The 1971 Liberation War was a brutal battle where The then East Pakistan fought for independence of their motherland from the then government of the West Pakistan. There is no doubt that the then government of India and their military forces, along with the Indian citizens at all levels, wholeheartedly helped Bangladeshi to get the freedom, independence and the victory of the War in 1971 against the military backed ruler of the West Pakistan.
We, as the citizens of the sovereign country of Bangladesh, pay our tributes to those who sacrificed their lives in the war. We also celebrate this day, “December 16”, as our “Bijaẏa Dibasa”, the “Victory Day” and the end of East Pakistan. We have sacrificed thousands of our people during the nine months of liberation war begun on March 26, 1971, and the End of Liberation War on December 16, 1971.
It is true that there were thirteen (13) days of war between India and the then West Pakistan that occurred between 3rd of December 1971 to 16th of December 1971; whereas the West Pakistan Arm Forces had conducted the “Operation Chengiz Khan” on the day, December 3rd 1971, The West Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had launched several airstrikes, on India targeting 11 Indian Air Force (IAF) airfields in the western sector, including Amritsar, Pathankot, Srinagar, Ambala, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bhuj, Halwara, Uttarlai, Bikaner, and Awantipura, located in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The “Operation Chengiz Khan” led by the West Pakistan Armed Forces was retaliated by the Indian Armed Forces, and India, as a country, was officially declared a war called the “Indo-Pak” War on December 3rd, 1971. The historical 13th Days of “Indo-Pak” war resulted the Pakistani Armed forces to surrender to the joint command of Indian and Bangladeshi forces followed by signing the instrument of surrender and over 90,000 Pakistani Army troops had laid down their arms on the ground of Dhaka's Ramna Race Course and followed the command of the chief of the joint command of Indian and Bangladeshi forces in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention.
That was the declaration of the End War and the End of The East Pakistan Era and the birth of the people republic of Bangladesh. The journey of an independent country in the world that has been celebrating December 16th to marked as “Bijaẏa Dibasa” The “Victory Day” since then.
We are grateful to India and give our wholehearted thanks for their all-out support and contributions to our people in 1971. India as a country observed annually the day “December 16” as “Vijay Diwas”, India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pak War and pay their tributes those who sacrificed their lives in the war.
There were four major wars that occurred between India and Pakistan. The two countries have been involved in a number of wars, conflicts, and military standoffs so far: 1947, 1965, 1971, 1999 and most recently, on May 07, 2025, led by India “Operation Sindoor” in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025.
After the four-day military conflict, both India and Pakistan announced the ceasefire upon US intervention on both the governments of India and Pakistan. Like other nations of the world, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have their own National Days, like Independence Day, Azadi Day, Victory Day, Vijay Diwas, and Bijaẏa Dibasa, to commemorate and celebrate in their own way and the celebration will continue by year after years and generation to next generations till the end of the civilization.
