Victory Day (Bangladesh)
| Victory Day | |
|---|---|
 Victory Day Parade, 2012. National Parade ground, Dhaka, Bangladesh. |
|
| Official name | Bengali: বিজয় দিবস, Bijôe Dibôsh |
| Also called | Vijay Diwas (India) |
| Observed by |  Bangladesh India |
| Date | 16 December |
| Celebrations | Flag hoisting, Parades, singing patriotic songs and the National anthem, Speeches by the President and Prime minister, entertainment and cultural programs. |
Victory Day (Bengali: বিজয় দিবস Bijôe Dibôsh) is a national holiday in Bangladesh celebrated on December 16 to commemorate the victory of the the Indo-Bangladeshi High Command over the Pakistani forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Commanding officer of the Pakistani Forces General AAK Niazi surrendered his forces to the Allied forces commander Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, which marked ending the 9 month-long[1] Bangladesh Liberation War and 1971 Bangladesh genocide and officially secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh.
Contents |
History[edit]
On 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War (Bengali: মুক্তিযুদ্ধ Muktijuddho) was a war of independence,[2] which resulted in the secession of East Pakistan from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan[3] and established the sovereign nation of Bangladesh. The war pitted East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan, and lasted over a duration of nine months. One of the most violent wars of the 20th century, it witnessed large-scale atrocities, the exodus of 10 million refugees and the displacement of 30 million people.[4]
On 16 December 1971, Lt. Gen A. A. K. Niazi, CO of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender. The Instrument of Surrender was a written agreement that enabled the surrender of the Pakistan Eastern Command in the Bangladesh Liberation War, and marked the end of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the Eastern Theater.
The surrender took place at the Ramna Race Course in Dacca on December 16, 1971. Lieutenant General Amir Khan Niazi of the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, Joint Commander of Indian and Bangladesh Forces, signed the instrument amid thousands of cheering crowds at the race course. Air Commodore A. K. Khandker, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, and Lieutenant General J F R Jacob of the Indian Eastern Command, acted as witnesses to the surrender. Also present were Vice-Admiral Mohammad Shariff, commander of the Pakistani Naval Eastern Command and Air Vice-Marshal Patrick D. Callaghan of the Pakistan Air Force's Eastern Air Force Command, who signed the agreement. On behalf of Bangladesh, Air Commodore A. K. Khandker acted as witness to the surrender. Lieutenant General Jacob Rafael Jacob, Chief of Staff of the Indian Eastern Command, along with the other commanders of Indian naval and air forces, acted as witnesses on behalf of India. Aurora accepted the surrender without a word, while the crowd on the race course started shouting anti-Niazi and anti-Pakistan slogans.[5]
Recognition of Bangladesh[edit]
The signing of the document marked the end of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the creation of Bangla Desh(later reduced to a single word). Most of UN member nations were quick to recognise Bangladesh within months of its independence.[6]
Celebration[edit]
The celebration of Victory Day continued since 1972. The Bangladesh Liberation War became a topic of great importance in cinema, literature, history lessons at school, the mass media, and the arts in Bangladesh. The ritual of the celebration gradually obtained a distinctive character with a number of similar elements: Military Parade by Bangladesh Armed Forces at National Parade Ground, ceremonial meetings, speeches, lectures, receptions and fireworks. The Victory Day in Bangladesh is a joyous celebration in which popular culture plays a great role.TV and radio stations broadcast special programs and patriotic songs in honor of Victory Day. The main streets are decorated with national flags. Different political parties and socioeconomic organizations undertake programs to mark the day in a befitting manner, including the paying of respects at Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, the national memorial at Savar near Dhaka.
Vijay Diwas (Victory Day) in India[edit]
India also commemorates victory over Pakistan on the same day in 1971 on Vijay Diwas.
Events commemorating Victory Day[edit]
- 1971: State Bank of Pakistan became Bangladesh Bank .[7]
- 1972: The constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was enacted on 16 December.[8]
- 1973: Gallantry awards of war were declared by Bangladesh Gazzett on 15 December.
- 1996: Silver jubilee of victory was celebrated.
- 2007: The remains of Bir Sreshtho Matiur Rahman were brought back to Bangladesh on 10 December.
See also[edit]
- Vijay Diwas (India)
- Bangladesh Liberation War
- Victory Day in other countries
- Instrument of Surrender (1971)
References[edit]
- ^ http://liberationwarmuseum.org/about-us
- ^ Library of Congress
- ^ Islamic Republic of Pakistan - The 1962 Constitution. Retrieved on 09 March, 2013.
- ^ en, Samuel; Paul Robert Bartrop, Steven L. Jacobs. Dictionary of Genocide: A-L. Volume 1: Greenwood. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-313-32967-8.
- ^ Of betrayal and bungling by Kuldip Nayar (Google cache link) - Indian Express 3 February 1998
- ^ "The Recognition Story". Bangladesh Strategic and Development Forum. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
- ^ Bangladesh Bank-BANGLAPEDIA
- ^ "Bangladesh Faces Same Problems". Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA: Herald-Journal, via Google News. Associated Press.
