The Bangladesh Liberation War

1102 Words5 Pages
Introduction: Liberation war was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in what was then East Pakistan and the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. It resulted in the independence of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The war began after the Pakistani military based in West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight against the people of East Pakistan on the night of 25 March 1971. It pursued the systematic elimination of nationalist Bengali civilians, students, religious minorities and armed personnel. The junta annulled the results of the 1970 elections and arrested Prime minister-designate Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The war ended on 16 December 1971 after West Pakistan surrendered.…show more content…
A heinous conspiracy was plotted by the then Pakistani military dictator Yahya Khan along with Zulfikar Ali bhutto. Even though a conspiracy was being planned, General Yahya Khan was careful not to let this be known. On the 13th of February he announced that on the 3rd of March there would be a session of National Assembly in Dhaka. Everyone began to eagerly await that day. Major General Ziaur Rahman on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, announced the declaration of independence from Kalurghat Radio Station. A full scale movement of non-cooperation with the military government began on the 26th of March, 1971 which is celebrated as the Independence Day every year. Thus Bangladesh plunged into a gory war seeking its own birth. The Pakistan Army began their genocide by attacking the innocent Bangaladeshis of Dhaka city. The dwellers of Dhaka city never confronted such unimaginable cruelty. The Pakistani army systematically massacred 35,000 Bengali intellectuals and unleashed a brutal war against the Bengalis of East Pakistan to prevent their aspire of independence. But the brave people of this beloved land did not let the dream encircled flag of red and green fall down to…show more content…
Following Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's declaration of independence in March 1971, India undertook a world-wide campaign to drum up political, democratic and humanitarian support for the people of Bangladesh for their liberation struggle. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi toured a large number of countries in a bid to create awareness of the Pakistani atrocities against Bengalis. This effort was to prove vital later during the war, in framing the world's context of the war and to justify military action by India. Also, following Pakistan's defeat, it ensured prompt recognition of the newly independent state of Bangladesh. Following India's entry into the war, Pakistan, fearing certain defeat, made urgent appeals to the United Nations to intervene and force India to agree to a cease fire. The UN Security Council assembled on 4 December 1971 to discuss the hostilities in South Asia. After lengthy discussions on 7 December, the United States made a resolution for "immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of troops". While supported by the majority, the USSR vetoed the resolution twice. In light of the Pakistani atrocities against Bengalis, the United Kingdom and France abstained on the

More about The Bangladesh Liberation War

Open Document