Armed Conflict

Md. Helal Uddin

Lecturer, Department of Sociology
East West University
1971 and Armed Conflict
 third big shock in 20th century
a) Devastating famine of 1943/44
b) Partition of 1947
c) Armed conflict of 1971
 not a easy story of 9th month liberation war
 multilayered stories
 main struggle: Pakistani armed forces vs Bengali Nationalism
 part of geopolitical game
a) Rivalry of India vs Pakistan
b) struggle between cold war super powers
 Pakistani Final Solution
 25th march: Operation search light
 full blown army attack on east Pakistan citizens
 brutal operation to eliminate Bengali nationalism
 renew west Pakistan dominance over east
Pakistan
 Yahya khan request public support through radio
 Armed assault, brutal activities led by Tikka khan
 targets:
a) Destroy organization/institution/cantonment
b) Killed inhabitants Dhaka and around
c) Dhaka University (faculties, students)
 kept barricades on 2 main symbols of east
Pakistan nationalism
a) Shohid Minar
b) Sheikh Mujib (did not hide; arrested by
Pak army)
 people were picked up from home
 verbal and non-verbal order to shoot Hindu
citizens
 Hindus were killed
 Dhaka became ghost city
 Cumilla Cantonment Massacre: (27/28
March); 17 Bengali officers, 915 men were
killed by one officer finger
Pakistani Final Solution (continue…)
 can’t took control
everywhere
 Chittagong: Bengali officers
killed Pak officers and
started resistance
 Pak army occupied radio
station, telephone exchange,
destroyed newspaper office,
foreign connection
 massive resistance all over
the delta
 massive migration
-> people moved from village
to village
-> some crossed border and
entered into India
 finally estimated nearly 10
million in Refugee camps
Bangladeshi Response
 Awami league leadership formed a government (Mujibnagor
Government)
 Proclaimed BD as an independent state; 17th April 1971 by taking
oath
 Formed Mukti Bahini (support & training from India)
 Kader bahini (Tangail), Afsar bahini (Mynmenshing), Siraj Sikdar
bahini (Barisal)
 11 sectors and 3 forces
Bangabandhu President
Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman
Syed Nazrul Islam Vice President, (Entrusted with the powers, functions and
responsibilities of the President since the President himself was then
detained in Pakistan).
Tajuddin Ahmad Prime Minister, In charge of Defense, Information, Broadcasting and
Communications, Economic Affairs, Planning Division, Education, Local
Government, Health, Labour, Social Welfare, Establishment as well as
other affairs the responsibility of which was not yet entrusted to anyone.

Khondakar Mostaq Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Law and Parliamentary Affairs.
Ahmad
M Mansur Ali Minister, Ministry of Finance, Industry and Commerce.
AHM Minister, Ministry of Home, Civil Supplies, Relief and Rehabilitation,
Qamaruzzaman Agriculture
International Involvement
 Pakistan lost over the plot
 call international attention
 unable to convince the world (as it was a domestic matter)
 brutal stories of border crossing people and genocide
published in international press
 George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Ravi Shankar: Concert for
Bangladesh- Mass benefit performance for the children of
Bangladesh
 The world started condemn Pakistani ruling
 International Involvement
 Indian support for self-determination, diplomatic support, military
training, hospitality, refuge care, arms support of freedom fighters
 Pakistan wanted to establish Islamic state & describe India is doing
intolerable interference in their internal affairs
 global political game: role of world super power
Soviet Union backed India supported Bangladesh (came closure for
the issue of 1971)
United States and China helped Pakistan (re-establish communication)
Pakistan got support from many Muslim majorities state
 International Involvement
 after the end of rainy season (November) formed joint force (Bengali freedom
fighter and Indian troops)
 geopolitical problem for Indian military support
 India was searching opportunity
 opportunity came on 3 December 1971: Pakistan air force’s sudden attack in
north western India
 India came into action (started 3rd India Pakistan war)
 India had better armed than Pakistan; control of the air, and the sea
 obvious that unable to regain the control over the delta
 last assault on leading Bengali intellectuals
 Pro-Pakistan (Al-Badr) killed writers, professors, artists, doctors and other
professionals in Dhaka
Upcoming:
A state is born

The End for Today