JOIN USRepublic Day: How India helped Bangladesh in 1971 war
India and Bangladeshi soldiers will march together in New Delhi on this Republic Day, giving the special occasion an added flavour of historical importance.
On Republic Day this year, the united parade of the two armies will also commemorate the bravado and gallantry displayed by their predecessors 50 years ago. The Muktijuddho or the Liberation War in 1971 not only gave Bangladesh its freedom from the clutches of oppressive East Pakistan but changed the history and geopolitical scenario of South Asia.
India emerged as a true friend of Bangladesh during the Liberation War. The then West Pakistan (present Pakistan), under the leadership of Yahya Khan, started a brutal assault on the people of East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) who were demanding freedom because of the language and cultural differences between the two regions.
This resulted in millions of Bangladeshis fleeing to India, mainly West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. West Bengal, in particular, was massively burdened by the onrush of the refugees and the state appealed to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her government for assistance for food and shelter. Kolkata became a hotspot of the refugees, and a country struggling to stand on its feet after Independence was suddenly staring at a population crisis.
In such a scenario, India appealed for help from other countries but to no avail. Bangladesh was hoping for India to assist its courageous Muktijoddhas (Liberation warriors) while the Indian citizens and the ministers were arguing the pros and cons of war. It was then that PM Indira Gandhi decided to go to war with Pakistan and end the turmoil.
How the subsequent bravery of the Indian Army coupled with the spirited fight put up by Mukti Bahini — the Bangladeshi guerilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary and civilians — defeated the Pakistani forces is a tale etched in the annals of history. It is important to note that while Russia or the then Soviet Union supported India and Bangladesh's struggle for freedom, the United States supported Pakistan's cause as they feared a Soviet expansion in South Asia.
On December 16, 1971, Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and Commander of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender. Over 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces and Bangladesh Liberation forces making it the largest surrender since World War II.
The war and its result had different impacts on the three nations involved: The victory defined India's much broader role in foreign politics. Many countries in the world, including the United States, realised that the balance of power had shifted to India in South Asia. Bangladesh became an independent country and Pakistan was shattered economically and politically. India and Bangladesh embarked on a strong bond of friendship and mutual respect that will be once again get reflected in the Republic Day parade this year.