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.
Two Bangalee diplomats -- Second Secretary KM Shehabuddin and Amjadul Huq, assistant press attaché at the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi -- today announced their decision to defect from Pakistan and pledged allegiance to Bangladesh at a press conference in New Delhi.
New York Times reported today that Chuadanga had been designated the provisional capital of independent Bangladesh.
On April 4, 1971, Tajuddin Ahmad called on Indian PM Indira Gandhi at the office in her residence. The conversation started with Indira’s question, “How is Sheikh Mujib? Is he alright?”
Some of the 102 Britons who were evacuated to Singapore by air yesterday from East Pakistan revealed today the fighting and carnage they had seen.
On April 2, 1971, N. V. Podgorny, the president of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, sent a message to Pakistan President Yahya Khan expressing concern at the repression let loose against the people of Bangladesh by the Pakistani army:
The UN Secretary General U Thant declined to request the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to send relief to the victims of Pakistan military massacre 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,
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.
In Dampara Police Lines, Chittagong, Bangalee police personnel put up a brave resistance. But they could not hold on for long as they were not trained in the art of warfare. They suffered heavy casualties and abandoned their post when they were about to be overrun by the Pakistan army.
As Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, resistance began in Chattogram city and many other areas. Intense fighting broke out between the Pakistan military and the freedom fighters.
