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.
Yahya Khan’s speech was broadcast on Radio Pakistan on March 6, 1971. It was provocative and offensive.
General Yaqub, who had taken charge of East Pakistan from Governor Ahsan on March 1, 1971, sent his resignation by telegram on the morning of March 5, 1971.
In a statement issued on March 4, 1971, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked government and non-government offices where employees had not yet been paid their salaries, to function between 2:30 pm and 4:30pm for the purposes of disbursing salaries during the next two days of hartal.
At a meeting organised at Paltan Maidan, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman urged the authorities to withdraw forces from the city and hand over power to the elected representatives of the people. He also called for launching a no-tax campaign.
In a historic student rally held at Dhaka University premises, the first Bangladesh flag was hoisted. The flag was dark green with a red sphere in the centre on which the outline of East Pakistan map was superimposed.
President Yahya announced the postponement of the opening of the National Assembly for an indefinite period (1.05 pm).
Half a century from where we began, throughout this 50th year of Bangladesh, Daily Star Books will revisit and analyse some of the books that played pivotal roles in documenting the Liberation War and the birth of this nation in 1971. The last issue of every month will feature an elaborate article on these books.
Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman tells a high-level conference today in Natore that all ways and means must be devised so that Bangladesh can become self-sufficient in food as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman today reiterates that elections set for March 7 would be absolutely free and fair.
The first industrial and investment policy of the country is announced by Industries Minister Syed Nazrul Islam today.
