Liberation War History

Liberation War History Resources

1. The vast majority of the coverage of women’s role in the 1971 war has centered on women as victims. However, even under such harrowing atmosphere and personal grievances, women fought in the war in so many different ways. They were active and willing participant in the fight for Bangladesh’s independence.

They collected and distributed clothes and other necessary items for the children in the refugee camps. They took part in activities of the Mujibnagar government-in-exile who had their headquarter in Kolkata. Others hid weapons in the well of their home and took these to local freedom fighters in nearby island on a boat during the night, steering the boat by themselves.

http://www.londoni.co/index.php/23-history-of-bangladesh/1971-muktijuddho/147-muktijuddho-bangladesh-liberation-war-1971-women-muktijuddha-bangladesh-mahila-parishad-history-of-bangladesh

2. Swadhinata Juddho (Bangladesh Independence War) – also known as ‘Muktijuddho‘ (Bangladesh Liberation War) and ‘Sangram‘ (War) – commenced on the night of 25 March 1971 when the West Pakistani Army massacred civilian in ‘Operation Searchlight’ in the streets of Dhaka after peace talks failed between Prime Minister-elect Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President Yahya Khan and opposition leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. A nine-month violent warfare followed between the West Pakistani army and its collaborators, the Razakars, against the Bangladesh liberation army made up of defecting regular troops and its guerrilla warriors, the Mukti Bahini.

Victory was finally achieved on 16 December 1971 with the help of the Indian Army – but at a heavy cost. An estimated 3 million people died, over 200,000 women and girls were raped, 10 million refugees fled to neighbouring India and around 1,000 Bengali intellectuals were murdered.

Many heroes rose from all field of life amongst the 75 million population. But the real hero were – and still are – the ordinary people who sacrificed their lives to create Bangladesh with their blood.

http://www.londoni.co/index.php/history/11-history-of-bangladesh/66-muktijuddho-bangladesh-liberation-war-1971-swadhinata-juddho-sangram-summary-history-of-bangladesh

3. On 13 June 1971, an article in the UK’s Sunday Times exposed the brutality of Pakistan’s suppression of the Bangladeshi uprising. It forced the reporter’s family into hiding and changed history.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16207201

4. Mujibnagar, formerly known as Baidyanathtala is a town in the Meherpur District of Bangladesh. It is a common reference for the government in exile formed by the leaders of the Awami League, who were leading the guerrilla war for the

independence of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) from Pakistan in 1971. Throughout the war with the Pakistan Army, the Mujibnagar government would serve as the nominal head of the pro-independence guerrilla militias, mainly the Mukti Bahini. Although the state gained independence only in December 1971, the Mujibnagar government is recognized as the first official government of Bangladesh.

https://www.mujibnagar.com/mujibnagar-government/some-about-mujibnagar-government

5. The history of the Bangladesh liberation war dates back to April 1971 when it began its inception with the title of Bangladesh Forces during the first Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference held in the week of July 11–17, 1971. It was at this conference during which time BD Forces was organized and formed for the independence struggle. It was significant in the light of its official creation and formation as Bangladesh Forces, its command structuring, sector reorganization, reinforcement and appointing war commanders was its principal focus.

This conference was presided over by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tajuddin Ahmed, and General M.A.G. Osmani, during which General Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani received his promotion from Colonel and was reinstated from retirement to active duty into the Armed Forces of Bangladesh as its senior most official. 

https://military.wikia.org/wiki/List_of_sectors_in_the_Bangladesh_Liberation_War

6. To the people of the world: A statement issued by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, on April 17, 1971.

https://www.mujibnagar.com/mujibnagar-government/tajuddin-statement-april-17-1971

7. On 06 April 1971, two young Bengali diplomats, K. M. Shehabuddin, Second Secretary of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and Amzadul Haq, Assistant Press Attaché of the same mission defected and declared their allegiance to Bangladesh. That again, even before the Bangladesh Government in exile (the Mujibnagar Government) took its oath. With them, began the glorious journey of Bangladeshi diplomats. Many termed it as, ‘Opening the Diplomatic Front of the Liberation War.’

https://mofa.gov.bd/site/page/3164add5-f0b4-432e-99e3-342057675660

8. Our glorious Liberation War of 1971 was a people’s war. Because people from all walks of life, peasants to carpenters to potters to laborers to students to teachers to doctors to engineers and all other professionals and people from all caste, creed and religion, whole-heartedly participated in this war for the attainment of Bangladesh. But some tried to call it a civil war to cover up their grave misdeeds.

https://www.daily-sun.com/post/446893/The-People’s-War-of-Bangladesh-in-1971

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