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
500 Indian MPs urge Thant to save Bangabandhu’s life
About 500 Indian MPs from all parties, except the Muslim League, addressed a memorandum to UN Secretary General U Thant urging him to save the life of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
5 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Pakistan govt accuses AL of massacre
The Pakistan government today published a white paper containing explanation and description of the actions taken by the military government since the night of 25 March 1971.
4 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangalee diplomats in US opt for Bangladesh
Fourteen Pakistani diplomats -- all of Bengalee origin -- resigned today from their embassy in the US or from the mission to the United Nations in protest of what they called “crimes
3 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh warns against deployment of UN observers
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra today declared that the government and the people of Bangladesh would treat UN observers as collaborators of the Pakistani junta.
2 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Freedom fighters’ strength growing, admits Yahya
Pakistan President Yahya Khan today admitted the growing strength of the freedom fighters of Bangladesh and said “their challenge should be met”.
1 August 2021, 18:00 PM
Concert for Bangladesh
Ravi Shankar and George Harrison organised an all-star concert in New York’s Madison Square Garden today to help Bengali refugees, who had fled violence and were in India.
31 July 2021, 18:00 PM
UN to send team to East Pakistan
The United States, working behind the scenes, won the agreement of both Pakistan and the United Nations to station an international group of 153 civilian relief and rehabilitation experts in East Pakistan under United Nations sponsorship, officials said today.
30 July 2021, 18:00 PM
India rejects proposal for posting observers
India reacted sharply against UN Secretary General U Thant’s proposal which suggested posting observers in both India and East Pakistan. The Indian government considered the proposal as a design to divert the world’s attention from the real issue and depicted it as one between India and Pakistan.
29 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Pakistan preparing for long guerrilla war
The New York Times reported today, “the Pakistan’s military Government was waiting for what it fears may be a protracted guerrilla war, in East Pakistan, and Government strategists are drawing from the writings of Mao Tse-tung and other experts in their plans.”
28 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya will commit suicide: Nixon
American President Richard Nixon, his security adviser Henry Kissinger and the US Ambassador to Pakistan Joseph Farland held a discussion today on issues surrounding Bangladesh War.
27 July 2021, 18:00 PM
U Thant concerned over Bangladesh situation
In a telephone conversion with American president Nixon, his security adviser Kissinger stated, “I will make it clear with the Indians that there isn’t going to be a war. …The problem—no military aid to Pakistan, they are not even getting economic aid. If anything will tempt the Indians to attack, it will be the complete helplessness of Pakistan.”
26 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Dhaka residents asked to evacuate
Handbills prepared by Bangalee guerrillas were distributed in Dhaka asking the population to begin evacuation of the city in preparation for a campaign against the Pakistan Army, reported The New York Times.
25 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Massive offensive against Pak Army
East Pakistan Governor Lt Gen Tikka Khan today admitted that a railway bridge in Cumilla had been blown up by the Mukti Fouj recently.
24 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Osmani says 20,000 Pakistani troops killed
Foreigners in Dhaka were warned this week to avoid Chinese restaurants, which apparently became the latest targets for Bangladeshi guerillas.
23 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Yahya trying to hide his shame: Shehabuddin
KM Shehabuddin, diplomatic representative of Bangladesh, described Pakistan President Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan’s threat of declaring war against India as a “desperate and heinous attempt to hide his shame and hoodwink the world opinion by implicating India”.
19 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangabandhu will be put on trial very soon: Yahya
Pakistan President Yahya Khan in an interview published in The Financial Times today said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be put on trial “very soon”.
18 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Mission staff reaffirm loyalty to Bangladesh
All the members of the Bangladesh mission interviewed by the Swiss representative Dr Bonard in Calcutta today refused to be repatriated to Pakistan and reaffirmed their allegiance to the Bangladesh government.
17 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh’s cautious reaction to Nixon’s China visit
A three-member Canadian parliamentary delegation that visited Pakistan was told by Pakistani officials in Islamabad that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was at present in a jail in West Pakistan.
16 July 2021, 18:00 PM
A country in the grip of fear
Reg Prentice, a member of the British parliamentary delegation which had visited both Pakistan and India to study the present crisis, wrote an account of his tour today in the New Statesman:
15 July 2021, 18:00 PM
Military victory the only solution: Tajuddin
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmed declared today that “military victory is the only solution to the situation in Bangladesh”, reported The People, a pro-AL English-language weekly.
14 July 2021, 18:00 PM