The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 was the culmination of decades of struggle, conflict, and war. It emerged as an independent nation after a bloody liberation war against Pakistan. Bangladesh’s beginnings lie in the 1947 partition of British India, which created the Muslim state of Pakistan out of the Muslim-majority areas of British India. However, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and West Pakistan were divided geographically by India and had significant cultural, linguistic and ethnic differences.
Why was Pakistan partitioned into two wings?
Pakistan was partitioned into two distinct entities – West Pakistan and East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) – due to the vast geographical distance between them. West Pakistan shared borders with Afghanistan, Iran, and India, whereas East Pakistan was situated 1000 miles away surrounded by India and Burma. The two wings had little in common except for religion. West Pakistan was dominated by Punjabis and Pashtuns, while East Pakistan was predominantly Bengali. There were also linguistic differences – Urdu was imposed as the sole national language in Pakistan even though the Bengalis in the east spoke Bangla.
When and why did the independence movement start in East Pakistan?
The seeds of an independence movement took root shortly after the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The West Pakistani ruling elite dominated the government and military and exploited the eastern wing economically. Imposition of Urdu as the national language in 1948 led to protests and unrest in East Pakistan. The Language Movement of 1952 demanding equal status for Bengali galvanized Bengali nationalism in the east. After Pakistan’s first general elections in 1970, the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a majority in the national parliament but was not allowed to form a government. Talks between Mujib and West Pakistani leader Yahya Khan broke down in March 1971. On March 26, the Awami League declared Bangladesh’s independence which triggered the liberation war.
What happened on 25th March 1971?
On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani army launched a brutal crackdown on the population of East Pakistan called Operation Searchlight. They targeted intellectuals, activists, Hindus and other civilian populations. Thousands were killed and arrested as the army quelled nationalist sentiments with an iron fist. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and flown to West Pakistan. Major cities like Dhaka and Chittagong were attacked, Dhaka University was shelled, and Hindu areas were particularly targeted. March 25 is remembered in Bangladesh as the start of the 9-month liberation war against West Pakistan.
When did the Liberation War start?
The Liberation War began on March 26, 1971, a day after the Pakistani army crackdown. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made a declaration of independence for Bangladesh which was broadcast over radio. The Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army) was formed with Bengali soldiers from Pakistan’s eastern division as well as volunteer civilians. The guerilla liberation forces launched attacks on Pakistani targets from border camps in India. Fighting soon spread across East Pakistan with local uprisings helping the Mukti Bahini gain control of rural areas. By the end of 1971, the Pakistani army was confined mostly to urban bases.
Major events in the 1971 Liberation War
- March 26 – Independence of Bangladesh declared
- March 27 – Bangladesh government-in-exile formed in India
- April 17 – ‘Meghna Heli Bridge’ operation launched by Mukti Bahini
- November 21 – Bangladesh-India Allied Forces launch coordinated attacks
- December 3 – War with India officially declared by Pakistan
- December 6 – Indian army joins war on eastern front
- December 14 – Pakistani forces surrender
- December 16 – Bangladesh emerges as an independent state
What was the role of India in the Bangladesh Liberation War?
India played a critical role in supporting Bangladesh’s independence struggle. It provided shelter and aid to nearly 10 million Bangladeshi refugees fleeing the war. It allowed the exiled Bangladesh government to operate from Indian soil and provided training, weapons and logistical help to the Mukti Bahini fighters. The Indo-Pakistan War officially started on December 3, 1971 when Pakistan launched preemptive air strikes on Indian airbases. India retaliated with an attack on West Pakistan and joined the operations in East Pakistan. Within two weeks, the joint Bangladesh-India forces defeated the Pakistani military leading to the surrender on December 16.
Key figures in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Some of the leading figures and groups who spearheaded Bangladesh’s freedom struggle were:
- Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – The founding father of Bangladesh who led the Awami League and independence movement.
- General M.A.G. Osmani – Commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh liberation forces.
- Ziaur Rahman – Declared independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujib and founded the Mukti Bahini guerilla army.
- 11 Sector Commanders – Led different sectors of the Mukti Bahini during the war including prominent leaders like Kader Siddique and Khaled Mosharraf.
- Students League – Student activists engaged in mass protests and clashes with West Pakistani authorities.
What was the result of the Bangladesh Liberation War?
The 9-month long Bangladesh Liberation War ended with the surrender of the Pakistani military to the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces on December 16, 1971. Some key results and outcomes of the war were:
- Emergence of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign nation.
- Pakistani army defeated by joint Bangladeshi and Indian forces.
- Over 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Allied forces.
- Bangladesh joined the United Nations, Commonwealth and other international organizations.
- Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned from exile to become PM.
- Stamping out of Islamist forces like al-Badr and al-Shams who supported Pakistan.
However, the war took a massive human toll with Bangladesh suffering huge economic disruption and damage to infrastructure. Official estimates suggest 3 million deaths though the actual numbers may be higher. The sacrifices of the freedom fighters and ordinary citizens led to the realization of their dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’.
Casualties and Humanitarian Crisis
The 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War witnessed horrific violence against civilians and a massive humanitarian crisis:
- Over 3 million civilians killed by the Pakistan army and supporting militias.
- 200,000 to 400,000 Bengali women raped in a targeted genocidal campaign.
- 10 million refugees fled to India in the worst refugee crisis of the 20th century.
- 30 million displaced internally within East Pakistan.
- Vast damage to infrastructure like bridges, roads, railways and ports.
The bloody crackdown unleashed by Pakistan on March 25, 1971 set the stage for the genocide and atrocities to follow. Hundreds of Bengali intellectuals, doctors, engineers, journalists and teachers were specifically tracked down and massacred just before the end of the war on December 14, now observed as Martyred Intellectuals Day.
How did the international community respond?
The international community was divided in its response to Bangladesh’s independence struggle and the humanitarian crisis:
- India strongly backed Bangladesh’s cause by arming and training the Mukti Bahini.
- The Soviet Union sided with India and Bangladesh offering diplomatic support.
- Most Islamic nations like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan supported united Pakistan.
- China was closely allied with Pakistan and criticized India’s intervention.
- US President Nixon generally sympthaized with Pakistan’s position due to frosty India ties.
- United Nations did not support the Bangladesh cause until after the war ended.
Despite the atrocities and the refugee crisis, major world powers took an ambivalent stand on the issue of Bangladesh’s independence due to Cold War politics and alignment with Pakistan. It was India’s military intervention that finally ended the war and created conditions for Bangladesh to emerge as a new nation.
Conclusion
Bangladesh was born through a bloody, 9-month liberation struggle where a courageous people fought against the oppression and exploitation of the Pakistani regime. The horrific crackdown of March 25, 1971 ignited the armed uprising to achieve freedom. Under the leadership of figures like Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and General Osmani, the Mukti Bahini put up fierce resistance aided by India. By December 1971, the joint forces prevailed over the Pakistani army leading to the birth of an independent Bangladesh. However, the Bengali nation had to pay an enormous price in lives lost, massacres, displacement and damage to the economy. The sacrifices of those dark days continue to be remembered by new generations as a testament to the Bengali spirit and nationalism that created Bangladesh.