Fall of Dhaka: When East seceded from the West

Pakistan’s growing internal conflict became the cause for its external nemesis India to take advantage of the sensitive situation and side with Bangladesh, as animosity grew between East and West Pakistan.

The fall of Dhaka is an important chapter in the history of Pakistan, and in order to get to the depth of the incident, a Hamoodur Rahman commission was tasked to issue a report in this regard. However, more than forty years on, the report has not been made public.

Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s biased government has started handing out death sentences to all those who were part of the Bangladesh non-acceptance movement.

Till this day, Bangladesh refers to the war as their Independence War whereas Pakistan refers to it as the Fall of Dhaka. Pakistan fought with India, in which East Pakistan sided with India and later as a result, became Bangladesh.

War broke out on 26 March 1971, when Pakistan Army initiated a military operation against freedom fighters, as a result of which local group Mukti Bahini murdered many sympathisers of Pakistan.

During the conflict, India openly sided with East Pakistan and provided them with financial, military and diplomatic support. At last, on 16 December 1971, India invaded East Pakistan and forced Pakistan Army to surrender.

After the Second World War, this was the only conflict in which a surrender had taken place on such a large scale. After the creation of Bangladesh, Pakistan was deprived of being the Muslim state with the largest population and area size.