Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War
(i) (
Bengali: Muktijuddho) 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 (
Bengali:"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.