Introduction :

The term Genocide was coined in 1943 by the Jewish-Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin who
combined the Greek word "genos" (race or tribe) with the Latin word "cide" (to kill). It is a term
that evokes one of the darkest chapters in human history, where a systematic and widespread
extermination of a particular group of people takes place. The events of 1971 in East Pakistan,
now Bangladesh, were a horrifying example of a mass killing that can be described as genocide.
It was a fast-paced genocide conducted in just 9 months. Bangladesh emerged as a free
independent country after a nine-month long war against Pakistani army on 16 December 1971.
It all started on the night of 25 March 1971, when the Pakistan authority launched military
crackdown called “Operation Searchlight.” The aim of the crackdown was to neutralize the
independence movement of Bengalis in the then East Pakistan1. During the War of Liberation,
the Pakistan occupation army and their collaborators perpetrated one of the worst holocausts in
world history. The roots of this tragedy can be traced back to the political turmoil and military
government's failure to transfer power to elected representatives, which led to widespread
resentment. The situation escalated into a brutal crackdown on civilian protests and the
systematic targeting of specific communities. The scale of the atrocity is staggering, with
estimates of casualties as high as three million. The genocide continued until the surrender of the
Pakistan army on December 16, 1971. This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the need to
prevent such horrors in the future and uphold the principles of human rights and international
law.

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1
CRI,10 things you need to know about 1971 Bangladesh Genocide ,(published:Mar 24), URL:
https://cri.org.bd/2023/03/24/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-1971-bangladesh-genocide/

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The genocide of Bengali people in 1971 began with a military operation by the Pakistan Army to
suppress the Bengali nationalist movement. Political unrest, sparked by the delay of the National
Assembly session, led to civil disobedience and a brutal military crackdown, known as
"Operation Searchlight," targeting specific locations and spreading to other cities.

Operation Searchlight - 25 March, 1971 :

Preparation for Operation:

Before Operation Searchlight, key decisions and preparations were made by the Pakistan military
authorities. General Khadim Hossain Raja and General Rao Farman Ali Khan finalized the plan
on February 22, 1971. The operation was scheduled for March 25, 1971, with the main objective
operation was to arrest or kill the distinguished Awami League leaders, student leaders and
Bangali intellectuals in the main cities of the then East Pakistan including Dhaka, to disarm the
Bangali personnels of military, para military and police forces and to capture armoury, radio
station and telephone exchange, thereby to take over the control of theprovince of East Pakistan
by ruthlessly curbing the non-cooperation movement headed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman.2

Implementation of Operation:
Operation Searchlight began on the night of March 25, 1971, ahead of its original schedule. The
Pakistan Army launched a simultaneous attack on various locations, including Dhaka University,
Peelkhana, Rajarbagh, and other parts of Dhaka. They arrested Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
targeted the residential quarters of teachers at Dhaka University, leading to numerous casualties.
The operation expanded to other areas like Chittagong.

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2
Benglapedia, URL: https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Operation_Searchlight

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During the initial phase of Operation Searchlight, the operation was set to encompass key regions in East
Pakistan, including Dhaka, Khulna, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Rangpur, Syedpur, and Sylhet. The
operation was meticulously planned, with specific military units assigned to critical tasks. The 22-Baluch
Regiment was tasked with disarming 5,000 Bangali EPR soldiers and capturing their radio center, while
the 32-Punjab Regiment aimed to disarm 1,000 Bangali policemen in Rajarbagh Police Lines, a
significant source of support for the Awami League. Moreover, the 18-Punjab Regiment was assigned to
launch an attack on Hindu-majority areas in Nawabpur and other parts of Old Dhaka. A group of carefully
selected soldiers from the 22 Baluch, 18, and 32 Punjab Regiments had orders to attack specific halls at
Buet, known as centers of support for the Awami League. Furthermore, a platoon of commando soldiers
from the special service group was given the mission of arresting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, while a small
squadron of M 24 tanks was deployed to display military strength and engage in shelling if necessary.

Accurate casualty figures for the night of March 25 are challenging to determine, but foreign journalists
in Dhaka at the time estimated the number to be between 10,000 and 35,000. Journalist Simon Dring's
report in the Daily Telegraph indicated that 200 students and teachers from Iqbal Hall and around 12
family members were killed in Dhaka University's residential area. Old Dhaka witnessed around 700
people being burned to death. Neighbourhoods of old Dhaka which had a majority Hindu population were
also attacked. Robert Payne, an American journalist, estimated that 7,000 people had been killed and
3,000 arrested in that night.3

Genocide After Operation Searchlight:

After the initiation of Operation Searchlight by the Pakistan Army on March 25, 1971, the genocide of
Bengali people during the Bangladesh Liberation War continued and escalated. This period saw
widespread atrocities, mass killings, sexual violence, and brutal suppression of the Bengali nationalist
movement. The Pakistan Army, along with their paramilitary allies and collaborators, conducted a
systematic campaign of violence against civilians in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). This campaign of
genocide extended over several months and had far-reaching consequences. Below is a detailed account
of the genocide and its aftermath, supported by references.

Mass Killings: Operation Searchlight marked the beginning of mass killings and atrocities in Dhaka, but
it soon spread to other cities and rural areas in East Pakistan. The army targeted specific individuals,
including intellectuals, academics, and members of the Awami League, and engaged in widespread
indiscriminate violence against the civilian population. Estimates of the death toll vary, with Bangladeshi
authorities claiming as many as 3 million people killed, while independent researchers suggest figures
ranging from 300,000 to 500,000.4 Some estimates even reach up to 3 million. These killings were
characterized by extreme brutality, mass shootings, and targeted executions of civilians. Many mass
graves have been found inmany area. These graves hold the bodies of people who died during a time of
great violence. The graves remind us of the sad and terrible things that happened during the war. They
show us how many people suffered and lost their lives in this tragic event.

3
"The Black Night that still haunts the nation". The Daily Star. 25 March 2016. Archived from the original on 28
December 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
4
Dummett, Mark (16 December 2011). "Bangladesh war: The article that changed history". BBC News. Archived
from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2016.

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The violence specifically targeted the Hindu community, who were seen as a threat to the Pakistani
regime. Numerous accounts describe the deliberate killing of Hindu men, systematic rapes of women, and
the painting of yellow "H" on Hindu homes.5 This violence was driven by deep-seated anti-Bengali and
anti-Hindu sentiments among the Pakistani military. Over 60% of Bengali refugees who fled to India
were Hindus. This genocidal campaign aimed to eliminate perceived Hindu and Indian influences from
East Pakistan, resulting in horrifying atrocities and widespread suffering.

Sexual Violence: The conflict witnessed widespread sexual violence, including rape and sexual assault,
committed by Pakistani military personnel and their allies. Thousands of women and girls were subjected
to sexual abuse, resulting in lasting physical and psychological trauma. The generally accepted figure for
the mass rapes during the nine-month long conflict is between 200,000 and 400,000.6 Most of the rape
victims of the Pakistani Army and its allies were Hindu women. Some of these women died in captivity
or committed suicide while others moved to India.7

Killing of Bengali Intellectuals: The Pakistani Army and local collaborators systematically targeted and
executed leading Bengali intellectuals. This campaign of violence aimed to cripple the intellectual and
cultural backbone of East Pakistan. Professors, journalists, doctors, artists, and writers were abducted,
blindfolded, and taken to torture cells in various locations in Dhaka, where they were executed en masse.
This heinous operation resulted in the killing of approximately 991 teachers, 13 journalists, 49 physicians,

5
U.S. State Department, Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XI, "South Asia Crisis, 1971",
page 165
6
Alston, Margaret (2015). Women and Climate Change in Bangladesh. Routledge. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-317-68486-2.
Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2018
7
Islam 2019, p. 175: "The Pakistani occupation army and its local collaborators targeted mostly the Hindu women
and girls for rape and sexual violence. Many rape victims were killed in captivity while others migrated to India or
committed suicide"

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42 lawyers, and 16 writers, artists, and engineers. 8Even after the official end of the war, such killings
persisted. Notable figures among the martyred intellectuals included professors from Dhaka and Rajshahi
Universities, renowned journalists, and prominent cultural figures. December 14 is observed in
Bangladesh as Shaheed Buddhijibi Dibosh, a day to commemorate these martyred intellectuals.

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Impacts of genocide:

The genocide in Bangladesh in 1971 had a really big effect. A lot of people suffered and died, and this
made the people of Bangladesh very sad. Families were broken apart, and many people who survived
were left with deep emotional pain. The genocide also targeted smart and educated people like
teachers and professionals. This was done to make the country weaker by killing those who could help it
grow and prosper. Many people had to run away from their homes and go to India for safety, which
caused problems between the two countries. The events in 1971 also shaped how Bangladesh saw itself
and what it wanted - which was its own country. Eventually, it became independent from Pakistan and
became Bangladesh. The genocide is a very sad part of Bangladesh's history, but it reminds us of how
important it is to protect people's rights and make sure such terrible things never happen again. The
impact of the 1971 genocide is still felt today as the nation works to heal, find peace, and seek justice for
the victims and their families.

8
Khan, Muazzam Hussain (2012). "Killing of Intellectuals". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia:
National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 26
May 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2015.

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In Conclusion:

The genocide against the Bengali people in 1971 was a tragic chapter in human history,
characterized by ethnic and cultural tensions, economic exploitation, and political
marginalization. The mass killings, sexual violence, and displacement of millions of Bengali
people constitute a dark stain on the collective human conscience. The international response,
while delayed, ultimately played a significant role in ending the genocide and leading to the birth
of Bangladesh as an independent nation.

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