Bangladesh Independence Day: All you need to know

Bangladesh celebrates its independence day on March 26 every year. The national holiday commemorates the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, on March 26, 1971.

The day is marked by parades, speeches, fairs, and ceremonial events.

How East Pakistan became Bangladesh?

Pakistan won independence from Britain and was separated from India during the Partition of India on August 14, 1947. Following this, the territory presently known as Bangladesh was known as East Bengal, but was later renamed East Pakistan.

However, President Yahya Khan, from the minority West Pakistan province, commanded the country in 1970. Following the general elections, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of East Pakistan (Bangladesh) was elected. The government refused to give Rahman power.

As a result, the people of East Pakistan demanded independence. The East Pakistan administration began arresting East Pakistani army soldiers, resulting in forced disappearances. On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistan Army proclaimed "Operation Searchlight," a military operation that was effectively Bengali genocide, resulting in the indiscriminate killing of about 3,000,000 Bengalis.

Finally, on March 26, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced East Pakistan's independence from West Pakistan. Sadly, the narrative did not end there. For the next nine months, both regions fought a liberation struggle in which many people died. On December 16, 1971, the struggle, which became known as the "Bangladesh War of Independence," came to a conclusion after Pakistan finally surrendered.

Published on: Saturday, March 25, 2023, 04:01 PM IST