of ethnic elimination was
also carried out all around Bangladesh. Residential halls of University of Dhaka were particularly
targeted. The only Hindu residential hall—the Jagannath Hall—was destroyed by the Pakistani armed
forces, and an estimated 600 to 700 of its residents were murdered. The Pakistani army denies any cold
blooded killings at the university, though the Hamood-ur-Rehman commission in Pakistan states that
overwhelming force was used at the university. This fact and the massacre at Jagannath Hall and nearby
student dormitories of Dhaka University are corroborated by a videotape secretly filmed by Prof. Nur
Ullah of the East Pakistan Engineering University, whose residence was directly opposite to the student
dormitories.

Hindu areas all over Bangladesh suffered particularly heavy blows. By midnight, Dhaka was literally
burning, especially the Hindu dominated eastern part of the city. Time magazine reported on August 2,
1971, "The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have
borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred."
 Declaration of independence

On March 26, the nation waged an armed struggle against the Pakistani occupation forces following the
killings of the night of 25 March. The Pakistani forces arrested Sheikh Mujib, who, through a wireless
message, had called upon the people to resist the occupation forces [source: The Daily Star, March 26
2005]. Mujib was arrested on the night of March 25-26, 1971 at about 1:30 A.M. (per Radio Pakistan’s
news on March 29, 1971) which means effectively on March 26, 1971

On March 26, 1971, M. A. Hannan, an Awami League leader from Chittagong, is said to have made the
first announcement of the declaration of independence over radio,

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman signed an official declaration on March 25, 1971 that read:

Today Bangladesh is a sovereign and independent country. On Thursday night West Pakistani armed
forces suddenly attacked the police barracks at Razarbagh and the EPR headquarters at Pilkhana in
Dhaka. Many innocent and unarmed have been killed in Dhaka city and other places of Bangladesh.
Violent clashes between EPR and Police on the one hand and the armed forces of Pakistan on the other,
are going on. The Bengalis are fighting the enemy with great courage for an independent Bangladesh.
May God aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla.[1]

A telegram reached some students in Chittagong. They realized the message could be broadcast from
Agrabad Station of Radio Pakistan. The message was translated to Bangla by Dr Manjula Anwar. They
failed to secure permission from higher authorities to broadcast the message. They crossed Kalurghat
Bridge into an area controlled by East Bengal Regiment under Major Ziaur Rahman. Bengali soldiers
guarded the station as engineers prepared for transmission. At 19:45 on March 26, 1971, Major Ziaur
Rahman broadcast another announcement of the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh
Mujibur which is as follows.

This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of Bangobondhu Mujibur
Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh has been established. At
his direction, I have taken command as the temporary Head of the Republic. In the name of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bengalis to rise against the attack by the West Pakistani Army. We shall
fight to the last to free our Motherland. By the grace of Allah, victory is ours. Joy Bangla.[1]

Kalurghat Radio Station's transmission capability was limited. The message was picked up by a Japanese
ship in Bay of Bengal and then re-transmitted by Radio Australia and later the British Broadcasting
Corporation.
March 26, 1971 is hence considered the official Independence Day and according to all Bangladeshi
sources, the name Bangladesh was in effect henceforth. Certain sources, especially of Indian and
Pakistani origin, continued to use the name "East Pakistan" until the following December 16.

The main war

As political events gathered momentum, the stage was set for a clash between the Pakistan Army and
the insurgents. Though smaller Maoist style paramilitary bands started emerging, the Mukti Bahini
(freedom fighters) emerged increasingly visible. Headed by Colonel Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani, a
retired Pakistan Army officer, this band was raised as Mujib's action arm and security force before
assuming the character of a conventional guerrilla force. After the declaration of Independence, the
Pakistan military sought to quell them, but increasing numbers of Bengali soldiers defected to the
underground "Bangladesh army." These Bengali units slowly merged into the Mukti Bahini and bolstered
their weaponry. They then jointly launched operations against the Pakistan Army killing many in the
process. This setback prompted the Pakistan Army to induct Razakars, a paramilitary force, from the local
populace to bolster their numbers. These people were essentially viewed as traitors and with suspicion
by local Bengalis, as a vast majority of these recruits were Bihari Muslims who had settled during the
time of partition. This helped Pakistan stem the tide somewhat as the monsoon approached in the
months of June and July.

Undeterred by this setback, Mukti Bahini regrouped as they gained in strength and capability. Aided by
the Indian government in West Bengal, they were equipped and trained to counter the Pakistan Army. As
there was no action during the monsoon, it was seen by the Pakistan military brass as a weakening of the
Bangladesh cause. However it was merely the lull before the storm. After sensing the enormity of the
issue, the army was beefed up as the troop strength was increased to more than 80,000. This caused a
rise in tensions across the border as India realized the gravity of the situation. The Indian military were
preparing for the eventual onslaught with the aid of the separatists and waited for the end of the
monsoon season to enable easy passage. The Indians aimed to bypass the villages and towns and
instead concentrate on the cities and the highways which ultimately would lead to the capture of Dhaka.

Pakistan decided to nullify such an attack and on December 3 and launched a series of preemptive air
strikes. The attack was modeled on the Operation Focus employed by Israel Air Force during the Six-Day
War. However the plan failed to achieve the desired success and was seen as an open act of unprovoked
aggression by the Indians. Indira Gandhi then ordered the immediate mobilization of troops and
launched the full scale invasion. This marked the official start of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 with
fighting commencing in West Pakistan. The Indian Army, far superior in numbers and equipment to that
of Pakistan, executed a three-pronged pincer movement on Dhaka launched from the Indian states of
West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. In all these places the Mukti Bahini and the local Bengalis played a vital
role in aiding the Indian Army. Many soldiers were ferried in the night by the locals across rivers and
valuable information on the location and whereabouts of different military strongholds were gleaned. It
was backed up by the Indian Air Force which achieved near air supremacy towards the end of the war as
the entire East Pakistan airbase with all the flights were destroyed. The Indian Navy, also annihilated the
eastern wing of the Pakistan Navy and blockaded the East Pakistan ports, thereby cutting off any escape
routes for the stranded Pakistani warriors. The fledgling Bangladesh Navy (comprising officers and sailors
who defected from Pakistan Navy) aided the Indians in the marine warfare, carrying out attacks, most
notably Operation Jackpot.

Meanwhile, on the ground, nearly three brigades of Mukti Bahini along with the Indian forces fought in a
conventional formation. This was supplemented by guerrilla style attacks on Pakistanis who were facing
hostilities on land, air, water in both covert and overt ways. Undeterred, Pakistan tried to fight back and
boost the sagging morale by incorporating the Special Services Group commandos in sabotage and
rescue missions. This however could not stop the juggernaut of the invading columns whose speed and
power were too much to contain for the Pakistan Army. On December 16, within just 12 days, the capital
Dhaka fell to the Mitro Bahini—the allied forces. Lt. Gen. Niazi surrendered to the combined forces
headed by its commander Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora by signing the Instrument of Surrender at Ramna
Racecourse, 16:31 Indian Standard Time. Bangladesh became liberated.

End of the war

After Pakistan's surrender late in 1971, people in Bangladesh rejoiced at their liberation. This was
followed by the need for international acceptance for Bangladesh, as only a few countries recognized the
new nation. Bangladesh sought admission into the UN, Most members voting in its favor but China
vetoed recognition, as Pakistan was its key ally. However the United States grudgingly recognized it. To
ensure a smooth transition, in 1972 the Shimla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan. The
treaty was a watershed in the history of the South Asian region as it ensured that Bangladesh would be
officially recognized by Pakistan and its principal allies in exchange for the return of the Pakistani POWs.
As a gesture of goodwill, the nearly 200 soldiers who were wanted for war crimes by Bengalis were also
pardoned by India. The accord also gave back more than 13,000 sq. km of land that Indian troops had
won in West Pakistan during the war, holding on to a few strategic places; most notably Kargil (which
would in turn again be the focal point for a war between the two nations in 1999). However, the
agreement was acknowledged by many observers as a sign of India's maturity. Some in India felt that the
treaty had been too lenient towards Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had pleaded for more leeway as he felt that
the fragile democracy in Pakistan would crumble if the accord was perceived as being too harsh in
Pakistan.

Surrender of a Butcher: General Niazi

এখন আমরা লাল সবুজ পতার মাললক ।