Indian Army's T-55 tanks on their way to Dhaka. India's military intervention played a crucial role in turning the tide in favour of the Bangladeshi rebels.
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Conflict | Bangladesh Liberation War | Date | 26 March � 16 December 1971 | Location | East Pakistan | Result | • Indian and Mukti Bahini victory against Pakistan
• Subsequent independence of Bangladesh • Eastern Military High Command collapse • Disintegration of United Islamic Republic of Pakistan | Territorial changes | East Pakistan secedes to become Bangladesh | Bangladesh East Pakistan
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Mukti Bahini
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India India (joins the war on 3 December 1971) | Pakistan West Pakistan
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Pakistan Defence Forces | Bangladesh General M A G Osmany Lt.Gen. J.S. Aurora FM Sam Manekshaw Lt.Gen. Sagat Singh Maj.Gen. JFR Jacob | LGen A.A.K. Niazi LGen Tikka Khan RAdm M. Shariff Air-CDRE Enamul Huq | Bangladesh Forces: 175,000 India: 250,000 | Pakistan Combatant Forces: ~ 365,000
Para Military: ~250,000 | Bangladesh Forces: 30,000 India: 1,426 KIA 3,611 Wounded (Official) 1,525 KIA 4,061 Wounded | Pakistan
~8,000 KIA
~10,000 WIA
91,000 POWs (56,694 Armed Forces 12,192 Paramilitary rest civilians) |
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The Bangladesh Liberation War(i) ( Muktijuddho) was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh.
The war broke out on 26 March 1971 as army units directed by West Pakistan launched a military operation in East Pakistan against Bengali civilians, students, intelligentsia, and armed personnel who were demanding separation of the East from West Pakistan. Bengali military, paramilitary, and civilians formed the Mukti Bahini ( "Liberation Army") and used guerrilla warfare tactics to fight against the West Pakistan army. India provided economic, military and diplomatic support to the Mukti Bahini rebels, leading Pakistan to launch Operation Chengiz Khan, a pre-emptive attack on the western border of India which started the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
On 16 December 1971, the allied forces of the Indian army and the Mukti Bahini defeated the West Pakistani forces deployed in the East. The resulting surrender was the largest in number of prisoners of war since World War II.
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