Remembering the fateful night of 25th March, 1971

Remembering the fateful night of 25th March, 1971

 

[March 26th, 2012 is 42nd Independence day of Bangladesh. The Liberation War Museum has this short piece on Bangladesh and the Independence struggle.]

 

 Bangladesh lies in the easternmost edge of the Indian subcontinent. People in Bangladesh can be proud civilization that dates back almost two millennia. For centuries, attracting the rich and fertile plains of Bengal merchants, travelers and conquerors alike. Bengali culture assimilated influences that remain after these contacts, but also has its own specifics. Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam have their own signature in life and in society and in the process helped Bengal tolerant and secular society with a liberal approach. Bengal is also home to nearly 45 different ethnic tribes, each with their distinct language and culture.
Bangladesh has a rich tradition of folklore and folk music, heavily influenced by the mystical traditions that to a large extent, the Bengal is characterized by humanism and tolerance. The spread of modern education, the influence of European Renaissance brought the British, the literary quality of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam and others, strongly influenced by the Bengali community. There is a great social reformers like Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Gupta, who contributed to society and its social customs modernization. Rokeya Begum is a pioneer in the field of education among conservative Muslim women.
In Pakistan, the period began in the struggle for cultural identity with the Bengali language movement of the 1952nd Cultural struggle is always an integral part of the national struggle.The emergence of Bangladesh
In the background of the nationalist struggle against British colonial rule in India since the mid 20's, resulted in tensions between Hindus and Muslims together in 1947 to partition India and Pakistan, was established as a separate homeland for Muslims. East Pakistan was inhabited by Bengali nation with its own language and culture for themselves and be physically separated from West Pakistan thousand kilometers. State of Pakistan was unrealistic from the outset.
From the beginning denied Pakistani rulers to democratic expectations Bengalis and their national rights. Earth said that the Islamic Republic in 1956 and military rule was introduced in 1958. Military officials have tried to suppress the Bengalis politically, culturally and economically and, of course, disappointed by the new nation is not surprising. Fighting for his country since 1948 was reflected through a continuous, uniform and popular struggle for democracy, autonomy and preserve its secular cultural identity.
In the first election in 1970 on the basis of one man one vote basis, won the Bengali nationalist forces under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his party's electoral victory, the Awami League was the largest party in the whole of Pakistan. But the Pakistani army refused to take a decision on the selection, resulting in non-violent non-cooperation movement in East Pakistan.
Under the nationalist movement in East Pakistan crush the Pakistani military junta launched a systematic genocide against the people of Bengal on the evening of that fateful 25th March 1971. The junta was supported by several local religion-based parties and religious fundamentalists.
Pakistan fury led to the worst genocide since the Second World War, and an estimated 3 million people were killed, about 278,000 women raped and 10 million had to seek refuge in neighboring India.
In this respect the independence of Bangladesh declared elected and the election of 1970 from East Pakistan formed the Bangladesh government in exile 10th April 1971. Cabinet official promised Baiddyanathtala in Meherpur, later renamed Mujibnagar, 17 April 1971. Students and young people with military training and the Mukti Bahini (freedom fighters) resisted the invaders in 11 sectors to adopt guerrilla tactics and held the Pakistani army in harassment and reckless state. International condemnation of the atrocities came from the Pakistani government, public officials, cultural figures and the media. Unfortunately, the Nixon administration the United States and China supports Pakistan's government, several global strategic interests, while India and the Soviet Union supported the cause of Bangladesh.
The third December, after Pakistan attack and bombed airfields in western India, the Allied High Command of the Indian Army and Muktibahini (Bangladesh freedom fighters) are formed and began formal armed attack. On 16 December 1971, Pakistani forces troops ignominiously surrendered command of the Allied forces and independent Bangladesh was born as a democratic and secular state.