Bangladesh War of Independence in the context of "Persecution of Biharis in Bangladesh"

The Mukti Bahini, initially called the Mukti Fauj, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was a big tent armed guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military personnel, paramilitary personnel and civilians during the Bangladesh War of Independence that transformed East Pakistan into Bangladesh in 1971.

On 7 March 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of then East Pakistan, issued a call to the people of East Pakistan to prepare themselves for an all-out struggle. Later that evening resistance demonstrations began, and the West Pakistani military began a full-scale retaliation with Operation Searchlight in the early hours of 26 March 1971, which continued through May 1971. Before his arrest on 26 March, East Pakistani leaders declared the independence of Bangladesh, and ordered the people to engage in all-out war.

Operation Jackpot (Bengali: অপারেশন জ্যাকপট) was a codename for three operations undertaken by the Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) against Pakistan forces at the climax of the Bangladesh War of Independence.

After the Pakistani Army drove the Bengali armed militancy across the Indian border at the conclusion of Operation Searchlight, the Indian Army implemented a supply and training operation for the Mukti Bahini from 15 May 1971, with the goal of sending an ever increasing number of trained fighters to attack Pakistani forces and sabotage military and economic assets to demoralize Pakistani soldiers and disrupt their supply network. This enterprise was dubbed "Operation Jackpot".

The Bangladesh Awami League, commonly known as the Awami League, is a banned political party in Bangladesh. Founded on 23 June 1949, it played a vital role in country's struggle for independence. The Awami League was one of the two traditionally dominant parties in the country, along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and had maintained a sole dominance over the country's political system between 2009 and 2024, before being ousted in the July Revolution. The party's activities were banned by the post-revolution government on 10 May 2025, under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

On 23 June 1949, the party was founded as the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League (after 1955, the East Pakistan Awami League) by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Yar Mohammad Khan, Shamsul Huq, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and joined later by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. It was established as the alternative to the domination of the Muslim League in Pakistan and over centralisation of the government. The party quickly gained vast popular support in East Pakistan and eventually led the forces of Bengali nationalism in the struggle against West Pakistan's military and political establishment. The party under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, led the struggle for independence, first through huge populist and civil disobedience movements, such as the Six Point movement and Non-cooperation movement (1971), and then during the Bangladesh War of Independence.

Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi HJ & Bar SPk SK MC (1915 – 2004), commonly known as General Niazi, was a Pakistani military officer. During the Bangladesh War of Independence and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he commanded the Pakistani Eastern Command in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He signed the instrument of surrender as on 16 December 1971, his forces had to surrender to the Indian Army's Eastern Command's commander Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora by the order of the then President of Pakistan Yahya Khan.

Niazi's area of responsibility comprised the defense of East Pakistan from India during the war in 1971. His surrender in Dhaka effectively ended the war. The result was an Indian victory as well as the independence of Bangladesh.

The Razakars (Urdu: رضا کار Bengali: রাজাকার, lit. 'Volunteer') were a gendarmerie and paramilitary force in East Pakistan organised by General Tikka Khan in 1971. They were organised as a counter-insurgency force to fight Mukti Bahini members in the Bangladesh War of Independence, and played an infamous role in the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. The Razakars were disbanded following Pakistan's defeat and surrender in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

Suhrawardy Udyan (Bengali: সোহরাওয়ার্দী উদ্যান, romanized: Sōhrāōẏārdī Udyān, lit. 'Suhrawardy Park') is a national memorial and public space located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Originally known as Ramna Race Course, it holds significant historical importance due to its association with key events in the country's history.

The site, covering an area of 95 acres (0.38 km), is notably associated with two pivotal moments in Bangladeshi history: the historic speech by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 7 March 1971 calling for struggle against the Pakistani establishment and the surrender of the Pakistani forces on 16 December 1971, which marked the end of the Bangladesh War of Independence. In recognition of its historical significance, the area was renamed Suhrawardy Udyan in honour of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan and a key figure in the early political history of East Pakistan (Bangladesh). The space contains monuments and structures dedicated to the events of Bangladesh's liberation. Additionally, Suhrawardy Udyan hosts the annual Ekushey Book Fair, which is the largest book fair in the country, celebrating Bengali literature and culture.