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
Bangladesh mission at London
Pakistan is now dead and two countries have been born in its place, said Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, speaking today at the inaugural function of the Bangladesh Mission in London. Justice Chowdhury was the overseas representative of the Bangladesh government.
26 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Kennedy calls for stopping US aid to Pakistan
Citing what he termed as a “cruel policy of repression”, Senator Edward Kennedy today called on US President Richard Nixon to cut off all American aid to West Pakistan.
25 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh allowance for Rebel Poet Nazrul
The Bangladesh government decided today to grant 350 rupees as monthly allowance to Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, now ailing in Kolkata.
24 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira writes to Chou on Bangladesh
Indira Gandhi made yet another important breakthrough by writing directly to her counterpart in China, Premier Chou En-lai, on Bangladesh affairs.
23 August 2021, 18:00 PM
New recognition bid by Bangladesh govt
India has been consulting the leaders of the Bangladesh government to find out how, if at all, the issue of Bangladesh could be raised before the world’s highest forum -- the United Nations General Assembly beginning next month in New York.
22 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Reluctant candidates in Dhaka
The Daily Telegraph reported that no candidates could be found for the 79 constituencies which had been declared vacant by the Martial Law Authority in East Pakistan.
21 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya discusses trial of Bangabandhu
In a telegram sent today to the US Department of State, Joseph Farland, the US ambassador to Pakistan, provided an interesting detail of his discussion with Pakistan President Yahya Khan about the trial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The one-on-one meeting took place on August 19, 1971.
19 August 2021, 18:00 PM
AL legislators disqualified
The Pakistan government today disqualified 195 of the 288 Awami League members elected to the 310’seat East Pakistani Provincial Assembly. They were charged with “incitement to murder, rape, kidnapping, attacks on police posts and banks, armed robbery, rebellion and conspiring with the enemy”.
18 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Serious ‘insurgency movement’ in East Pakistan: Kissinger
Henry Kissinger, the US president’s assistant for national security affairs, today sent a memorandum to President Richard Nixon discussing implications of the situation in South Asia.
17 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Kosygin warns Yahya
Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin was said to have told Pakistan President Yahya Khan that any war with India will be suicidal for Pakistan. Kosygin conveyed this in a message which the new Soviet Ambassador to Pakistan AA Rodinov delivered at Rawalpindi today.
16 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Kennedy terms Pakistani drive genocide
US Senator Edward M Kennedy today denounced Pakistan’s military action against Bangladeshis as genocide and said the secret trial of Bangladeshi leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was “an outrage to every concept of international law”.
15 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Naval operation that shook Pakistan
Bangladeshi naval commandos launched their first attack today. In the night, they attacked simultaneously the ports of Mongla, Chittagong, Chandpur, Narayanganj, and sunk 26 gunboats of the Pak army carrying commodities, arms and ammunitions.
14 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Nixon warns Yahya of famine
In a letter dated August 14, 1971, US President Richard Nixon advised Pakistan President Yahya Khan to step up relief efforts to avert the risk of famine.
13 August 2021, 18:00 PM
‘Yahya a power maniac’
A Pakistani freighter due to dock in Philadelphia was forced to change its course and head for Baltimore after pickets supporting the cause of Bangladesh -- backed by a non-violent fleet of small craft -- occupied the shore and the inlet.
12 August 2021, 18:00 PM
‘The fate of Sheikh Mujib’
The Times (London), in an editorial titled ‘The Fate of Sheikh Mujib’, wrote today that the decision to try Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in secret was lamentable.
11 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira calls upon nations to save Bangabandhu
India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appealed to 23 heads of government around the world to use their influence to save Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In messages sent yesterday and made public today, she said India feared the trial of Bangabandhu “will be used only as a cover to execute him”.
10 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Thant sounds warning about Bangabandhu trial
UN Secretary General U Thant warned today that the trial of Bangladeshi leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would “inevitably have repercussions outside the borders of Pakistan”.
9 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Indo-Soviet treaty signed
The Soviet Union and India signed a treaty of peace, friendship and nonaggression today. The essence of the treaty was its provision that in the event of attack or the threat of attack there would be immediate mutual consultations.
8 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya speaks of mediation
Pakistan President Yahya Khan said that he would like British mediation between India and Pakistan. “But,” Yahya continued, “I do not want it if she [Britian] remains much less than neutral.”
7 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Indira Gandhi writes to Nixon
India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in a letter to US President Richard Nixon, expressed her dissatisfaction over the initiative of deploying UN observers in India and Pakistan.
6 August 2021, 18:00 PM