The Bihari minority in Bangladesh were allegedly subject to persecution during and after the Bangladesh War of Independence (a part of the Indo-Pakistani conflicts and the Cold War) (called the Civil War in Pakistan), allegedly experiencing widespread discrimination. They largely maintained a pro-Pakistani stance, supported the Pakistan Armed Forces and opposed the independence of Bangladesh and the Bengali language movement of the people of the then East Pakistan. Biharis faced reprisals from Bengali militias due to their involvement in killing and rape of civilians people and forces during 1971 Bangladeshi War of Independence, resulting in an estimated death toll ranging from 100 to 1,500. According to a white paper released by the Pakistani government, 64,000 Biharis and West Pakistanis were killed. Many Biharis were collaborators or accomplices in the Pakistan army's 1971 Bangladesh genocide which stoked reprisal killings and anti-Bihari sentiment.
Within the context of the conflict in Bangladesh, the term "Bihari" implies the migrants predominantly from the Indian state of Bihar and West Bengal, who headed for then East Pakistan, after the partition of India in 1947. Later on, all Urdu-speaking people, even the Punjabis, Pathans, Sindhi and Baloch from West Pakistan, who were posted to East Pakistan or settled in the Eastern Wing were labeled as Biharis by Bengalis.