Indomitable March: Indira pledges support for Bangladesh
On March 31, 1971, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi moved a resolution in parliament strongly criticising the military action in Bangladesh.
30 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: The battle of Kushtia
At 4:00am on March 30, 1971, Bangladeshi forces, comprising East Pakistan Rifles (EPR), police and civilians under the leadership of Abu Osman Chowdhury, then a major and commander of the fourth wing of EPR, attacked the Pakistan occupation army in Kushtia from three sides.
29 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: Bangabandhu flown to Karachi
In the evening, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was flown via helicopter from the cantonment, where he was detained, to the Tejgaon Airport. Afterwards, he was flown to Karachi by a special military aircraft.
28 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: Pak atrocity continues
On March 28, 1971, American Consul General in Dhaka, Archer K Blood, sent a telegram to Islamabad and Washington captioned “selective genocide”. He reported that they were “mute and horrified by a reign of terror by the Pakistan military” in East Pakistan. Pointing towards various pieces of evidence, Blood suggested that Awami League supporters and Hindus were being systematically targeted by the martial law administrators.
27 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: Archer K blood’s situation report
American Consul General Archer K Blood in a situation report submitted on March 27, 1971, wrote that according to numerous accounts, including eye witness reports, the Pak military crackdown on Bangalee nationalists has been carried out throughout Dacca swiftly, efficiently (despite heavy resistance from some quarters, including pro-Awami League police and East Pak Rifles), and often with ruthless brutality.
26 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: The gates of hell cast open
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a press statement issued today, called for a general strike throughout Bangladesh on March 27 against the army’s action in certain places in East Pakistan including Saidpur, Rangpur and Joydevpur.
24 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: Final meeting
There was a final meeting between Awami League’s team and Yahya’s advisers on March 24, 1971, at 6:00pm.
23 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Indomitable March: ‘Let us hope for best and remain prepared for worst’
The representatives of president Yahya Khan and an Awami League team met twice today.
22 March 2024, 18:00 PM
Road to Freedom: This Day in Bangladesh Liberation War History
US President Richard Nixon in a letter issued today to Pakistan President Yahya Khan expressed his concern over the loss of life and human suffering in East Pakistan. However, he sympathised with Yahya and said, “I understand the anguish you must have felt in making the difficult decisions you have faced.”
6 May 2021, 18:00 PM
US Senate unit asks Pakistan arms cutoff
A heavy fight broke out today at Teliapara, Sylhet. Pakistani Army in the guise of Indian BSF breached the defences of Bangladesh force and were in firing position.
5 May 2021, 18:00 PM
The books that went to war
The books authored and published during a war always have an archival quality; they capture the time in its crudest form. They are a seamless blend
5 May 2021, 18:00 PM
War with India possible, says Pakistani general
The Pakistani government said today that news of slaughter carried out by Awami League members in East Pakistan before March 25 “has been kept strictly secret for fear of reprisals in West Pakistan”.
4 May 2021, 18:00 PM
Genocide issue will be referred to UN body
The Bangladesh government decided to refer to the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations the question of genocide in the newborn republic.
3 May 2021, 18:00 PM
Pakistan denies refugee exodus
West Pakistan newspapers on May 3 quoted government sources as denying that large numbers of refugees were fleeing East Pakistan to neighbouring India.
2 May 2021, 18:00 PM
An unprecedented move by British MPssh MPs
Faced with growing pressures among British MPs of all parties for intervention in Bangladesh war, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, British foreign secretary,
30 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh at risk of famine
About four million people in south-central Bangladesh, ravaged by a cyclone and tidal wave in November 1970, were facing starvation because the war had halted emergency food distribution, reported the Washington Post.
29 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Heavier inflow of refugees feared
A delegation headed by Labour MP John Stonehouse and top officials of War on Want, Christian Aid and Oxfam, called on Sir Alec Douglas Home, British foreign secretary, and told him that Britain should do something so that international relief work could be started in Bangladesh.
28 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Tajuddin’s plea for arms aid
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed today appealed to neighbouring countries to grant immediate recognition to Bangladesh and to give unconditional arms aid and thus help a newborn country free itself from the clutches of a murderous army.
27 April 2021, 18:00 PM
‘Don’t squeeze Yahya’
In a memorandum sent to President Richard Nixon today, the US President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger provided three policy options towards the East Pakistan crisis:
26 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Another Bangalee diplomat defects
The 28’year’old vice consul of Pakistan in the US renounced his ties with the Pakistani government today, saying he would “not serve a government killing our own people”.
25 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Bhashani’s telegram to world leaders
National Awami Party President Moulana Bhashani renewed his appeal to several world leaders to help the cause of Bangladesh. In a telegram,
24 April 2021, 18:00 PM
US urges restraint in wake of Indo-Pak confrontation
US State Department sent a telegram to the US Embassy in Pakistan on April 24, 1971. The telegram provided a critical overview of the East Pakistan situation based on US Assistant Secretary Sisco’s meetings with Pakistan Ambassador Hilaly and Indian Ambassador Jha.
23 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Mujibnagar cabinet meets
The Pakistan radio said tonight that Pakistan had decided to close down the Deputy High Commission office in Calcutta and had asked India to close her Deputy High Commission office in Dacca.
22 April 2021, 18:00 PM
India requests UN assistance for refugees
Maulana Bhashani, president of the National Awami Party (NAP-Bhashani), said in a press statement that the examples of Chiang-ki-shek in China and Czar in Russia and British oppression in undivided India or zulum of Jalem Yazid at Karbala pale into insignificance before the latest example of atrocity perpetrated by Yahya’s army.
21 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Fleeing by the thousands
Driven by the Pakistani troops’ genocide in Bangladesh, the influx of evacuees had been so great in Bongaon in 24-Parganas district that admission into one of the three camps had been stopped by the state government and a fourth camp was being opened.
20 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Bhashani writes to Mao
Maulana Bhashani, leader of the National Awami Party (Bhashani), had written personal letters to Chairman Mao and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Chou en-Lai, expressing surprise at Peking’s support to the Pakistani military junta.
19 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh Cabinet discusses war strategy
The Bangladesh cabinet met today and issued instructions to Col MAG Osmani for preparing a strategy to oust the occupation army from certain important strongholds.
18 April 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangalees claim Calcutta Consulate
The predominantly Bangalee staff of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Calcutta took over the establishment today and transformed it into a mission of the newly proclaimed provisional government of Bangladesh.
17 April 2021, 18:00 PM