Our liberation war was not an incident or sudden war. It has a deep and long history. We

found our country by the death of 3 million martyrs, form a 9 month long independence war.But the victory was not come from 9 month. Its has a long history. After the creation of Pakistan the journey of Bangladesh is started. The beginning of liberation war in 1971 has some major part. We are now discussing about the major storyline of creation of our country. In August 1947, the Partition of India gave birth to two new states named Pakistan and India. Areas containing the Muslim-majority became Pakistan while areas with Hindu majority states became India. The new nation of Pakistan included two geographically and culturally separate areas in the east and the west of India. The western zone was popularly (and for a period of time, also officially) termed West Pakistan and the eastern zone (modern-day Bangladesh) was initially termed East Bengal and later, East Pakistan. It was widely perceived that West Pakistan dominated politically and exploited the East economically, leading to many grievances.

Language Movement, 1952

The first movement of Bangladesh was begun for the mother language. On March 21,

1948, in a meeting in the Racecourse of Dhaka (now Suhrawardy Garden), Mohammad Ali  Jinnah, the first Governor General of Pakistan declared unequivocally, “Urdo and only Urdu shall be the state  language of Pakistan.” The announcement of Urdu as the official state language triggered off the language controversy and a new phase of the Bengali language movement began. People in East Bengal, especially the students were not ready to accept this decision.  They argued that this was not the rules of democracy whereas, 56% of total population speaks in Bengali, and it has to be the National Language along with URDU. The final phase of the Language movement started in 1952 after the declaration of Khwaja Nazimuddin that Urdo will be the only state language of Bangladesh. The students and student leaders of Dhaka University, Dhaka Medical College and Engineering College could not agree with that decision. Hundreds of students and workers put toiled immensely towards the preparation of meetings, processions and the final strike of February 21st and therefore were not ready to give up due to the fear of its consequences. The government declare 144 act. But the student broke the 144 and start meetings. The police and parliamentary forces resorted to wide-spread tear gas shelling, clubbing and finally shooting. Salam, Rafiq, Barkat, and many more students are killed. And finally the Pakistani government are agreed to make Bangla the state language of Bangladesh with Urdu. We gain right to speak in our mother toung by giving blood.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

I

Election of United Front

The first election for East Bengal Provincial Assembly was held between 8 March and 12

March 1954. The Awami Muslim League, Krishak-Sramik Party and Nezam-e-Islam formed the United Front, on the basis of 21-points agenda.

Notable pledges contained in the 21-points were:

1. Making Bengali one of the main state languages

2. Autonomy for the province

3. Reforms in education

4. Independence of the judiciary

5. Making the legislative assembly effective

The United Front won 215 out of 237 Muslim seats in the election. The ruling Muslim League got only nine seats. Khilafat-E-Rabbani Party got one, while the independents got twelve seats. Later, seven independent members joined the United Front while one joined the Muslim League.

The "Revolution" of Ayub Khan, 1958

In 1958 Ayub khan took the power of Pakistan. Throughout the Ayub years, East Pakistan

and West Pakistan grew farther apart. The death of the Awami League's Suhrawardy in 1963 gave the mercurial Sheikh Mujibur Rahman--commonly known as Mujib--the leadership of East Pakistan's dominant party. Mujib, who as early as 1956 had advocated the "liberation" of East Pakistan and had been jailed in 1958 during the military coup, quickly and successfully brought the issue of East Pakistan's movement for autonomy to the forefront of the nation's politics.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

II

Movement for Education Report, 1962

Justice Hamidur Rahman published the education report. A general strike was observed all over the country demanding adult franchise and the repeal of the report of the Education Commission led by Justice Hamidur Rahman.

Six Point Movement, 1966

At a 1966 Lahore conference of both the eastern and the western chapters of the Awami

League, Mujib announced his controversial six-point political and economic program for East Pakistani provincial autonomy. The six points were as follows:

Point 1: Pakistan shall be a Federal State. There shall be parliamentary government formed by a legislature elected on the basis of universal adult franchise.

Point 2: The federating units or the provinces shall deal with all affairs except foreign relations and defense.

Point 3: There shall be two separate but easily convertible currencies for the two wings of Pakistan. Or, alternatively, there may by a single currency with the proviso that the Federal Bank shall take adequate measures to stop the ciphering of money from East Pakistan to West Pakistan.

Point 4: The federating units or provinces shall reserve the right to levy taxes. The central government, of course, shall have some share of the tax proceeds.

Point 5: Separate accounts shall be maintained for the foreign exchange earnings of the two wings. The foreign exchange earned from foreign trade shall be under the control of the respective wings. The federating units shall be independent in conducting trades with foreign countries.

Point 6: The federating provinces shall be able to raise Para-militia or Para-military forces for their own defenses.

Mujib's six points ran directly counter to President Ayub's plan for greater national integration. Ayub's anxieties were shared by many West Pakistanis, who feared that Mujib's plan would divide Pakistan by encouraging ethnic and linguistic cleavages in West Pakistan, and would leave East Pakistan, with its Bengali ethnic and linguistic unity, by far the most populous and powerful of the federating units. Ayub interpreted Mujib's demands as tantamount to a call for independence. After pro-Mujib supporters rioted in a general strike in Dhaka, the government arrested Mujib in January 1968.

Mass Movement, 1969

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

III

On February 21, 1969, Ayub announced that he would not run in the next presidential election in 1970. A state of near anarchy reigned with protests and strikes throughout the country. The police appeared helpless to control the mob violence, and the military stood aloof. At length, on March 25 Ayub resigned and handed over the administration to the commander in chief, General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan. Once again the country was placed under martial law.

National Assembly Election,1970

The elections were the first in the history of Pakistan in which voters were able to elect members of the National Assembly directly. In a convincing demonstration of Bengali dissatisfaction with the West Pakistani regime, the Awami League won all but two of the 162 seats allotted East Pakistan in the National Assembly. The Awami League's electoral victory promised it control of the government, with Mujib as the country's prime minister, but the inaugural assembly never met.

After the election the main liberation war was begun.The bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman declaer osohojog andolon against the Pakistan.

East west Grievances

he separation of East Pakistan was a great setback to Pakistan. By 1970, sentiments for national unity had weakened in East Pakistan to the extent that constant conflict between the two Wings dramatically erupted into mass civil disorder. This tragically

resulted in the brutal and violent amputation of Pakistan's Eastern Wing.TThe physical separation of a thousand miles between the two wings without a common border, and being surrounded by Indian territory and influences, led to constant political, economic and social conflicts between the two wings; embittering relations bringing the country on the verge of collapse. The most common causes are as follows –

Economic Difference. Political differences.

Military Imbalance.

Language Controversy.

Impact of the Tropical Cyclone.

Economic Difference:

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

IV

est Pakistan had four provinces; they are Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, & North-West Frontier Province. It was widely perceived that West Pakistan dominated the divided country politically and exploited the East economically, leading to many

grievances. They received more money from the common budget than the more populous east.WYear Spent on West

Pakistan (in Crore )Spent on East Pakistan (in Crore )

Amount spent on East as percentage of West

1950/51–54/55 1,129 524 46.4

1955/56-59/60 1,655 524 31.7

1960/61-64/65 3,355 1,404 41.8

1965/66-69/70 5,195 2,141 41.2

Total 11,334 4,593 40.5

Political differences:

ast Pakistan had the majority of the country’s population but political power remained firmly in the hands of West Pakistanis; specifically the Punjabis. Since a straightforward system of representation based on population would have

concentrated political power in East Pakistan, the West Pakistani establishment came up with the “One Unit” scheme, where all the West Pakistan was considered one province. This was solely to counterbalance the East wing's votes. Ironically, after the East broke away to form Bangladesh, the Punjab province insisted that politics in West Pakistan now be decided on the basis of a straightforward vote, since Punjabis were more numerous than the other groups, such as Sindhis, Pashtuns, or Balochs.

E

East Pakistanis noticed that whenever one of them, such as Khawaja Nazimuddin, Muhammad Ali Bogra, or Huseyn Shahid Suhrawardy were elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, they were swiftly deposed by the largely West Pakistani establishment. The military dictatorships of Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan, both West Pakistanis, only heightened such feelings.

In 1970 the Awami League, the largest East Pakistani political party, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a landslide victory in the national elections. The party won 167 of the 169 seats allotted to East Pakistan, and thus a majority of the 313 seats in the National Assembly. This gave the Awami League the constitutional right to form a government. However, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party refused to allow Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Instead, he proposed the idea of having two Prime Ministers, one for each wing. The proposal elicited outrage in the east wing, already chafing under the other constitutional innovation, the "one unit scheme". Bhutto also refused to accept Mujib's Six Points.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

V

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

The immediate lifting on 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 25th March.

He urged "his people" to turn every house into a fort of resistance. He closed his speech saying, "Our struggle is for our freedom. Our struggle is for our independence." This speech is considered the main event that inspired the nation to fight for their independence. 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.

Between 10 and 13 March, Pakistan International Airlines cancelled all their international routes to urgently fly "Government Passengers" to Dhaka. These "Government Passengers" were almost all Pakistani soldiers in civilian dress. 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.

Military Imbalance:

et another issue was that apart from economic and political exploitation, there was gross underrepresentation of Bengalis in the Pakistan military. Officers of Bengali origin in the different wings of the armed forces made up just 5% of overall force by

1965; of these, only a few were in command positions, with the majority in technical or administrative posts. West Pakistanis believed that Bengalis were not "martially inclined" unlike Pathans and Punjabis; the "martial races" notion was dismissed as ridiculous and humiliating by Bengalis. Moreover, despite huge defense spending, East Pakistan received none of the benefits, such as contracts, purchasing and military support jobs. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 over Kashmir also highlighted the sense of military insecurity among Bengalis as only an under-strength infantry division and 15 combat aircraft without tank support were in East Pakistan to thwart any Indian retaliation during the conflict.

Y

Language Controversy:

lose 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 that "Urdu and only Urdu" would be the sole official language for all of Pakistan. This proved highly controversial, since Urdu was a language that was only spoken in the West by Muhajir and in the East by Biharis. The majority groups in West Pakistan spoke Punjabi and Sindhi, while Bangla was spoken by the majority of East Pakistanis. The language controversy eventually reached a point where East Pakistan revolted. Several students and civilians lost their lives in

C

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

VI

a police crackdown on February 21, 1952. The day is revered in Bangladesh and in West Bengal as the Language Martyrs' Day later in memory of the 1952 killings.

Impact of the Tropical Cyclone:

he already tense situation was further aggravated by a tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan in 1970. It was a particularly devastating year as the deadliest cyclone on record — the 1970 Bhola cyclone — struck Bangladesh claiming nearly half a million

lives. The apathy of West Pakistan leadership and its failure in responding quickly lead to further growth of the Awami League. The Pakistan Army failed to do relief work of any significance to alleviate the problem, further antagonizing the already estranged Bengali populace.

TEventful March, 1971

urfew was clamed (8am-8pm) in all over the East Pakistan on 2nd March. Student & teacher began to make massive rally to

protest the curfew. However on this day the flag of Bangladesh was raised at first time at Battala of Dhaka University. On the next day the song of Rabindranath tagor “ Amar sonar bangle ame tomay valobashi” was selected as national anthum at the meeting of Chatra league. On 6 th

March the president Yahiya Khan announced that the Assembly session would be held on the 23rd of March and appointed General Tikka Khan as the Governor of East Pakistan. On March 7 Bangabandu shaik Mujib had delivered a meaningful speech to the Bangalee nation at Racecourse ground (now sohrawardy uddyan) . Where he said “we have already donated our blood so we are ready to donate more blood for our country”. He also said “The struggle this time is the struggle for liberation... the struggle this time is for independence,” About millions of people had attended there to take direction of their leader, that what they should do.

C

On 15th March President Yahiya Khan arrived along with several other generals at Dhaka at 2:20 pm to meet Mujib & started talk with mujib .But on 22nd March suddenly the president Yahiya postponed national assembly.

On the 11pm of 25th March the Pakistani force started to kill Bangladeshis when the Bangladeshies don’t know what is happening. The operation is known as “operation search light”.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

VII

Operation Searchlight: March 25/26

his is a brief description of the units engaged and the result of Pakistani military action from March 25 until April 10, when the operation

was supposed to end. This only covers events in the areas that were the major focus of Operation Searchlight, not the Bengali resistance throughout East Pakistan. In some areas, Pakistani assault and mass murders started clashes with the Bengali forces on 25 March. In other areas, no clashes took place until as late as the 30 March.

T

Pakistani troops in Dhaka, commanded by Maj. Gen. Farman, had the following objectives:

Impose curfew at 0110 hrs and close telephone/telegraph/radio station and shut all presses down

Seal off the city by taking over road, rail and river communication and patrol river

Arrest Sheikh Mujib and 15 top Awami League leaders during operation

Conduct house to house search in Dhanmondi and Hindu areas

Subdue Dhaka University, EPR HQ and Rajarbagh police line, disarm 2nd and 10th EBR

Take over and protect Ammunition factory at Gazipur and Arms depot at Rajendrapur.

Chittagong housed the only oil refinery in East Pakistan, had a large fuel depot, was the largest seaport and MV Swat, and with 9000 tons of arms and ammunition was in port. Bengali units substantially outnumbered the West Pakistani Chittagong garrison, which was a cause of concern for Pakistani planners. Bengali officers of EPR and EBR had discussed a preemptive strike on Pakistan forces, but the senior Bengali officers (Lt. Col M.R. Choudhury -Chief Instructor, EBRC) and Major Ziaur Rahman (2IC, 8 EBR), dissuaded Captain Rafiq (Sector Adjutant, EPR) from rebelling in the belief that the Pakistani army would not take action against civilians. Attempts to unload arms and ammunition from MV Swat were a partial failure during March 20-25th, as civilian protestors blocked any attempt to take the arms to the cantonment and many were shot by the army. Brig. Mazumdar was relieved of his post because of this failure.Pakistani units were given the following objectives in Chittagong:

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

VIII

Disarm EBRC units, 8 EBR, EPR and police units Seize police armory, radio station and telephone exchange

Liaise with Pakistani Navy

Arrest Col. MR Chaudhury and Awami League leaders.

The Chittagong garrison was to be reinforced by the bilk of 53rd Brigade troops from Comilla on March 26.

Declaration of Independence:

he violence unleashed by the Pakistani forces on 25 March 1971, proved the last straw to the efforts to negotiate a settlement. Following these outrages, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman signed an official declaration that read:T

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 E.P.R. 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 Allah aid us in our fight for freedom. Joy Bangla.

Sheikh Mujib also called upon the people to resist the occupation forces through a radio message. Mujib was arrested on the night of 25–26 March 1971 at about 1:30 a.m. (as per Radio Pakistan’s news on 29 March 1971).

A telegram containing the text of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's declaration reached some students in Chittagong. The message was translated to Bangla by Dr. Manjula Anwar. The students failed to secure permission from higher authorities to broadcast the message from the nearby Agrabad Station of Radio Pakistan. They crossed Kalurghat Bridge into an area controlled by an East Bengal Regiment under Major Ziaur Rahman. Bengali soldiers guarded the station as engineers prepared for transmission. At 19:45 hrs on 27 March 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman broadcast announcement of the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur.On 28 March Major Ziaur Rahman made another announcement, which is as follows:

This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of Bangobondhu sheikh 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.

The Kalurghat Radio Station's transmission capability was limited. The message was picked up by a Japanese ship in Bay of Bengal. It was then re-transmitted by Radio Australia and

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

IX

later by the British Broadcasting Corporation.M A Hannan, an Awami League leader from Chittagong, is said to have made the first announcement of the declaration of independence over the radio on 26 March 1971.

There is controversy now as to when Major Zia gave his speech. BNP sources maintain that it was 26 March, and there was no message regarding declaration of independence from Mujibur Rahman. Pakistani sources, like Siddiq Salik in Witness to Surrender had written that he heard about Mujibor Rahman's message on the Radio while Operation Searchlight was going on, and Maj. Gen. Hakeem A. Qureshi in his book The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier's Narrative, gives the date of Zia's speech as 27 March 1971.

Mukti Bahini

he Bangladesh government in exile was formed by the Awami League leadership on April 17 at Meherpur in

Kushtia, which confirmed Col. Osmani as commander of Mukti Bahini (regular armed forces and insurgents) under the authority of Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed. Bangladesh forces command was set up on 11 July, with Col. M A G Osmani as commander in chief, Lt. Col. Abdur Rab as chief of Army Staff and Group Captain A K Khandker as Deputy Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Force.Bangladesh was divided into Eleven Sectors each with a commander chosen from defected officers of

T

Pakistan army who joined the Mukti Bahini to conduct guerrilla operations and train fighters. Most of their training camps were situated near the border area and were operated with assistance from India. The 10th Sector was directly placed under Commander in Chief (C-in-C) and included the Naval Commandos and C-in-C’s special force. Three brigades (11 Battalions) were raised for conventional warfare; a large guerrilla force (estimated 100,000) was trained.

Bangladesh Forces Headquarters were set up in Kolkata (Calcutta) with Col. MAG Osmani as commander in chief, Lt. Col. MA Rab as Chief of Staff (based in Agartala, Tripura), and Group Captain AR Khandker as deputy Chief of Staff..The Bengali resistance, after being driven out of Bangladesh, began reorganizing to focus on irregular warfare.

List of Sectors and Subsectors

Sector Area Sector Commander

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

X

1 Chittagong District, Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the entire eastern area of the Noakhali District on the banks of the river Muhuri. The headquarters of the sector was at Harina.

• Major Ziaur Rahman (April 10, 1971 – June 25, 1971)• Major Rafiqul Islam (June 28, 1971 – February 14, 1972)

2 Districts of Dhaka, Comilla, and Faridpur, and part of Noakhali District.

• Major Khaled Mosharraf (April 10, 1971 – September 22, 1971)• Major ATM Haider (Sector Commander September 22, 1971 – December 18, 1972)

3 Area between Churaman Kathi (near Sreemangal) and Sylhet in the north and Singerbil of Brahmanbaria in the south.

• Major K M Shafiullah (April 10, 1971 – July 21, 1972)• Captain ANM Nuruzzaman (July 23, 1971 – February 14, 1972)

4 Area from Habiganj District on the north to Kanaighat Police Station on the south along the 100 mile long border with India. The headquarters of the sector was initially at Karimganj and later at Masimpur.

• Major Chittarajan Datta (April 10, 1971 – February 14, 1972)• Captain A Rab

5 Area from Durgapur to Danki (Tamabil) of Sylhet District and the entire area up to the eastern borders of the district. The headquarters of the sector was at Banshtala.

• Major Mir Shawkat Ali (April 10, 1971 – February 14, 1972)

6 Rangpur District and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Burimari near Patgram.

• Wing Commander M Khademul Bashar (April 1971 – February 14, 1972)

7 Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra and part of Dinajpur District. The headquarters of the sector was at Taranngapur.

• Major Nazmul Haq (April 10 – August 20, 1971)• Major Kazi Nuruzzaman (August 21 – February 14, 1972)• Subedar Major A Rab

8 In April 1971, the operational area of the sector comprised the districts of Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur and Patuakhali. At the end of May the sector was reconstituted and comprised the districts of Kuhstia, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira and the northern part of Faridpur district. The headquarters of the sector was at Benapole.

• Major Abu Osman Chowdhury (April 10 – July 17, 1971)• Major MA Manzur (August 14, 1971 – February 14, 1972)

9 Barisal, Patuakhali, and parts of the district of Khulna and Faridpur.

• Major M A Jalil (July 17 – December 24, 1971)• Major MA Manzur• Major Joynal Abedin

10 This sector was constituted with the naval commandos.

• Commander HQ BD Forces (December 3 – December 16, 1971)

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XI

11 Mymensingh and Tangail along with parts of Rangpur - Gaibandha, Ulipur, Kamalpur and Chilmari. The headquarters of the sector was at Teldhala until October 10, then transferred to Mahendraganj.

• Major Ziaur Rahman (June 27, 1971 – October 10, 1971)• Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan (November 2, 1971 – February 14, 1972)• Major Abu Taher (October 10, 1971 – November 2, 1971)

List of guerilla organizations

Z Force, under Major Ziaur Rahman, consisted of 1, 3 and 8 East Bengal Regiment.

K Force, commanded by Major Khaled Mosharraf was created with 4, 9 and 10 East Bengal Regiment.

S Force, under Lt. Col. Safiullah, was created in October 1971 and consisted of 2 and 11 East Bengal Regiment.

There are many regional teams, from there Kaderia group was famous for fight against Pakistanis as well as forming a volunteers team.

The Government in-exile of Bangladesh,17 th April,1971

ujibnagar Government On 17th April 1971, the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was formed through a proclamation of independence issued from Mujibnagar. It confirmed the declaration of independence made

earlier.MPresident : Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (interned in Pakistani jail)Vice President : Syed Nazrul Islam (served as the Acting President in the absence of the President).Prime Minister : Tajuddin Ahmed.Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law : Khondakar Mostaq AhmadFinance Minister : M Mansur AliMinister for Home Affairs, Relief and Rehabilitation : AHM QamaruzzamanCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces : General Mohammad Ataul Ghani OsmanyChief of Staff : Major General Abdur RabDepartmental Chiefs : Abdul Mannan (Press, Information, Radio and Film); Professor Yusuf Ali (Relief and Rehabilitation); Matiur Rahman (Commerce); Barrister Amirul Islam (Volunteer Corps)Chairmen in charge of various zones: Professor Nurul Islam Chowdhury, MNA and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, MPA (Southeast Zone); Dewan Farid Gazi, MNA and Shamsur Rahman Khan (Northeast Zone); Lt. Col. M A Rab, MNA (East Zone); Matiur Rahman and Abdur Rauf, MNA (North Zone); Azizur Rahman and Ashraful Islam (West Zone), MNA; M A Rauf Chowdhury, MPA and Phani Bhushan Majumdar, MPA (Southwest Zone).Officers in charge of zonal offices: Faiz Uddin Ahmed, S A Samad, Kazi Raquibuddin Ahmed, Abdur Rab Serniabat.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XII

Sympathy for Bangladesh in outer world:

n 1st August a concert was organized one of the biggest concerts at Madison Square Garden. Ravi Shankar

conceived the idea of the concert to raise awareness and funds to help the victims of the jihadi Pakistani soldiers. He got together with George Harrison, an ex-Beetle. Shankar, Harrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Billy Preston, Leon Russel, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voormann, Badfinger, Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland, Mike Gibbons, Allan Beutler, Jesse Ed Davis, Chuck Findly, Marlin Greene, Jeanne Greene, JD Green, Dolores Hall, Jim Horn, Kamala Chakravarty, Jackie Kelso, Jim Keltner, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Claudia Lennear, Lou McCreary, Ollie Mitchell, Don Nix, Don Preston, Carl Radle, Alla Rakah performed at this historic concert that brought the genocide to world attention.

O

George Harrison wrote and sang the famous song, "Bangladesh" at the concert thus introducing the nation to the world. The concert was the first of its kind and every Bangalee (Bengali) owes a debt to these musicians. However, no plaque has been erected for them and no honor has been bestowed upon them yet. As the country reels giddily backwards to the heady days of Islamic extremism, the chance of any such commemoration is little.

Without it the US poet Alen Ginsberg played a vital role by writing the his famous poem “ September on Jessor road” which had expressed about the Bangladesh liberation world to the outer world.

Operation Jackpot

The Bangladesh naval commando

operation that was called "Operation Jackpot" was precipitated by events in Toulon, a coastal city of southern France. In 1971, there were 11 East Pakistan naval

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XIII

submarine crewmen receiving training there aboard a Pakistani submarine. One commissioned officer (Mosharraf Hassain) and 8 crewmen decided to take control of the submarine and to fight against Pakistan. Their plan was disclosed, however, causing them to flee from death threats made by Pakistani intelligence. Out of the 9 crewmen, one was killed by Pakistani Intelligence, but the others managed to travel to the Indian Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland. From Geneva, embassy officials took them to New Delhi on the 9th of April where they began a program of top secret naval training.

At the conclusion of Operation Searchlight, the Pakistani Army had driven the Mukti Bahini into India, where they entered a period of reorganization during June and July 1971 to train guerrillas, set up networks and safe houses in the occupied territories to run the insurgency and rebuild the conventional forces. As the pace of military operations in East Pakistan slacked off, the civilian morale was adversely affected,[21] which prompted Pakistani authorities to claim that the situation had returned to "normal". In response to this declaration, the Mukti Bahini launched 2 operations: 1) Guerrilla attacks in targets in Dhaka by a crack commando group trained by Major ATM Haider (ex-SSG commando), and 2) the simultaneous mining and damaging of ships in Chittagong, Chandpur, Mongla and Narayanganj on the 15th of August, which became known in Bangladesh and international media as "Operation Jackpot".

The Operation

he operation was planned in the last week of September, under tight security. Information on river tides, weather and Pakistani infrastructure and deployment was collected through the Mukti Bahini. Selected commandos were sent from C2P to

forward bases in Tripura and West Bengal, where a final briefing was given to them. Mukti Bahini in Sector 1 assisted the group going to Chittagong, Sector 2 aided the groups going to Chandpur and Naryanganj and Sector 9 assisted the group targeting Mongla. Each commando carried a pair of fins, a knife, a limpet mine, and swimming trunks. Some had compasses, 1 in 3 commandos had sten guns and hand grenades, the group leaders carried a transistor radio. All the groups carried their own equipment to their targets and after entering Bangladesh between August 3 and 9, reached their destinations by August 12, using the local Mukti Bahini network of safehouses. A pair of songs was played in India Radio (Akashbani) at specific times to convey the intended signal for commencing the operations. The first song (Amar putul ajke prothom jabe shoshur bari was played on the 13th of August, the second song (Ami tomay joto shuniyechilem gan tar bodole chaini kono dan)] on the 14th. The result of this operation was:

T

Chittagong: 60 commandos were sent, out of which 31 finally took part in the sabotage operation on the 16th. Between 1:45 to 2:15AM explosions sank the MV Al-Abbas, the MV Hormuz and the Orient barge no.6, sinking 19,000 tons of arms and ammunitions.

Chandpur: 18 out of 40 commandos finally took part in the operation. 3 steamers/barges were damaged or sunk.

Narayanganj: 20 commandos conducted the sabotage operation. 4 ships were sunk or damaged.

Mongla: 20 commandos managed to damage 6 foreign owned ships.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XIV

The simultaneous attacks on Pakistani shipping assets on August 16 destroyed the myth of normalcy in East Pakistan when the news was flashed in the international media.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

he Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. The war is closely associated with the Bangladesh Liberation War (sometimes also referred to as the Pakistani Civil War). Although there is some disagreement about the

exact dates of the war, hostilities between India and Pakistan commenced officially on the evening of December 3, 1971. The armed conflict on India's western front during the period between 3 December 1971 and 16 December 1971 is called the "Indo-Pakistani War" by both the Bangladeshi and Indian armies. The war ended in the surrender of the Pakistani military after armed hostilities on two fronts.

T

American and Soviet involvement

he United States supported Pakistan both politically and materially. Nixon, backed by Henry Kissinger, feared Soviet expansion into South and Southeast Asia. Nixon feared that an Indian invasion of West Pakistan would mean total Soviet domination

of the region, and that it would seriously undermine the global position of the United States and the regional position of America's new tacit ally, China. In order to demonstrate to China the bona fides of the United States as an ally, and in direct violation of the US Congress-imposed sanctions on Pakistan, Nixon sent military supplies to Pakistan, routing them through Jordan and Iran, while also encouraging China to increase its arms supplies to Pakistan.

T

The Nixon administration also ignored reports it received of the 'genocidal' activities of the Pakistani Army in East Pakistan, most notably the Blood telegram. When Pakistan's defeat in the eastern sector seemed certain, Nixon sent the USS Enterprise to the Bay of Bengal, a move which was a nuclear threat. The Enterprise arrived on station on December 11, 1971. On 6 December and 13 December, the Soviet Navy dispatched two groups of ships, armed with nuclear missiles, from Vladivostok; they trailed U.S. Task Force 74 into the Indian Ocean from 18 December 1971 until 7 January 1972. The Soviets also sent a nuclear submarine to ward off the threat posed by USS Enterprise in the Indian Ocean.

when the USS Enterprise reached the Indian Ocean, Soviet nuclear submarines surfaced without any kind of verbal warning or threat. There was no formal or informal dialogue between the USSR and the United States. As the United States were not ready to risk open nuclear warfare with the Soviets the Enterprise simply turned around and sailed back to the US.

The Soviet Union sympathized with the Bangladeshis, and supported the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini during the war, recognizing that the independence of Bangladesh would weaken the position of its rivals - the United States and China. The USSR gave assurances to India that if a confrontation with the United States or China developed, it would take counter-measures. This assurance was enshrined in the Indo-Soviet friendship treaty signed in August 1971.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XV

Last killing mission of our betrayer

uring the war, the Pakistan Army and its local collaborators carried out a systematic execution of the

leading Bengali intellectuals. A number of professors from Dhaka University were killed during the first few days of the war. However, the most extreme cases of targeted killing of intellectuals took place during the last few days of the war. Professors, journalists, doctors, artists, engineers, writers were rounded up by Pakistan Army and the Razakar militia in Dhaka, blindfolded, taken to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different sections of the city to be executed en masse in the killing fields, most notably at Rayerbazar and Mirpur. Allegedly, the Pakistani Army and its paramilitary arm, the Al-Badr and Al-Shams forces created a list of doctors, teachers, poets, and scholars. Some sources also allege the role of the CIA in devising the plan.

D

On 14 December 1971, only two days before surrendering to the Indian military and the Mukhti Bahini forces, the Pakistani army with the assistance of local collaborators systematically executed an estimated 991 teachers, 13 journalists, 49 physicians, 42 lawyers, and 16 writers, artists and engineers. Even after the official ending of the war on 16 December there were reports of firing from the armed Pakistani soldiers or their collaborators. In one such incident, notable film-maker Jahir Raihan was killed on January 30, 1972 in Mirpur allegedly by the armed Beharis. In memory of the persons killed, December 14 is mourned in Bangladesh as Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibosh ("Day of the Martyred Intellectuals").

Several noted intellectuals who were killed from the time period of 25 March to 16 December, 1971 in different parts of the country include Dhaka University professors Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev (Philosophy), Dr. Munier Chowdhury (Bengali Literature), Dr. Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury (Bengali Literature), Dr. Anwar Pasha (Bengali Literature), Dr M Abul Khair (History), Dr. Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta (English Literature), Humayun Kabir (English Literature), Rashidul Hasan (English Literature) and Saidul Hassan (Physics), as well Dr. Hobibur Rahman (Professor of Mathematics at Rajshahi University), Dr. Mohammed Fazle Rabbee (Cardiologist), Dr. Alim Chowdhury (Ophthalmologist), Shahidullah Kaiser (Journalist), Nizamuddin Ahmed (Journalist), Selina Parvin (Journalist), Altaf Mahmud (Lyricist and musician), Dhirendranath Datta (Politician) and RP Saha (Philanthropist).

Surrender of Pakistan & final victory of Bangladesh:

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XVI

On 16 December 1971, When Muktijoddha & Indian army surrounded the Dhaka city, then they request Pakistan army to surrender .For the bombing n governor house governor Malek & his ministers escaped from there and took shelter at Hotel intercontinental ( now Sheraton).Then Indian army throw many liflet towards Pakistan army by writing “ Surrender to us before the grab by Muktijoddha.

Then some times later Lt. Gen A. A. K. Niazi, CO of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the instrument of surrender when they had 91,000 army.At that time a Pakistani said to erase the wrd Bangladesh from the instrument of surrender. At the time of surrender only a few countries had provided diplomatic recognition to the new nation. Bangladesh sought admission in the UN with most voting in its favor, but China vetoed this as Pakistan was its key ally.

Aftermath:

he war ended with the surrender of the Pakistani military to the allied forces of India and Bangladesh, jointly known as the Mitro Bahini. Bangladesh became an independent nation, the world's third most populous Muslim state. The loss of East

Pakistan demoralized the Pakistani military. President Yahya Khan resigned, to be replaced by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Mujibur Rahman was released from a West Pakistani prison, returning to Dhaka on January 10, 1972.

TAbout 30 millions of Bangladeshies including civil,East bengle regiment, Military,children,woman and all types of people had been killed.Total stucture of Bangladesh had been damaged .And total transfort system had been destroyed.

Finally we got an independent country where we can take a pure safe breath.

Conclusion:

he history of our country is strongly influenced by our liberation war. Our heroic freedom fighters fought tremendously hard to snatch victory from the Pakistani army. The blood of the martyred freedom fighters and every other people who sacrificed T

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XVII

their lives worth for great value. It is their contribution and credit what give us the right to live freely in our own country. Today we are living in an independent nation because of the liberation war and the supreme sacrifice of our beloved patriot ancestors.

But are we really living freely? Is it that nation of which the freedom fighters who gave away their lives away, dreamt of? They dreamt of an independent nation which would be free from the foreign power. It was also desired to be a peaceful nation where the people will breathe free and gain all rights. But today the nation can not be ensured by these facts. It is harder to maintain freedom than achieving it. We’ve achieved our independence through much difficulty. Now our responsibility is to save it and make the country a better place to live in.

We know there were many Bangladeshis who supported the Pakistani army for their own benefit during the liberation war. It is a matter of great sorrow that these criminals are yet to be punished. We have passed 38 years of independence and they are still safe and unfortunately many of them are living lives of extreme comfort having wealth and power. It is a matter of big shame for us and their comfort is a big joke to our liberation war, our freedom and our whole existence. So these betrayers and brutal people should not be allowed to live freely. They should be arrested and punished to the greatest extent. They are the biggest criminals of the war because they used to be our own people.

There is another fact which is quite unacceptable and shameful for us. The brave and heroic freedom fighters who survived in the war are not well recognized and well paid at all nowadays. Many of them are living quite miserable lives which is completely unexpected. They are not getting the return for what they did for the country in our war of freedom. Proper honor and comfort should be provided to these heroic survivors who played very important roles in our freedom fight. The most shocking matter is that the criminals of the war are leading far better lives than our beloved freedom fighters. Can this be accepted?

The young generation should know our history well and understand the importance of the liberation war and its influence on our lives. We also need to ensure that history is not changed. We need to know the correct history, not the confusing one.

Our liberation war is something for what we can be very proud as we got our independence, a heavenly right of living through this. Today, we are passing through several problems and threatening disasters which make some kind of chaotic atmosphere in the country. The situation is not expected in a country which got independence through a war which snatched away almost 3000000 lives and many other things which worth more than life. The survival of the brutal criminals and the miserable condition of many of the freedom fighters are something what make us feel ashamed as citizens of this independent nation. We can not let this continue and make us feel like dwellers of a dependent nation. We need to make proper public awareness of what is happening here and take necessary steps to fix things up. Or else our glorious liberation war, the blood of the martyred freedom fighters and the achievement

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XVIII

through this would become worthless. We can not let it happen as we are the proud citizens of an independent nation which has the glorious history of the liberation war.

Reference

Mukti sangram,page by Abul Kashem Fajlul Huq.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XIX

Bangladesher muktijuddar dolilpotro ,2nd part.

Witness to surrender by Siddiq Salik.

Banladesh liberation war, www.wikipiedia.com

Swadin bangle betar kandro,Balal Mohammad,p36-42.

Banglades fights for independence, Lieutenant Genaral ASM Nasim Bir Bikram.

Bangha bandhu o Bangladesh by Muntasir Mamun.

Shafiullah, Maj. Gen. K.M., Bangladesh at War, p135

The daily Prothom-alo,7th march,26th March,09

The daily Somokal, 25th march, 09.

Muktti Judher Itihas, Md. Jafor Iqbal.

Independent University, Bangladesh BPH 101

XX