The Bangladesh war of independence in 1971 was one of the bloodiest conflicts in living memory. In an attempt to crush forces seeking independence for what was then East Pakistan, the West Pakistani military regime unleashed a systematic campaign of violence that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Bangalis.
In 266 days Bangali, hill people and Adivasi resistance fighters and their allies defeated the military forces of Pakistan. The result was the birth of a new nation - Bangladesh - and the dismemberment of Pakistan.
It was only after the 16th of December 1971 when Pakistani troops surrendered in East Pakistan, that Bangladeshis began to realise the scale of the atrocities committed during the previous nine months.
1971 was a year of national and international crisis in South Asia. The history of Bangladesh is implicitly tied to the partition of India in 1947 and therefore the tragic events of 1971 are linked to Britain’s colonial past. For Bangladesh, ravaged by the war and subsequent political turmoil, it has been a difficult task to reconstruct its own history.
In 266 days Bangali, hill people and Adivasi resistance fighters and their allies defeated the military forces of Pakistan. The result was the birth of a new nation - Bangladesh - and the dismemberment of Pakistan.
It was only after the 16th of December 1971 when Pakistani troops surrendered in East Pakistan, that Bangladeshis began to realise the scale of the atrocities committed during the previous nine months.
1971 was a year of national and international crisis in South Asia. The history of Bangladesh is implicitly tied to the partition of India in 1947 and therefore the tragic events of 1971 are linked to Britain’s colonial past. For Bangladesh, ravaged by the war and subsequent political turmoil, it has been a difficult task to reconstruct its own history.
Women marching in the streets of Dhaka. 1971. © Rashid Talukder/Drik/Majority World
Dismembered head at the Rayerbajar Killing Fields where intellectuals were slaughtered on the 14th December 1971 © Rashid Talukder/Drik/Majority World
Pakistani soldiers surrendering on the 16th December 1971. © Aftab Ahmed/Drik/Majority World
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his return to Bangladesh from Pakistan. 10th January 1972 © Rashid Talukder/Drik/Majority World
Children amidst shells. © Abdul Hamid Raihan/Drik/Majority World
Victorious Mukti Bahini returning home at the end of the war. © Jalaluddin Haider/Drik/Majority World-----------------------------------------
Collected from: Shahidul News
3 Comments
Dek tere sansaar ki Halat kya ho gayi Bagwaan
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Ye sab dek kar bhi nahi sudarenge ye log fir jung ki tayaari ho rahi haii ,fir bhayenge Khoon .... Wa re Wa Insaan
Me Suraj L Mishra inka saat marte dum tak nahi dungaa ...............
Ram Ullha Ishu sab Tension me hai ....
ReplyDeleteki ye log kya kar rahe hai ..... Bewakoof
Thhanks for this blog post
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