Bangladesh Liberation War- 1971

The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh.

The war broke out on 26 March 1971 as army units directed by West Pakistan launched a military operation in East Pakistan against Bengali civilians, students, intelligentsia, and armed personnel who were demanding separation of the East from West Pakistan. Bengali military, paramilitary, and civilians formed the Mukti Bahini (“Liberation Army”) and used guerrilla warfare tactics to fight against the West Pakistan army. India provided economic, military and diplomatic support to the Mukti Bahini rebels, leading Pakistan to launch Operation Chengiz Khan, a pre-emptive attack on the western border of India which started the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

On 16 December 1971, the allied forces of the Indian army and the Mukti Bahini defeated the West Pakistani forces deployed in the East. The resulting surrender was the largest in number of prisoners of war since World War II.

The Bangladesh Liberation War is a significant part of the history of the country, and lasted from the 26th of March 1971 until the 16th of December 1971. War broke out during this time between East and West Pakistan. West Pakistan became Pakistan by the end of the war, and East Pakistan is known today as Bangladesh.Unfortunately, independence came with a price and sacrifice, and a story of heroism and courage.R.J. Rummel cites estimates ranging from one to three million people killed^. Other estimates place the death toll lower, at 300,000. Bangladesh government figures state that   three million people were killed ,  200,000 womenwere raped  and displaced millions of others.

The war effectively came to an end after the Eastern Command of the Pakistan Military signed the Instrument of Surrender on December 16, 1971 following which East Pakistan seceded as the independent state of Bangladesh. Around 97,368 West Pakistanis who were in East Pakistan at the time of its independence, including some 79,700 Pakistan Army soldiers and paramilitary personneland 12,500 civilians were taken as prisoners of war by India.Bangladesh became an independent nation, the world’s third most populous Muslim state. Mujibur Rahman was released from a West Pakistani prison, returned to Dhaka on 10 January 1972 and to become first President of Bangladesh and later its Prime Minister.