East Pakistan secedes, civil war breaks out

 

The Boston Globe, USA, March 27, 1971

New Delhi, India

A clandestine radio monitored in India said Sheikh Mujib, who first declared the independence of East Pakistan yesterday as the new People’s Republic of Bangla Desh (Bengali Nation), had gone underground.

The broadcast, thought to originate from the northern region of East Pakistan, called on the people to fight until all enemy troops were vanquished.

The radio, describing itself as the Voice of Independent Bangla Desh, said West Pakistani troops had been surrounded by Bangla Desh forces in Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Jessore, Barisal and Khulna.

The Bangla Desh forces were from the East Pakistani regiment, East Pakistan rifles and police, the radio said.

The broadcast proclaimed Sheikh Mujib as the only leader of Bangla Desh, whose "commands should be obeyed by the people to save the country from the ruthless dictatorship of West Pakistanis."

…

A later broadcast from the clandestine radio, monitored in Calcutta, broadcast an appeal from Rahman urging East Pakistanis to fight the troops in the streets and calling on neighboring countries and the United Nations to come to East Pakistan’s assistance. UN officials said East Pakistan had already asked for UN membership.

The Press Trust of India, quoting sources on the border with East Pakistan’s Chittagong district, said Rahman’s "Bengal Liberation Army" had captured the radio staion at the port city of Chittagong after a battle with Pakistani troops.