Mukti Bahini | |
---|---|
মুক্তিবাহিনী (Freedom Fighters) | |
![]() Mukti Bahini Flag | |
Leaders | M. A. G. Osmani, Commander-in-Chief M. A. Rab, Chief of Staff A K Khandker, Deputy Chief of Staff |
Dates of operation | March–December 1971 |
Group(s) | 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 ∟ Hemayet Bahini ∟ Afsar Bahini Crack Platoon |
Motives | Independence of Bangladesh |
Active regions | East Pakistan |
Ideology | Bengali nationalism Republicanism |
Size | 180,000 |
Part of | Provisional Government of Bangladesh[1] |
Allies | ![]() ![]() |
Opponents | ![]() |
Battles and wars | Battle of Gazipur Battle of Goalhati Battle of Garibpur Battle of Kamalpur Battle of Dhalai Battle of Rangamati Battle of Kushtia Battle of Daruin Operation Barisal Operation Jackpot Battles of Belonia Bulge Operation Hotel Intercontinental (Conducted by Special Forces) |
War flag | ![]() |
The Mukti Bahini,[a] also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary and civilians during the Bangladesh Liberation War that transformed East Pakistan into Bangladesh in 1971.[2] They were initially called the Mukti Fauj.[3]
On 7 March 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman issued a call to the people of East Pakistan to prepare themselves for an all-out struggle.[4] Later that evening resistance demonstrations began,[4] and the military began a full-scale retaliation with Operation Searchlight, which continued through May 1971.[4][5][6]
A formal military leadership of the resistance was created in April 1971 under the Provisional Government of Bangladesh. The military council was headed by General M. A. G. Osmani[7] and eleven sector commanders.[8] The Bangladesh Armed Forces were established on 4 April 1971. The most prominent divisions of the Mukti Bahini were the Z Force led by Major Ziaur Rahman, the K Force led by Major Khaled Mosharraf and the S Force led by Major K M Shafiullah. Awami League student leaders formed militia units, including the Mujib Bahini, the Kader Bahini and Hemayet Bahini.[8] The Communist Party of Bangladesh, led by Comrade Moni Singh, and activists from the National Awami Party also operated several guerrilla battalions.[9]
Using guerrilla warfare tactics, the Mukti Bahini secured control over large parts of the Bengali countryside. It conducted successful "ambush and sabotage" campaigns,[10] and included the nascent Bangladesh Air Force and the Bangladesh Navy. The Mukti Bahini received training and weapons from India,[11] where people in West Bengal shared a common Bengali ethnic and linguistic heritage with East Pakistan.[12]
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Mukti Bahini became part of the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces.[13] It was instrumental in securing the Surrender of Pakistan and the liberation of Dhaka and other cities in December 1971.[13][14]
Although India portrayed itself at that time as neutral, the Indian government in fact nurtured the Bangladeshi Mukti Bahini (liberation army) guerrillas and the Awami League. India supplied them with arms, ammunition, and logistical support, and permitted them to recruit and train volunteers, most of the refugees, on Indian soil.
Time Photo Gallery
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha>
tags or {{efn}}
templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
template or {{notelist}}
template (see the help page).
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search