7 March Speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

1971 speech by the Founding Leader of Bangladesh

7th March SpeechPart of Non-cooperation movement

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivering his speech on 7 March 1971

Native name|  বঙ্গবন্ধুর ৭ই মার্চের ভাষণ
Date| 7 March 1971 (1971-03-07)
Time| 2:45 pm — 3:07pm (UTC+6)
Duration| Approximately 19 Minutes
Venue| Ramna Race Course
Location| Ramna, Dacca, East Pakistan, Pakistan (now Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Coordinates| 23°43′59″N 90°23′54″E﻿ / ﻿23.7331°N 90.3984°E﻿ / 23.7331; 90.3984
Type| Speech
Theme| Call for civil disobedience, informal declaration of independence of Bangladesh
Filmed by| Abul Khair and M Abul Khayer, MNA

Part of a series on the

Independence of Bangladesh
Events

* Partition of Bengal
* Bengali language movement
* Six point movement
* Agartala Conspiracy Case
* Eleven Points Programme
* East Pakistan mass uprising
* Pakistani general election
* Non-cooperation movement
* 7 March Speech
* Operation Searchlight
* Proclamation of Independence

Organisations

* East Pakistan Renaissance Society
* Awami League
* United Front
* East Pakistan Communist Party
* Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad
* Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Parishad
* Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra

Key persons

* Abul Kalam Shamsuddin
* Habibullah Bahar Chowdhury
* Mujibur Rahman Khan
* Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
* Serajul Alam Khan
* Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
* Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani
* Ataur Rahman Khan

Related

* Lahore Resolution
* United Bengal
* Bangladesh Liberation War
* International recognition

Bangladesh portal

* v
* t
* e

The 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu, or the 7/3 Speech (Bengali: সাতই মার্চের ভাষণ, romanized: Sāta'i Mārcēra Bhāṣaṇa), was a public speech given by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh on 7 March 1971 at the Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka to a gathering of over one million (1,000,000) people.[1] It was delivered during a period of escalating tensions between East Pakistan and the powerful political and military establishment of West Pakistan. In the speech, Bangabandhu informally declared the independence of Bangladesh, proclaiming: "The struggle this time, is a struggle for our liberty. The struggle this time, is a struggle for our independence." He announced a civil disobedience movement in the province, calling for "every house to turn into a fortress".[2]

On 7th March 1971, during his historic speech, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman raised his index finger. This iconic gesture has become a symbol of his leadership and the struggle for Bangladesh's independence.

The speech is believed to have informally addressed the Bengali people to prepare for a war of independence amid widespread reports of armed mobilization by West Pakistan. The Bangladesh Liberation War began 18 days later when the Pakistan Army initiated Operation Searchlight against Bengali civilians, intelligentsia, students, politicians, and armed personnel. On 30 October 2017, UNESCO added the speech to the Memory of the World Register as a documentary heritage.[3][4][5]

## Background

[edit]

Pakistan was created in 1947, during the Partition of India, as a Muslim homeland in South Asia.[6] Its territory was composed mostly of the Muslim-majority provinces of British India, including two geographically and culturally separate areas, one east of India and the other west.[7][8] The western zone was popularly (and, for a period, officially) called West Pakistan, while the eastern zone (modern-day Bangladesh) was called East Bengal and later renamed East Pakistan under the One Unit Scheme.[9] West Pakistan dominated the country politically, and its leaders exploited the East economically, leading to popular grievances.[10]

When East Pakistanis, such as Khawaja Nazimuddin, Muhammad Ali Bogra, and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, were elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, they were immediately deposed by the predominantly West Pakistani establishment.[11] The military dictatorships of Ayub Khan (27 October 1958 – 25 March 1969) and Yahya Khan (25 March 1969 – 20 December 1971), both West Pakistanis, worsened the East Pakistanis' discontent.

In 1966, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujib, launched the Six Point Movement to demand provincial autonomy for East Pakistan. The Pakistani establishment rejected the league's proposals, and the military government arrested Sheikh Mujib and charged him with treason through the Agartala Conspiracy Case. After three years in jail, Mujib was released in 1969, and the case against him was dropped in the face of mass protests and widespread violence in East Pakistan.[12] The 1970 Bhola cyclone saw the death of 300 thousand people and a poor response from the West Pakistan based government.[13]

In December 1970, the Awami League, the largest East Pakistani political party, won a landslide victory in national elections, garnering 167 of the 169 seats allotted to East Pakistan and a majority of the 313 seats in the National Assembly.[14][15][16] This gave it the constitutional right to form a government. However, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, refused to allow Sheikh Mujib to become prime minister.[17] Following advice of Bhutto, President Yahya Khan postponed the swearing in of the Awami League government.[17] The news of the postponement of the government formation led to protests across East Pakistan.[17]

The convening of the National Assembly was moved from 3 March to 25 March, leading to an outcry across East Pakistan.[18] Violence broke out in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rangpur, Comilla, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna, and the security forces killed dozens of unarmed protesters. There were open calls for Sheikh Mujib to declare independence from Pakistan, and the Awami League called a large public gathering at Dhaka's Ramna Race Course on 7 March to respond.

## Speech

[edit]

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the speech at the Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan) on 7 March 1971.[19] The speech was preceded by speculation on whether Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would declare the independence of Bangladesh.[17][20]

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started with the lines, "Today, I appeared before you with a heavy heart. You know everything and understand as well. We tried with our lives. But the painful matter is that today, in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur, the streets are dyed red with the blood of our brethren. Today the people of Bengal want freedom, the people of Bengal want to survive, the people of Bengal want to have their rights. What wrong did we do?"

He mentioned four conditions for joining the National Assembly on 25 March:

1. The immediate lifting of martial law;
2. The immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks;[21]
3. The immediate transfer of power to elected representatives of the people;
4. A proper investigation for the loss of life during the conflict.[21]

He also gave several directives for a civil disobedience movement, instructing that:

1. People should not pay taxes;[21]
2. Government servants should take orders only from him;[21]
3. The secretariat, government and semi-government offices, and courts in East Pakistan should observe strikes, with necessary exemptions announced from time to time;[21]
4. Only local and inter-district telephone lines should function;[21]
5. Railways and ports could continue to function, but their workers were told to not co-operate if their activities would help the repression of East Pakistan.[21]

The speech lasted for about 19 minutes and concluded with, "The struggle this time, is a struggle for our liberty. The struggle this time, is a struggle for our independence. Joy Bangla!"[22][23] It was a de facto declaration of Bangladesh's independence.[24]

## Recording

[edit]

The Pakistani government didn't give permission to live broadcast the speech through radio and television on 7 March 1971. AHM Salahuddin who was the then chairman of Pakistan International Film Corporation (PIFC) and M Abul Khayer, a then Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from East Pakistan and was also the Managing Director of PIFC, made arrangements to record the video and audio of the speech. The video was recorded by actor Abul Khair who was the Director of Films under the Ministry of Information of Pakistan at the time. The audio of the speech was recorded by H N Khondokar, a technician of the Ministry of Information associated with M Abul Khayer, MNA.[25]

The audio record was developed and archived by Dhaka Record, a record label owned by Mohammad Abul Khayer, MNA. Later on, a copy of the audio and video recording was handed over to Sheikh Mujib and a copy of the audio was sent to India. 3000 copies of the audio were distributed by Indian record label HMV Records throughout the world.[25]

## Reception

[edit]

International media had descended upon East Pakistan for the speech amidst speculation that Sheikh Mujib would make a unilateral declaration of independence from Pakistan. However, keeping in mind the failures of Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence and of the Biafra struggle in Nigeria, he did not make a direct declaration. Nevertheless, the speech was effective in giving Bengalis a clear goal of independence.[26] Mujib's speech was double edged, he did not call for independence or violence but ended the speech urging preparation for both.[19] The speech also raised his profile in the minds of the Bengalis of East Pakistan.[27]

The United States Embassy in Pakistan noted that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Bengalis were pushing for a degree of autonomy that would not be acceptable to the Pakistan Military and President Yahya Khan.[28] They predicted a violent confrontation would be inevitable.[28] Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and President Yahya Khan sat down for negotiations.[29] Swadhin Bangla Kendriyo Chhatro Sangram Parishad called for international support for the independence of Bangladesh.[30]

On 25 March 1971, the Pakistan Military launched Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan.[31] The military forces targeted students and Awami League leaders.[31] Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested at the beginning of the operation and flown to West Pakistan.[32] The launch of the operation marked the start of the Bangladesh Genocide.[13]

## Legacy

[edit]

The government of Bangladesh included parts of the speech in the constitution of Bangladesh through the passage of the 15th amendment to the Constitution of Bangladesh.[33] The government of Bangladesh organizes various programs on 7 March marking the speech.[34] On 7 October 2020, 7 March was declared "Historic Day" by the government of Bangladesh.[34] Events are also organized by the Awami League and cultural organizations to mark the occasion.[34][35] The Bangabandhu Memorial Trust Fund observes the anniversary of the speech.[36]

The speech is on the Memory of the World Register of UNESCO, a list of the world's important documentary heritage.[4] It was the first Bangladeshi content to be included in the Memory of the World Programme.[37] Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO announced the decision at its headquarters in Paris on 30 October 2017.[38] The declaration was welcomed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[39] Mahfuz Anam, the editor of The Daily Star, called the speech Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's finest hour.[40]

In March 2018, Justices Naima Haider and Zafar Ahmed asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to preserve Suhrawardy Udyan due to the historic importance of the 7 March speech given at the Udyan.[41]

In June 2019, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh published the speech in Japanese.[42] The annual Joy Bangla Concert is organized by Young Bangla and the Center for Research and Information on 7 March.[43] In March 2020, Justices Tariq ul Hakim and Md Iqbal Kabir of the High Court Division ordered the government to investigate if there were any errors in the speech that was inserted into the constitution of Bangladesh following a petition to the court which alleged inaccuracies.[44]

### In popular culture

[edit]

* The documentary film Muktir Gaan by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud begins with a video of the speech.
* The novelist and columnist Anisul Hoque incorporated the speech into his historical novel Maa, published in 2004.
* In his novel The Black Coat, Bangladeshi-Canadian author, Neamat Imam, created a character called Nur Hussain who memorialized the speech during the Bangladesh famine of 1974.
* Lt. Gen. Ziaur Rahman (later President of Bangladesh) wrote in an article titled Ekti Jatir Jonmo (Birth of a Nation) in the magazine Bichittra on 26 March 1974 that the speech had inspired him to take part in the 1971 Liberation War.[45][46]
* The speech was included in the book We Shall Fight on the Beaches: The Speeches That Inspired History by English historian Jacob F. Field.[47][48]

## See also

[edit]

* List of speeches
* Bangladesh Liberation War

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hassan, Asif Muztaba (7 March 2021). "What makes the 7th March speech one of the best?". The Daily Star (Opinion). Retrieved 7 April 2023.
2. ^ "Historic March 7 today". The Daily Star. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
3. ^ "Unesco recognises Bangabandhu's 7th March speech". The Daily Star. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
4. ^ a b "International Advisory Committee recommends 78 new nominations on the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register". UNESCO. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
5. ^ "Nation to observe historic March 7 tomorrow". The Daily Star. BSS. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
6. ^ "The Mutual Genocide of Indian Partition". The New Yorker. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
7. ^ "Bangladesh - The Pakistani period, 1947–71 | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
8. ^ Hasan, K. Sarwar (1971). "Political Background of the East Pakistan Crisis". Pakistan Horizon. 24 (2): 3–12\. ISSN 0030-980X. JSTOR 41393070.3-12&rft.date=1971&rft_id=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41393070#id-name=JSTOR&rft.issn=0030-980X&rft.aulast=Hasan&rft.aufirst=K.+Sarwar&rft_id=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41393070&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:7+March+Speech+of+Sheikh+Mujibur+Rahman" class="Z3988">
9. ^ Singh, Dr Rajkumar (20 June 2018). "One Unit Scheme of Pakistan, 1955-1970 revisited". South Asia Journal. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
10. ^ "The Issue of Disparity between East and West Pakistan". South Asia Times (Editorial). 16 December 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
11. ^ "History Of Pakistan's Prime Ministers Explained In 10 Points". NDTV. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
12. ^ "Mass Upsurge, 1969". Banglapedia. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
13. ^ a b Boissoneault, Lorraine. "The Genocide the U.S. Can't Remember, But Bangladesh Can't Forget". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
14. ^ "The Rock Star and the Mullahs ~ Pakistan's Tumultuous Political History | Wide Angle | PBS". Wide Angle. 17 July 2003. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
15. ^ "The Watershed Moment in 1970 Elections That Broke Pakistan". The Wire. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
16. ^ "HT THIS DAY: December 8, 1970 — Absolute majority for Awami League in East Pak elections". Hindustan Times. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
17. ^ a b c d Mannan, Abdul (7 March 2019). "The voice of revolution". The Daily Star (Opinion). Retrieved 7 April 2023.
18. ^ Zakaria, Anam. "Remembering the war of 1971 in East Pakistan" (Opinion). Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
19. ^ a b Ahmed, Mir Aftabuddin (7 March 2023). "The fiery call for freedom". The Daily Star (Opinion). Retrieved 7 April 2023.
20. ^ Matin, Abdul (7 March 2014). "A speech that created a nation". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
21. ^ a b c d e f g Sajen, Shamsuddoza (7 March 2021). "Thus spoke Mujib". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
22. ^ Srivastava, Prabhat (1 January 1972). The Discovery of Bangla Desh. Sanjay Publications. p. 105.
23. ^ Guhathakurta, Meghna; Schendel, Willem van (22 March 2013). The Bangladesh Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Duke University Press. p. 219\. ISBN 9780822395676.
24. ^ Furtado, Peter (1 November 2011). History's Daybook: A History of the World in 366 Quotations. Atlantic Books. ISBN 9780857899279.
25. ^ a b ঐতিহাসিক সাতই মার্চের ভাষণ ধারণ করেছিলেন আবুল খায়ের. priyo.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 November 2018.
26. ^ "March 1971: The emergence of a sovereign Bangladesh". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
27. ^ Alam, Fakrul (17 March 2018). "Folk Hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
28. ^ a b "The showdown cannot be put off much longer". The Daily Star. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
29. ^ Manzoor, Sohana (17 March 2018). "Bangladesh During those Turbulent Days of March, 1971". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
30. ^ Manzoor, Sohana (17 March 2018). "Bangladesh During those Turbulent Days of March, 1971". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
31. ^ a b "Operation Searchlight". Banglapedia. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
32. ^ Times, Sydney H. Schanberg Special to The New York (18 January 1972). "He Tells Full Story of Arrest and Detention". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
33. ^ Ahmed, Jubaer (14 November 2017). "7TH MARCH SPEECH and Preamble of our Constitution". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
34. ^ a b c "Historic March 7 being observed across the country". The Daily Star. UNB. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
35. ^ "Dance production 'Muktir Mohaakkhyan' honours Bangabandhu's 7th March speech". The Daily Star. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
36. ^ "March 7 speech quite different from other world great leaders': PM". The Daily Star. UNB. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
37. ^ Mortuza, Shamsad (7 March 2022). "Historic March 7: Setting a nation on the march". The Daily Star (Opinion). Retrieved 7 April 2023.
38. ^ "'Unesco's 7th March speech recognition another milestone'". The Daily Star. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
39. ^ "March 7 Speech: Hasina hails recognition by Unesco". The Daily Star. UNB. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
40. ^ Anam, Mahfuz (7 March 2018). "Commemorative Commentary: Bangabandhu's finest hour". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
41. ^ "Preserve Mar 7 historical place at Suhrawardy Udyan: HC". The Daily Star. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
42. ^ "Bangabandhu's 7th March speech published in Japanese". The Daily Star. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
43. ^ "Joy Bangla Concert begins in Dhaka". The Daily Star. BSS. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
44. ^ "March 7 speech in constitution: HC wants to know if there are errors". The Daily Star. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
45. ^ "৭ই মার্চের রেসকোর্স ময়দানে বঙ্গবন্ধুর ঐতিহাসিক ঘোষণা আমাদের উদ্বুদ্ধ করেছিল তাই আমরা আমাদের পরিকল্পনাকে চূড়ান্ত রূপ দিলাম।" Bichitra, 1974
46. ^ "March 7 speech inspired Zia". bdnews24.com.
47. ^ "Historic Mar 7 speech recognised as one of the 'world's all-time best'". bdnews24.com. 18 August 2014.
48. ^ Huda, Muhammad Nurul (7 March 2020). "Bangabandhu's galvanising speech of March 7". The Daily Star (Opinion). Retrieved 7 April 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Bangladesh Liberation War. Mujibnagar. Government Documents 1971
* http://web.archive.org/web/20140707233002/https://cbgr1971.org/files/Mar071971/March7SpeechFINALDraft5amESTMar72014.pdf

* v
* t
* e

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Independence|

* East Pakistan Muslim Students' League
* All-Pakistan Awami League
* Six point movement
* Agartala Conspiracy Case
* 1970 Pakistani general election
* 7th March Speech
* Non-cooperation movement
* Declaration of Independence
* Provisional Government of Bangladesh
* Mujib Bahini

Administration|

* Bangladesh Awami League
* 1st cabinet
* 2nd cabinet
* 1973 Bangladeshi general election
* 3rd cabinet
* Premiership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
* 1974 Speech at the United Nations
* 4th cabinet
* Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League
* Second revolution
* Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini
* International presidential trips
* 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état
* Assassination

Family|

* Sheikh Lutfar Rahman
* Sayera Khatun
* Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib
* Sheikh Mosharraf Hossain
* Sheikh Kamal
* Sheikh Jamal
* Sheikh Hasina
* Sheikh Rehana
* Sheikh Russel
* Sajeeb Wazed
* Saima Wazed
* Tulip Siddiq
* Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby
* Sultana Kamal
* M. A. Wazed Miah
* Shafique Ahmed Siddique

Relatives|

* Abdur Rab Serniabat
* Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani
* Sheikh Fazlul Karim
* Fazle Noor Taposh

Landmarks|

* Baker Hostel
* Dhanmondi 32
* Mausoleum
* Hotel Sayeman

Books|

* The Unfinished Memoirs
* The Prison Diaries
* Amar Dekha Noya Chin

Popular culture|

* 1971: Inside and Outside
* August 1975
* Bangladesh: A Legacy of Blood
* The Assassin Next Door (documentary)
* Bhat De Haramzada, Noile Manchitro Khabo
* Chironjeeb Mujib
* Deyal
* Mujib Amar Pita
* Khoka Theke Bangabandhu Jatir Pita
* Hasina: A Daughter's Tale
* Amader Choto Russel Shona
* Amar Fashi Chai
* Huliya
* Jochona O Jononir Golpo
* "Jodi Raat Pohale Shona Jeto"
* Mujib: The Making of a Nation
* "Shono Ekti Mujiborer Theke"
* The Black Coat
* Tungiparar Miya Bhai
* Mujib Bhai

Legacy|

* Birthday
* Memorial Trust
* Mujibism
* Mujibnagar
* Mujib coat
* Mujib Year
* Mritunjoyi Mujib
* Namesakes
* Artistic depictions
* Electoral history
* Mujib's personality cult

* Category
* Commons
* Wikiquotes

* v
* t
* e

Bangladesh Liberation War

* Ministry of Liberation War Affairs
* Timeline

Origins of the Bangladeshi Revolution

| Philosophy|

* Bengali Renaissance
* Muslim nationalism in South Asia
* Two-nation theory
* Bengali nationalism
* Bengal studies
* Bangamata
* Joy Bangla

|

Pakistan Movement|

* Partition of Bengal (1905)
* Eastern Bengal and Assam
* All-India Muslim League
* Indian independence movement
* Pakistan Movement
* Lahore Resolution
* United Bengal
* Muslim National Guard
* Direct Action Day
* Noakhali riots
* Partition of India
* Partition of Bengal (1947)

East Pakistan|

* Dominion of Pakistan
* East Bengal
* Pakistan Muslim League
* Objectives Resolution
* All Pakistan Awami Muslim League
* Awami League
* United Front
* Bengali language movement
* One Unit
* East Pakistan
* Constitution of Pakistan of 1956
* 1958 Pakistani coup d'état
* Constitution of Pakistan of 1962

Bengali self-determination|

* Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Parishad
* Six point movement
* Agartala Conspiracy Case
* 1969 uprising in East Pakistan
* 1970 Bhola cyclone
* 1970 Pakistani general election

Declaration of war|

* Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's speech of 7 March
* Non-cooperation movement
* Rodionov message
* Admiral Ahsan Mission
* Operation Searchlight
* Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence

* Combatants
* Campaigns
* Theaters
* Battles
* Events
* Massacres

| Combatants|

| Bangladesh|

* Provisional Government of Bangladesh
* Mukti Bahini
* Bangladesh Army
* K Force
* S Force
* Z Force
* Bangladesh Navy
* Bangladesh Air Force
* Bangladesh Rifles
* Bangladesh Ansar
* Bangladesh Police

* Special Guerrilla Forces
* Gono Bahini
* Mujib Bahini
* Kader Bahini
* Baten Bahini
* Afsar Bahini
* Hemayet Bahini
* Crack Platoon

|

Pakistan|

* Pakistan Armed Forces
* Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines
* Jamaat-e-Islami
* Central Peace Committee
* Razakars
* Al-Badr
* Al-Shams

Indian allies|

* Parliament of India
* Indian Armed Forces
* Army, Navy, Air Force
* Mitro Bahini (Indo-Bangali group)

Campaigns and
theaters

* Pakistan Eastern Command
* Operation Searchlight
* Order of Battle
* Operation Barisal
* Cable 1971
* Sectors in the Bangladesh Liberation War
* Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War
* Eastern Command (India)
* Meghna Heli Bridge
* Operation Jackpot
* Mutiny on PNS Mangro in Toulon
* Operation Python
* Operation Trident
* Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971
* Mitro Bahini Order of Battle December 1971
* Sinking of PNS Ghazi
* East Pakistan Air Operations, 1971
* Operation Chengiz Khan
* Operation Cactus-Lilly

Major battles|

* Battle of Daruin
* Battle of Rangamati-Mahalchari waterway
* Battle of Goalhati
* Battle of Dhalai Outpost
* Battle of Dhalai
* Battle of Ajmiriganj
* Battle of Garibpur
* Battle of Hilli
* Battle of Longewala
* Battle of Basantar
* Battle of Kushtia
* Battle of Boyra
* Battle of Atgram

Other events|

* Blood Telegram
* Bangladesh genocide
* 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals
* Rape during the Bangladesh Liberation War
* Refugees in India
* Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
* Shadhin Bangla Football Team
* The Concert for Bangladesh
* Album
* Film

List of massacres|

* 1971 Dhaka University massacre
* Shankharibazar massacre
* Ramna massacre
* Sutrapur massacre
* Jinjira massacre
* Akhira massacre
* Jathibhanga massacre
* Demra massacre
* Chuknagar massacre
* Madhyapara massacre
* Bakhrabad massacre
* Burunga massacre
* Sohagpur massacre
* more

Related conflicts|

* Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
* Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971

Leaders

| Bangladesh|

| Military|

* M. A. G. Osmani
* Ziaur Rahman
* Khaled Mosharraf
* K M Shafiullah
* Shafaat Jamil
* A. K. Khandker
* Muhammad Hamidullah Khan
* Matiur Rahman

|

Civilian|

* Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
* Syed Nazrul Islam
* Tajuddin Ahmad
* AHM Qamaruzzaman
* Muhammad Hamidullah Khan
* Serajul Alam Khan
* Dhirendranath Datta
* Kazi Nuruzzaman
* Chitta Ranjan Dutta
* Muhammad Mansur Ali
* Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad
* M. A. Hannan
* Abu Sayeed Chowdhury

Pakistan|

| Military|

* Yahya Khan
* Tikka Khan
* S.M. Ahsan
* A.K. Niazi
* Yaqub Ali Khan
* Mohammad Shariff
* Rao Farman Ali
* A.O. Mitha
* Khadim Hussain
* Mitty Masud
* Ahmad Zamir
* Inamul Haque
* Siddique Salik
* K.M. Arif

|

Civilian|

* Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
* Dr. Abdul Motaleb Malik
* Nurul Amin
* Shah Azizur Rahman
* Ghulam Azam
* Motiur Rahman Nizami
* J.A. Rahim
* Tridev Roy

Indian allies|

| Military|

* Sam Manekshaw
* S. M. Nanda
* P. C. Lal
* Jagjit Singh Aurora
* K. P. Candeth
* Gopal Gurunath Bewoor
* Sourendra Nath Kohli
* Nilakanta Krishnan
* Minoo Merwan Engineer
* Hari Chand Dewan
* Sagat Singh
* T. N. Raina
* Khem Karan Singh
* Sartaj Singh
* Inderjit Singh Gill
* J. F. R. Jacob
* E. C. Kuruvila
* S. H. Sarma

|

Civilian|

* Indira Gandhi
* V. V. Giri
* Gopal Swarup Pathak
* Rameshwar Kao
* Swaran Singh
* Jagjivan Ram
* Dilip Mahalanabis

Aftermath

* Pakistani Instrument of Surrender
* International recognition of Bangladesh
* Simla Agreement
* Delhi Agreement
* Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh
* Hamoodur Rahman Commission
* War Report
* 1971 Prisoners of War Investigation
* Bangladeshi nationalism
* Bangladesh–India relations
* Indira-Mujib Treaty
* 2001 Indo-Bangla skirmishes
* Deaths along the Bangladesh–India border
* Bangladesh–Pakistan relations
* 2013 Pakistan Embassy siege
* 2015 Expulsion of Pakistani diplomats from Dhaka

* Related topics
* Categories

| Commemoration|

| Monuments and memorials|

* National Martyrs' Memorial
* Martyred Intellectuals Memorial
* Swadhinata Stambha
* Liberation War Memorial Trust
* Liberation War Museum
* Bangladesh Police Liberation War Museum
* Aparajeyo Bangla
* Shabash Bangladesh

|

Anniversaries|

* Bengali Genocide Remembrance Day
* Independence Day (Bangladesh)
* Armed Forces Day (Bangladesh)
* Martyred Intellectuals Day
* Victory day of Bangladesh
* Vijay Diwas (India)

Decorations and depictions|

* Muktijuddho e-Archive
* Artistic depictions
* Awards and decorations

Trials|

* 2013 Shahbag protests
* Movement demanding trial of war criminals
* International Crimes Tribunal
* timeline
* War Crimes Fact Finding Committee

Categories|

* Liberation War
* Genocide
* Aftermath
* Films
* Causes and prelude
* Battles
* Peoples
* Military personnel

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