On March 31, 1971, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi moved a resolution in parliament strongly criticising the military action in Bangladesh.
At 4:00am on March 30, 1971, Bangladeshi forces, comprising East Pakistan Rifles (EPR), police and civilians under the leadership of Abu Osman Chowdhury, then a major and commander of the fourth wing of EPR, attacked the Pakistan occupation army in Kushtia from three sides.
In the evening, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was flown via helicopter from the cantonment, where he was detained, to the Tejgaon Airport. Afterwards, he was flown to Karachi by a special military aircraft.
On March 28, 1971, American Consul General in Dhaka, Archer K Blood, sent a telegram to Islamabad and Washington captioned “selective genocide”. He reported that they were “mute and horrified by a reign of terror by the Pakistan military” in East Pakistan. Pointing towards various pieces of evidence, Blood suggested that Awami League supporters and Hindus were being systematically targeted by the martial law administrators.
American Consul General Archer K Blood in a situation report submitted on March 27, 1971, wrote that according to numerous accounts, including eye witness reports, the Pak military crackdown on Bangalee nationalists has been carried out throughout Dacca swiftly, efficiently (despite heavy resistance from some quarters, including pro-Awami League police and East Pak Rifles), and often with ruthless brutality.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a press statement issued today, called for a general strike throughout Bangladesh on March 27 against the army’s action in certain places in East Pakistan including Saidpur, Rangpur and Joydevpur.
There was a final meeting between Awami League’s team and Yahya’s advisers on March 24, 1971, at 6:00pm.
The representatives of president Yahya Khan and an Awami League team met twice today.
Rejecting straightway the proposals for a political settlement of the issues involved in the present revolt against Yahya Khan in Bangladesh.
Evidence became available which appeared to confirm that the Pakistan Army’s operations in Dhaka on March 25 were part of a well-organised plan devised to terrorise the inhabitants into submission.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad said he failed to understand how the democratic governments of the world could support the dictatorial regime of Pakistan, which was crushing the democratic aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.
In a letter dated May 28, 1971, American President Richard Nixon urged Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to continue to act with maximum restraint.
Pledges of $2.5 million by the United States and $2.4 million by Britain were the first by governments for a fund for East Pakistani refugees in India, the office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees announced today.
On May 26, 1971 American President Richard Nixon had a telephone conversation with his Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger on the situation in East Pakistan.
On May 25, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was shifted to Calcutta where it started functioning the same day.
In a letter dated May 24, 1971, Pakistan President Yahya Khan expressed his gratitude towards American President Richard Nixon and said,
On May 23, 1971, American President Nixon had a discussion with his Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger as to the situation in Pakistan.
The US consul general in Karachi sent a telegram to the US State Department providing details of his meeting with Pakistan President Yahya Khan on May 22, 1971. As to the political situation in Pakistan, Yahya Khan affirmed his belief that the future of the wings were intertwined with the whole.
