War of liberation began on 26 March 1971 and ended with the liberation of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971. The armed struggle was the culmination of a series events, situations and issues contributing to the progressively deteriorating relations between East and West Pakistan. The questions of land reforms, State language, inter-wings economic and administrative disparities, provincial autonomy, the defense of East Pakistan, and many other consequential questions had been straining the relations between the two wings of Pakistan. The general elections of 1970 had made Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League which bagged 167 seats out of 169 allotted for East Pakistan. But the Pakistan civil and military ruling clique had defused to transfer power to the majority leader Shaikh Mujibur Rahman and his party. Shaikh Mujibur Rahman also refused to yield the pressure put on him for undue accommodation. Shaikh’s historic address on 7 March 1971 made his point quite clear to the Pakistani military junta. Than began the civil disobediences movement. Meanwhile talks started between Mujib and Yahya to resolve the outstanding issues. While holding talks, the Pakistani military junta was bringing more troops to Bangladesh and at the same time they want only killing innocent civilians allover the country. No sooner the talks failed, the genocide began. The Pakistan army was ordered to lunch operation on Bengali people at mid-night of 25 March. The military forces killed everybody in sight on the footpath and destroyed every thing on their way. The student halls of residences at Dhaka University were raided and numerous students residing there were brutally killed and maimed. They also killed many teachers of Dhaka University. The Hindu concentrated areas of old Dhaka were particularly targeted. They started killing the people, burnt their houses, looted their valuables and raped their women. On 26 March Shaikh Mujibur Rahman was taken prisoner by the Pakistan army. At about the same time Major Ziaur Rahman announced Bangladesh’s independence on behalf of Shaikh Mujibur Rahman from Kalurghat radio station at Chittagong. On 4th April, senior officers of the liberation army assembled at the head-quarters of second East Bengal at Telipara, where Colonel MAG Osmany, Lieutenant Colonel Abdur Rob, Lieutenant Colonel Salahuddin Mohammad Reja, Major Kazi Nuruzzaman, Major Khaled Mosharraf, Major Nurul Islam and so on were present. On 27 March, Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi expressed full support of Government to the freedom struggle of Bengalis. Indian Border Security Force (BSF) opened Bangladesh-India border to allow the tortured and panic stricken Bengalis to have safe shelter in India. The government of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura established refugee camps along the border. These camps became ready ground for recruitment of the freedom fighters. The joint command of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian army was under way from November 1971. Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, commander, Eastern command of Indian Army, became the commander of the joint forces. The joint commend of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian army, however, started operation from evening of 3 December 1971. The Indian troops and the freedom fighters of No-11 sector reached Tongi on 14 December and Savar in the morning of 16 December. Major General Jamshed, Commender 36 Division of the Pakistan army received Major General Nagra at Mirpur Bridge neare Dhaka city. The Mukti Bahini and the Indian forces entered Dhaka city at 10:10 am. Lieutenant General AAK Niazi received Lieutenant General Arora. The instrument of surrender was signed by Lietenant Jagjit sing Arora and Niazi at the Ramna Racecourse at one minute past 5 PM on 16 December 1971. And Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country. *** *** *** |
Bangladesh Studies
