Victory: Pakistan army surrenders to allied forces

Tension between Bangalees and Biharis (Urdu speaking people) was soaring since the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu in 1971. There were clashes at places, including in Dinajpur and Rangpur, the strongholds of the Biharis who favoured a united Pakistan.

Women raped by Pakistani army men in 1971

NBC News on March 29, 1971 reports quoting sources in India that West Pakistan is continuing to bomb parts of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The attacking West Pakistanis claim that the situation here is under their control. Video footage recorded by BBC newsman Michael Clayton before he was expelled from East Pakistan along with other western journalists shows West Pakistani military crackdown on virtually unarmed people of Dhaka city.

Ron Nessen, reporter of NBC News, reports on massacre at Dhaka University on March 26, 1971.

Bangladeshi women raped by Pakistani army

The killings of intellectuals were a well planned strategy to divest a Bangladesh that has just emerged as an independent country of its thinkers, professionals and teachers to cripple its progress.

FOOTAGES OF 1971 LIBERATION WAR

Freedom Fighters in action

Bangladesh’s struggle for Independence '71 and after Part 2

Indian troops attempt to cross Comilla border in 1971

In the afternoon of March 7, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a historic congregation of almost 10 lakh people at the then Race Course ground (now Suhrawardy Uddayan) in a key point of Bangladesh’s history. In his 20-minute speech, Bangabandhu announced: “Ebarer Shongram amader muktir shongram, Ebarer shongram, shadhinotar Shongram” (This war is a war for independence, this war is a war for Freedom).

Major Khaled's war Part 2

Bangabandhu briefs media in London Jan 8, 1972