PREPARING MILITARY SOLUTION
On the morning of March, 18, 1971, Major General Khadim Hussain Raja, then general officer commanding of 14 Division in East Pakistan, and Major General Rao Farman Ali, then military adviser to the governor of East Pakistan, assembled at the former s office to work on the plan for military action, the infamous Operation Searchlight. Khadim asked his wife to keep his Bengali ADC busy and away from his office. I did not want to arouse his suspicions about Farman working with me in my office the whole morning as it was a very unusual get-together in that environment, writes Khadim in his memoir. The two generals agreed on broad details and decided to write their respective pieces: Farman was to supervise the operations of the Dhaka garrison while Khadim was responsible for the rest of the province. They met again at the Command House on the same evening. The plan was presented before the top generals and it was passed without any discussion except the de
MUJIB-YAHYA TALK CONTINUES
On the morning of March 17, the Mujib-Yahya talks resumed. Today was Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman s 51st birthday. Bangabandhu reiterated his demand for the withdrawal of martial law and the immediate transfer of power to elected representatives. Yahya put forth the same excuse of legal difficulties and stated that Justice Cornelius, then Yahya s legal adviser, had been entrusted with the task to consider the legal aspects.
A meeting between the advisers on both sides was proposed, which took place the same evening. Lt Gen Peerzada started off with the observation that the discussions between Bangabandhu and Yahya that morning had proceeded on the basis that Yahya would make a proclamation.
March 7, 1971
It was the afternoon of March 7, 1971, the day Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the historic speech that would resonate throughout the annals of history, changing its course forever.
Bangabandhu unequivocally declared, The struggle this time is for emancipation. The struggle this time is for independence.
Bangabandhu called for a peaceful, non-cooperation movement to continue the struggle for independence and the emancipation of the Bengalis. He issued several directives for a civil disobedience movement people should not pay taxes; government servants should take orders only from him; the secretariat, government and semi-government offices and courts in East Pakistan should observe strikes; with necessary exemptions announced from time to time, only local and inter-district telephone lines should function; railways and ports could continue to function, but their workers should not co-operate if they were used to repress the people of East Pakistan.
The Fiery March 1971
26 January, 2021 12:00 AM
March 1971 was indeed an exceptional month when the history of emerging Bangladesh, as well as the entire Indian sub-continent, experienced unprecedented twists. For Bengalis, this was the most significant month when several historical milestones were laid down.
The overwhelming victory of Awami League led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the General Election in 1970 was completely unexpected to the civil-military ruling clique and most other political parties of Pakistan. They had thought at least a few seats would go to other political parties, depriving Awami League of a single majority. But destiny had other things in store.
The Fiery March 1971
26th January, 2021 10:50:24
March 1971 was indeed an exceptional month when the history of emerging Bangladesh, as well as the entire Indian sub-continent, experienced unprecedented twists. For Bengalis, this was the most significant month when several historical milestones were laid down.
The overwhelming victory of Awami League led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the General Election in 1970 was completely unexpected to the civil-military ruling clique and most other political parties of Pakistan. They had thought at least a few seats would go to other political parties, depriving Awami League of a single majority. But destiny had other things in store.