Bangladesh War timeline

The Bangladesh War started on 26th March, 1971 and ended on 16th December, 1971. Some of the major events of the war are listed in the timeline below

Before the war

*Mar 7: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - leader of Awami League party that had just won a landslide victory in East Pakistan in the Federal Elections - announced to a jubilant crowd at the Dhaka Race Course ground, "The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation! The struggle this time is the struggle for independence!". The crowd cheers and applauds the leader's proclamation. [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/S_0223.htm]

Events of the War

*Mar 25: Pakistan Army starts Operation Searchlight in Dhaka and rest of the country, attacking political activists, students, and Bengali members of armed forces and police
*Mar 26: Independence of Bangladesh is declared (some accounts claim the date to be March 27), by Major Ziaur Rahman. This is Bangladesh's official Independence Day.
*April 17: A provisional government-in-exile is formed in Boiddonathtola (now called Mujibnagar) in Meherpur District
*May 20:The Chuknagar Genocide takes place at Khulna where the Pakistan army kills nearly 10 thousand people
*Oct 31 to Nov 3: Battle of Dhalai: Indian attack from Tripura into East Pakistan to stop Pakistani cross-border shelling
*Nov 20 to Nov 21: Battle of Garibpur: Indian attack in Boyra salient in East Pakistan
*Nov 22 to Dec 13, and sporadic fighting to December 16: Battle of Hilli: Indian attack on Bogra in East Pakistan
*Dec 3: Pakistani air attacks on India result in India declaring war on Pakistan.
*Dec 4 to Dec 6: Battle of Basantar: Indians stop a Pakistani invasion directed at Jaisalmer.
*Dec 5 to Dec 6: Battle of Longewala: Indians attack and take over Pakistani territory opposite Jammu
*Dec 4 Operation Trident (Indo-Pakistani War): Indian naval attack on Karachi
*Dec 8 night: Operation Python: Indian naval attack on Karachi
*Dec 9: Battle of Kushtia: Indian attack from West Bengal into East Pakistan.
*Dec 16: Pakistan Army surrenders to Mitro Bahini represented by Jagjit Singh Aurora of the Indian Army faction of the military coalition.

ee also

* Bangladesh Liberation War
*
* History of Bangladesh
* Bangladesh Army
* List of timelines