Victory Day
Mahmudul Karim Farsad
(Co-writers: Rakibul Hassan Suvro, Md. Monowarul Abedin Khan)
American International University- Bangladesh

16th December, a very significant day for Bangladeshis. In 1971, thousands of Bangladeshis gave their precious lives for the freedom of this country. After nine months of struggle, victory was completed on the 16th of December, a day that the whole nation proudly calls Bijoy Dibosh [Victory Day]. It is a day of great significance and inspiration for the whole nation. The National Flag is raised atop all buildings and the streets and houses are cover in banners and festoons. People from all section of society take part in public parades, sports and games. It is a day of respect for those who gave their lives for what we, the Bangladeshis cherish today, freedom. Their deathless valour shall never be dimmed in the collective memory of the Bengali nation. The nation salutes their heroism, today and everyday.

A history of bloody war of our nation is closely related to our victory day. Our victory day is significant in the sense that is actually a result of a movement against the imposing rule of Pakistan. For this reason the relationship between the then East Pakistan and West Pakistan were progressively deteriorated. The general election of 1970 had made Bangabandhu the unquestioned leader of the people. 

	His historic address on 7 March 1971 made this point quite clear to the Pakistani military army. Meanwhile talks started between Mujib and Yahya to resolve the outstanding issues. The Pakistani military were bringing more troops to Bangladesh.
	No sooner the talks failed, the genocide began, with the Pakistan army's crackdown by the order of Yahya Khan on the midnight of 25 March 1971.
	The Pakistani army started killing the people, burnt their houses, looted their valuables and raped their women.
	On 26 March Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was taken prisoner at 1:30 am by the Pakistan army. Before his arrest in early hours of 26th March he sent wireless message declaring independence of Bangladesh.
	On 27th March from Chittagong Radio Station Major Ziaur Rahman declared independence and appealed for international support.

The arrest of their beloved leader could not dampen the spirit of Bangalees. They reaffirmed their promise to Bongobondhu to “free their motherland” and began to prepare themselves to free their country. The Mukti Bahini had fought many successful battles in putting up initial resistance.

 

Phase 1: March 27 to May The students, peasants, workers and political activists joined the Mukti Bahini with high spirit to liberate Bangladesh from the Pakistan army. They were given training on tactics and the use of arms and explosives. On completion of training, they were posted to different sectors to fight the enemy.Pakistan airlifted two primary divisions and reorganized their forces. The headquarters of the Bangladesh Forces was established at 8 Theatre Road, Calcutta which started functioning from 12 April 1971. The Bangladesh government was formed on April 17 at Mujib Nagar. The country was divided into four sectors to conduct the war. The temporary headquarter was estblished at Teliapara in Sylhet division.

Phase 2: June to September Bangladesh forces command was set up in July, with Col. MAG Osmani as commander in chief. Three brigades (11 Battalions) were raised for conventional warfare; a large guerrilla force (estimated 100,000) was trained. Economic and Military targets in Dhaka were attacked. The major success story of guerrilla operation was Operation Jackpot in Chittagong on August 16, 1971. The Indian army took over supplying the Mukti Bahini from the BSF. They organized 6 sectors for supplying the Bangladesh forces.

Phase 3: October to beginning of December Bangladesh conventional forces attacked border outposts. Kamalpur, Belonia and Battle of Boyra are the few examples. The Bangladeshi freedom fighters even managed to temporarily capture airstrips at Lalmonirhat and Shalutikar.Both of these were used for flying in supplies and arms from India.

Phase 4: December 3 - December 14 Pakistani forces were gradually becoming disorganized due to the sudden and quick guerrilla attack by the Bengali freedom fighters in most of the areas. The Pakistani Army was in a dreadful condition and gradually lost the will to fight because most of their major fortresses had fallen to the allied Bengali-Indian forces.

On December 14, 1971, only two days before surrendering to the Indian military and the Mukhti Bahini forces, the Pakistani army, with the assistance of local Islamist leaders and groups Al-Badr and Al-Shams systematically killed - over 200 of East Pakistan's intellectuals and scholars. Professors, journalists, doctors, artists, engineers, writers were rounded up in Dhaka, blindfolded, taken to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations. In one such incident, notable film-maker Jahir Raihan was killed on January 30, 1972 in Mirpur allegedly by the armed Beharis.

• Liberation War Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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