Bangladesh Liberation War -1971

N K Dutta

After the birth of Pakistan (East &West), the Government of Pakistan made Urdu as the only national language of Pakistan. Though the population of East Pakistan was 56%, the Government in Pakistan rejected the demand to declare Bengali as the second national language. This naturally agitated the Bengali speaking people of East Pakistan.  They started a widespread movement to include Bengali as the second national language in 1948. The students of Dhaka University took the lead. The Government wanted to crash the movement at any cost. They banned Rabindrasangeet also. This agitated people more. In 1952, when protesting against this totally unfair attitude, in front of Dhaka University, Pakistan Military shot five students dead on 21st February 1952. This barbaric incident intensified the movement.

The President of Pakistan was then General Yahiya Khan. He ordered to suppress the movement at any cost. The army and para military, Rajakar unleashed a reign of terror in East Pakistan. The army & rajakars killed thousands of intellectuals and citizens mercilessly, outraged modesty of women and carried out all types of tortures. Thousands and thousands of East Pakistanis were forced to abandon their properties and take shelter in West Bengal, Tripura,  Assam, Meghalaya. The population of Tripura was then 15 lakhs. The number of refugees in the state was 16 lakhs. When lakhs of refugees were coming to India, it became impossible to accommodate such a large number of refugees. People of Tripura received  the refugees without any reservations. From the government side PWD, the District Administration made refugee camps with amenities. The Chief Minister was  Sachindralal Singh. He extended help wholeheartedly. At the border areas with East Pakistan, the Mukti Bahini opened a number of training camps with positive support of the people of Tripura. In many households, the owner spared one or two rooms for the refugees. Many bus owners did not charge fares from refugees.

 I can recollect one incident. While travelling from Sylhet to Chattagram in 1998, two co-passengers expressed their gratitude to Tripura. The co-passengers from Sylhet informed us that while travelling the bus conductor didn't take fare  and the hotel owner at Ambassa did not take money for food. While travelling by train to Chittagong in 1998 I placed an order for 'nasta' for both of us. In Spite of our repeated requests they did not allow me to pay. One of them requested us to stay in his newly constructed house at least for a day!! So nice of him.

The Government in East Pakistan instituted the "Agartala Conspiracy case" and tried to punish some respected persons. Due to very strong movement by people,  the Government was forced to abandon the case.

In 1970, an election was held in Pakistan to elect members of the National Assembly.  Awami League under leadership of Sheik Mujibar Rahaman got the majority. But Pakistan under the Presidentship of General Yahya Khan refused to invite the Awami League to form Government in Pakistan. This naturally agitated the people belonging to East Pakistan. Sheik Mujibar Rahaman declared East Pakistan's independence on 26.03.1971 and formed the Government in exile. The liberation war began. With direct confrontation with the Army and Rajakars, the inflow of refugees greatly increased.

It became impossible for India to accommodate lakhs and lakhs of refugees. The then Prime Minister of India thought of an option to fight with Pakistan. The Army Chief was then General Sam Hormushji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw MC. She called Sam Maneksha in April 1971. This was known to us much later after the Liberation War. I shall come to it later. 

With such an influx of refugees, it became impossible for the Government to manage such a volume of refugees. The Prime Minister was Mrs Indira Gandhi. She tried for a solution at  International level. It did not work out well. Main problem was that the USA was friendly to Pakistan. Richard Nixon was the President of the USA between 1969 to 1974. President Nixon was interested in having a diplomatic relationship with China. During this period Henry Kissinger was the National Security Adviser and Secretary of State. Pakistan arranged a secret mission of Kissinger to China through Pakistan. Under the circumstances USA did not help in solving the unbelievable pressure of refugees on India from East Pakistan. The refugees from East Pakistan to India was estimated to be one crore approximately.