March 26 in History
1971 - Members of the Awami League set up a government-in-exile in Calcutta (Kolkata) and declare Bangladesh an independent state
East Bengal, renamed as East Pakistan in 1947, with Dhaka as the country’s legislative capital, declared its independence from Pakistan and on this day in 1971, triggering the Bangladesh Liberation Wars. The Provisional Government of Bangladesh, popularly known as the Mujibnagar Government was established on April 10 the same year.
The government was headed by Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, and became known as the supreme leadership of the Bangladeshi liberation movement, comprising a cabinet, a diplomatic corps, an assembly, an armed force, and a radio service.
The declaration of independence follows the refusal of the military junta of Pakistan to hand over power to the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanafter the 1970 general election, and instead cracked down on the East Pakistani population. The ensuing Bangladesh Liberation War , in which the freedom fighers aided by India waged a successful armed revolution. The conflict saw the 1971 Bangladesh genocide and the massacre of pro-independence Bengali civilians, including intellectuals. The new state of Bangladesh became the first constitutionally secular state in South Asia in 1972. Islam was declared the state religion in 1988. In 2010, the Bangladesh Supreme Court reaffirmed secular principles in the constitution.
-ENCL
Photo Caption – 1971 flag of Bangladesh – Wikipedia
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