216-632: The Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army (initially designated as III Corps ) was a corps -sized military formation headed by a lieutenant-general, who was designated the Commander Eastern Command. After the partition of India by United Kingdom , the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was divided into two territories separated by 1,000 miles (1,600 km) (prior to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971). Most of
432-521: A state within a state . The Pakistan Army is operationally and geographically divided into various corps . The Pakistani constitution mandates the role of the president of Pakistan as the civilian commander-in-chief of the Pakistani military. The Pakistan Army is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff , also known as ( Urdu : سپہ سالار ; romanized who is by statute a four star general and
648-403: A Kashmiri Brahman, Kalhana , the region was originally known as Dhakka . The word Dhakka means watchtower . Bikrampur and Sonargaon —the earlier strongholds of Bengal rulers were situated nearby. So Dhaka was most likely used as the watchtower for fortification purpose. The history of urban settlements in the area of modern-day Dhaka dates to the first millennium. The region was part of
864-579: A MiG-21 shot down an Israeli Air Force Mirage flown by Captain M. Lutz, and was honoured by the Syrian government. The Israeli pilot later succumbed to wounds he sustained during ejection. However, no major sources from the time reported on such an incident, and there is no mention of "Captain Lutz" in Israel's Ministry of Defense 's record of Israel's casualties of war. The political instability increased in
1080-722: A compromise through the United Nations ' intervention, with Pakistan controlling the Western Kashmir and India controlling the Eastern Kashmir . At the time of the partition of British India , British Field Marshal (United Kingdom) Sir Claude Auchinleck favored the transfer of the infantry divisions to the Pakistan Army including the 7th , 8th and 9th. In 1948, the British army officers in
1296-419: A continuation of the fighting would only have led to further losses and ultimate defeat for Pakistan. Most Pakistanis, schooled in the belief of their own martial prowess, refused to accept the possibility of their country's military defeat by "Hindu India" and were, instead, quick to blame their failure to attain their military aims on what they considered to be the ineptitude of Ayub Khan and his government. At
1512-495: A forward-leaning defence in depth: Once the fortress defence was chosen, General Niazi and his staff designated the following cities as fortresses: Jessore, Jhenida, Bogra , Rangpur, Comilla and Bhairab Bazar (these were located on communication hubs), Jamalpur and Mymensingh (defending the northern perimeter of the Dhaka bowl), and Sylhet and Chittagong (independent defence areas). There were four lines of defence: Having chosen
1728-703: A hotbed for European rivalries. The British moved to oust the last independent Nawab of Bengal in 1757, who was allied with the French. Due to the defection of Nawab's army chief Mir Jafar to the British side, the last Nawab lost the Battle of Plassey . After the Battle of Buxar in 1765, the Treaty of Allahabad allowed the British East India Company to become the tax collector in Bengal on behalf of
1944-471: A jurisdiction covering most of modern-day Bangladesh and all of what is now Northeast India . The partition was the brainchild of Lord Curzon , who finally acted on British ideas for partitioning Bengal to improve administration, education, and business. Dhaka became the seat of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council . While Dhaka was the main capital throughout the year, Shillong acted as
2160-583: A major Muslim-majority city . Dhaka ranks third in South Asia and 39th in the world in terms of GDP . Lying on the Ganges Delta , it is bounded by the Buriganga , Turag , Dhaleshwari and Shitalakshya rivers. Dhaka is also the largest Bengali-speaking city in the world. The area of Dhaka has been inhabited since the first millennium. An early modern city developed from the 17th century as
2376-401: A modern capital city, the population, area and social and economic diversity of Dhaka have grown tremendously. The city is now one of the most densely industrialized regions in the country. The city accounts for 35% of Bangladesh's economy . The Dhaka Stock Exchange has over 750 listed companies. Dhaka hosts over 50 diplomatic missions ; as well as the headquarters of BIMSTEC , CIRDAP , and
SECTION 10
#17327840187322592-499: A movement for self-determination . On 7 March 1971, Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a massive public gathering at the Ramna Race Course Maidan in Dhaka, in which he warned of an independence struggle. Subsequently, East Pakistan came under a non-co-operation movement against the Pakistani state. On Pakistan's Republic Day (23 March 1971), Bangladeshi flags were hoisted throughout Dhaka in
2808-765: A number of East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) wings were tasked with defending East Pakistan during the Kashmir War of 1947 . The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Navy had little presence in East Pakistan at that time. The reasons for placing more than 90 percent of the armed might in West Pakistan were: The Pakistan Armed Forces grew significantly in size between the wars of 1949 and 1965. The number of infantry divisions jumped from 6 to 13; it also boasted two armored divisions and several independent infantry and armored brigades by 1965. All these formations had
3024-580: A plan to defend Dhaka by concentrating all their forces along the Dhaka Bowl (the area surrounded by the rivers Jamuna , Padma and Meghna ). After Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight and Operation Barisal to curb the Awami League -led political movement in March 1971 (leading to the creation of Mukti Bahini and insurgency throughout Bangladesh), Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi revised
3240-650: A plan whereby East Pakistan forces would fight a self-sustained, independent action and defend the province on its own. A series of exercises, codenamed "Titu Mir", was conducted by the Eastern Command in 1970; the last was staged in January. The conclusions drawn were: The conclusions were submitted to GHQ in Rawalpindi, but no major alteration of the original plan took place at this time. During 1971, Pakistan experienced riots and civil disobedience against
3456-576: A potential future Mughal empress before her premature death. Internal conflict in the Mughal court cut short Dhaka's growth as an imperial city. Prince Azam Shah's rivalry with Murshid Quli Khan resulted in Dhaka losing its status as the provincial capital. In 1717, the provincial capital was shifted to Murshidabad where Murshid Quli Khan declared himself as the Nawab of Bengal . Under the Nawabs of Bengal,
3672-506: A provincial capital and commercial centre of the Mughal Empire . Dhaka was the capital of a proto-industrialized Mughal Bengal for 75 years (1608–39 and 1660–1704). It was the hub of the muslin trade in Bengal and one of the most prosperous cities in the world. The Mughal city was named Jahangirnagar ( The City of Jahangir ) in honour of the erstwhile ruling emperor Jahangir . The city's wealthy Mughal elite included princes and
3888-558: A senior member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee appointed by the prime minister and subsequently affirmed by the president. As of December 2022 , the current Chief of Army Staff is General Asim Munir , who was appointed to the position on 29 November 2022. Its existence and constitutional role are protected by the Constitution of Pakistan , where its role is to serve as the land-based uniform service branch of
4104-579: A series of reforms to revamp the combat capability of the Pakistan army. In East Pakistan a corps headquarters was to be established (initially designated as the III corps which later known as the Eastern Command), but except the 14th Infantry Division, Dacca no new division was raised (although the 57th Infantry Brigade was formed in Dhaka, while the 23rd Infantry Brigade was sent to Rangpur ). In 1970,
4320-442: A show of resistance. On 25 March 1971, the Pakistan Army launched military operations under Operation Searchlight against the population of East Pakistan. Dhaka bore the brunt of the army's atrocities, witnessing a genocide and a campaign of wide-scale repression, with the arrest, torture, and murder of the city's civilians, students, intelligentsia , political activists and religious minorities. The army faced mutinies from
4536-583: A trilateral summit between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in 1998; the summit of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation in 1999 and conferences of the Commonwealth , SAARC, the OIC and United Nations agencies during various years. In the 1990s and 2000s, Dhaka experienced improved economic growth and the emergence of affluent business districts and satellite towns. Between 1990 and 2005,
SECTION 20
#17327840187324752-535: A well-defined central business district . Old Dhaka is the historic commercial centre, but most development has moved to the north. In 1985, the area around Motijheel was considered the "modern" CBD, while by 2005 Gulshan was considered the "newest" part of the CBD. Many Bangladeshi government institutions can be found in Motijheel, Segunbagicha , Tejgaon , Karwan Bazar , and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar . Much activity
4968-546: A wing of Khyber Rifles, Tochi and Thal Scouts were sent to East Pakistan by November 1971. Five infantry battalions were sent from West Pakistan in November. Al Badr and Al Shams units contributed another 5,000 men each. The lack of regular units also forced the Eastern Command to improvise in two ways: creating ad hoc formations to mimic regular army formations and mixing regular troops with paramilitary units. When Pakistani planners assumed India would launch its main attack in
5184-473: A year later. In 1975 , Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto controversially superseded at least seven senior army generals to promote Lt-Gen. Zia-ul-Haq to the four-star rank, appointing him the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in spite of army recommendations forwarded to the federal government. In the 1970s, the army's engineering formations, notable the Corps of Engineers , played a crucial role in supporting
5400-403: Is built over a network of rivers. The city’s life is strongly intertwined with the rivers, as they are used for multiple purposes, including transportation. Except Old Dhaka , which is an old bazaar -style neighbourhood, the layout of the city follows a grid pattern with organic development influenced by traditional South Asian as well as Middle Eastern and Western patterns. Growth of the city
5616-411: Is centred around a few large roads, where road laws are rarely obeyed and street vendors and beggars are frequently encountered. For much of recent history, Dhaka was characterized by roadside markets and small shops that sold a wide variety of goods. Recent years have seen the widespread construction of shopping malls. Two of the largest shopping malls in the city and the wider South Asian region are
5832-450: Is largely unplanned and is focused on the northern regions and around the city centre, where many of the more affluent neighbourhoods may be found. Most of the construction in the city consists of concrete high-rise buildings . Middle-class and upper-class housing, along with commercial and industrial areas, occupy most of the city. However, nearly one third of Dhaka's population lives in slums , as of 2016 (see below). Dhaka does not have
6048-474: Is one of the most prominent features of modern Dhaka. In 2014, it was reported that only 7% of the city was covered by roads. The first phase of Dhaka Metro Rail from Uttara to Agargaon was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 28 December 2022. However, nearly one third of Dhaka's population lives in slums , as of 2016. The city's main river, the Buriganga River , has become one of
6264-681: Is the namesake of the Higgs boson ); linguist Muhammad Shahidullah , Sir A F Rahman (the first Bengali vice-chancellor of the university); and historian R. C. Majumdar . The university was established in 1921 by the Imperial Legislative Council . It started with three faculties and 12 departments, covering the subjects of Sanskrit, Bengali, English, liberal arts , history, Arabic, Islamic Studies, Persian, Urdu, philosophy, economics, politics, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and law. The East Bengal Cinematograph Company produced
6480-707: Is this history that is today still reflected in the faded grandeur of the old city, now crumbling due to decades of neglect. The narrow, winding, high-walled lanes and alleyways, the old high-ceilinged houses with verandas and balconies, the old neighbourhoods, the graveyards and gardens, the mosques, the grand old mansions – these are all still there if one goes looking". Railway stations, postal departments, civil service posts and river port stations were often staffed by Anglo-Indians . The city's hinterland supplied rice, jute, gunny sacks , turmeric, ginger, leather hides, silk, rugs, saltpeter , salt, sugar, indigo , cotton, and iron. British opium policy in Bengal contributed to
6696-634: The Bhutto administration dismissed the state government in Balochistan that resulting in another separatist movement , culminating the series of army actions in largest province of the country that ended in 1977. With the military aid receiving from Iran including the transfer of the Bell AH-1 Cobra to Aviation Corps , the conflict came to end with the Pakistani government offering
Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army - Misplaced Pages Continue
6912-591: The Bhutto administration formed the POW Commission to investigate the numbers of war prisoners held by the Indian Army while requesting the Supreme Court of Pakistan to investigate the causes of the war failure with India in 1971. The Supreme Court formed the famed War Enquiry Commission (WEC) that identified many failures, fractures, and faults within the institution of the department of
7128-718: The Bhutto administration transferred all the war prisoners back to the country but the military struggle to fill in the vacancies and employments due to some suffering from the PTSD and other mental health complications, while others simply did not wanted to serve in the military any longer. During Bhutto's administration, Pakistan's military pursued a policy of greater self-reliance in arms production. This involved efforts to develop domestic capabilities for manufacturing weapons and military equipment. To address material shortages, Pakistan also turned to China for cooperation in establishing essential metal and material industries. In 1973 ,
7344-720: The British Army Board 's replacement of Gen. Gracey upon his replacement, in 1951. Eventually, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan approved the promotion paper of Maj-Gen. Iftikhar Khan as the first native commander-in-chief , a graduate of the Imperial Defence College in England , but died in an aviation accident en route to Pakistan from the United Kingdom . After the death of Maj-Gen. Iftikhar , there were four senior major-generals in
7560-598: The Chumb sector near Kashmir in the north. With the United States' arms embargo on Pakistan over the issue of the war, the army instead turned to the Soviet Union and China for hardware acquisition, and correctly assessed that a lack of infantry played a major role in the failure of Pakistani armour to translate its convincing material and technical superiority into a major operational or strategic success against
7776-613: The Dutch East Indies . Bengal accounted for 50% of textiles and 80% of silks in Dutch textile imports from Asia. Silk was also exported to premodern Japan . The region had a large shipbuilding industry which supplied the Mughal Navy . The shipbuilding output of Bengal during the 16th and 17th centuries stood at 223,250 tons annually, compared to 23,061 tons produced by North America from 1769 to 1771. The Mughals decorated
7992-873: The East Pakistan Rifles and the Bengali police. Large parts of the city were burnt and destroyed, including Hindu neighbourhoods. Much of the city's population was either displaced or forced to flee to the countryside. Dhaka was struck with numerous air raids by the Indian Air Force in December . The Pakistan Eastern Command surrendered to Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka on 16 December 1971. After independence, Dhaka's population grew from several hundred thousand to several million in five decades. Dhaka
8208-728: The Frontier Force Regiment in Northern Pakistan , Kashmir Regiment in Kashmir , and Frontier Corps in the Western Pakistan . The order of precedence change from Navy–Army–Air Force to Army–Navy-Air Force, with army being the most senior service branch in the structure of the Pakistani military. In 1957, the I Corps was established and headquarter was located in Punjab. Between 1956 and 1958,
8424-542: The Grand Mosque in Mecca from Islamists . The army under President Zia weakened due to the army officers were needed in running the affairs of civic government and the controversial military courts that held trials of the communists, dissidents, and the oppositions of Zia's administration . In 1984–85, Pakistan lost the control of her northern glaciers due to the successful expedition and penetration by
8640-569: The Indian Army with a serious incident taking place near the Rann of Kutch , followed by the failed covert action to take control of the Indian-side of Kashmir resulted in a massive retaliation by the Indian Army on 5 August 1965. On the night of 6 September 1965, India opened the front against Pakistan when the Indian Army's mechanized corps charged forwards taking over the control of
8856-507: The Indian Army , and army had to engage in years long difficult battles with Indian Army to regain their areas from the Indian Army. Concerns over the military officers and army personnel needed to counter the further advances by the Indian Army in Northern fronts in 1984, the martial law was lifted following the referendum that approved Zia's presidency and provided a way of holding the general elections in 1985. The military control
Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army - Misplaced Pages Continue
9072-614: The International Jute Study Group . Dhaka has a renowned culinary heritage. The city's culture is known for its rickshaws , Kacchi Biryani, art festivals , street food, and religious diversity. Dhaka's most prominent architectural landmark is the modernist Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban ; while it has a heritage of 2000 buildings from the Mughal and British periods. The city is associated with two Nobel laureates. Dhaka's annual Bengali New Year parade, its Jamdani sari, and its rickshaw art have been recognized by UNESCO as
9288-921: The Jamuna Future Park and Bashundhara City . Under the Köppen climate classification , Dhaka has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen Aw ). The city has a distinct monsoonal season, with an annual average temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) and monthly means varying between 19 °C (66 °F) in January and 29 °C (84 °F) in May. Approximately 87% of the average annual rainfall of 2,123 millimetres (83.6 inches) occurs between May and October. There are many parks within Dhaka City, including Ramna Park , Suhrawardy Udyan , Shishu Park , National Botanical Garden , Baldha Garden , Chandrima Uddan , Gulshan Park and Dhaka Zoo . Almost 10% of
9504-947: The Khasi and Jaintia Hills , the Naga Hills and the Lushai Hills in Surma Valley Division; and Goalpara , Kamrup , the Garo Hills , Darrang , Nowgong , Sibsagar and Lakhimpur in Assam Valley Division. The province was bordered by Cooch Behar State , Hill Tipperah and the Kingdom of Bhutan . On the political front, partition allowed Dhaka to project itself as the standard-bearer of Muslim communities in British India ; as opposed to
9720-625: The Naib Nazim of Dhaka was in charge of the city. The Naib Nazim was the deputy governor of Bengal. He also dealt with the upkeep of the Mughal Navy. The Naib Nazim was in charge of the Dhaka Division, which included Dhaka, Comilla , and Chittagong. Dhaka Division was one of the four divisions under the Nawabs of Bengal. The Nawabs of Bengal allowed European trading companies to establish factories across Bengal. The region then became
9936-420: The Opium Wars with China . American traders collected artwork, handicrafts, terracotta, sculptures, religious and literary texts, manuscripts, and military weapons from Bengal. Some objects from the region are on display in the Peabody Essex Museum . The increase in international trade led to profits for many families in the city, allowing them to buy imported luxury goods. During the Indian mutiny of 1857 ,
10152-418: The Pakistan Armed Forces . The Constitution of Pakistan establishes the principal land warfare uniform branch in the Pakistan Armed Forces as its states: The Armed Forces shall, under the directions of the Federal Government, defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so. The Pakistan Army came into its modern birth from
10368-486: The Pakistan-side of Punjab , almost reaching Lahore . At the time of the conflict in 1965, Pakistan's armory and mechanized units' hardware was imported from the United States including the M4 Sherman , M24 Chaffee , M36 Jackson , and the M47 and M48 Patton tanks , equipped with 90 mm guns. In contrast, the Indian Army's armor had outdated in technology with Korean war-usage American M4 Sherman and World War II manufactured British Centurion Tank , fitted with
10584-416: The Tashkent Declaration . According to the Library of Congress Country Studies conducted by the Federal Research Division of the United States: The war was militarily inconclusive; each side held prisoners and some territory belonging to the other. Losses were relatively heavy—on the Pakistani side, twenty aircraft, 200 tanks, and 3,800 troops. Pakistan's army had been able to withstand Indian pressure, but
10800-425: The U.S. active measures against the expansion of the global communism . In 1956, the 1st Armored Division in Multan was established, followed by the Special Forces in Cherat under the supervision of the U.S Army's Special Forces . Under Gen. Ayub 's control, the army had eradicated the British influence but invited the American expansion and had reorganized the East Bengal Regiment in East Bengal ,
11016-402: The United Nations (UN). Notably, it played a major role in rescuing trapped American soldiers who had requested the assistance of a quick reaction force during Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia . Pakistan Army troops also had a relatively strong presence as part of a UN and NATO coalition during the Bosnian War and the larger Yugoslav Wars . The Pakistan Army, a major component of
SECTION 50
#173278401873211232-420: The clandestine atomic bomb program to reach its parity and feasibility, including the constructions of iron-steel tunnels in the secretive nuclear weapons-testing sites in 1977–78. PAF and Navy fighter pilots voluntarily served in Arab nations' militaries against Israel in the Yom Kippur War (1973). According to modern Pakistani sources, in 1974 one of the PAF pilots, Flt. Lt. Sattar Alvi flying
11448-438: The hansom cab as public transport in 1856. The number of carriages increased from 60 in 1867 to 600 in 1889. A modern civic water system was introduced in 1874. In 1885, the Dhaka State Railway was opened with a 144 km metre gauge (1000 mm) rail line connecting Mymensingh and the Port of Narayanganj through Dhaka. The city later became a hub of the Eastern Bengal State Railway . The first film shown in Dhaka
11664-423: The legislative election held in East-Bengal . Within two months of the elections, Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra , with approval from Governor-General Malik Ghulam , dismissed another popularly-mandated state government of Chief Minister Fazlul Huq in East Bengal in Pakistan , and declared governor's rule under Iskandar Mirza who relied in the Pakistan Army to manage the control and security of
11880-418: The "army waderas" (lit. Warlords ). In 1972, the army leadership under Lt-Gen. Gul Hassan refrained from acting under Bhutto administration's order to tackle the labor strikes in Karachi and to detained the labor union leaders in Karachi, instead advising the federal government to use the Police Department to take the actions. On 2 March 1972 , President Bhutto dismissed Lt-Gen. Gul Hassan as
12096-500: The 107th (Commander Brig. Makhdum Hayat, HQ Jessore) and the 57th (Commander Brig. Jahanzab Arbab, HQ Jhenida) under this division. The 16th Division (GOC Maj. Gen. Nazar Hussain Shah) HQ moved to Bogra, which now included the 23rd (Commander Brig. Abdullah Malik, HQ Rangpur), the 205th (HQ Bogra) and the 34th (HQ Nator) Brigades. The 14th Division (GOC Maj. Gen. Rahim) HQ remained at Dhaka, with its brigades at Mymensingh (27th), Sylhet (313th) and Comilla (117th). The 97th Independent Brigade
12312-507: The 13 divisions deployed along the Pakistan border, it could call up the main reserve force if needed), the Pakistan Air Force (OC Air Marshal A. Rahim Khan) needed to achieve air superiority on the western front. In 1971 it had 17 front-line squadrons facing 26 Indian front-line squadrons (Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal , AOC-in-C, Western Air Command, Air Marshal M.M Engineer), while India deployed 12 squadrons (AOC-in-C, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal H.C. Dewan) in
12528-399: The 14th Division units deployed in those areas; the 14th was tasked to defend the Sylhet and Brahmanbaria areas only. The 91st ad hoc Brigade was created to defend the Ramgarh area north of Chittagong as part of the 39th Division in November. The ad hoc formations lacked the staff and equipment of regular formations. General Niazi hoped that by creating five divisional HQs and simulating
12744-403: The 1965 war in the east. The Air Forces had bombed each other's bases with the PAF emerging on top, while the Border Security Force (BSF) and EPR had skirmished along the border; although India had one infantry division and one armoured brigade posted near East Pakistan, the armies never clashed in the east. When Yahya Khan became Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army in 1966, he initiated
12960-564: The 2,700-kilometre (1,700 mi) border with India, so that they could be intercepted. Gen. Niazi claimed to have suggested the following measures to Gen. Hamid (COS Pakistan Army) during his visit in June: The Indian military at this time was vulnerable, with its main formations posted away from the East Pakistan border. Col. Z.A. Khan (commander of the Special Services Group in East Pakistan) also advocated aggressive action against select Indian targets. General Hamid ruled out any provocations that might provoke Indian retaliation, while outlining
13176-539: The 29th Cavalry was deployed in Rangpur from Rawalpindi , but East Pakistan was not given any corps artillery or armoured units. The Pakistan Eastern Command headquarters was inaugurated in Dacca Cantonment , Dacca on 23 August 1969 and Lt. Gen. Sahabzada Yaqub Khan was appointed as the commander; on 1 September 1969, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of the country, General Yahya Khan, sent Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan as Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan. Syed Mohammad Ahsan, when Commander-in-Chief of
SECTION 60
#173278401873213392-500: The 37th Divisions to replace those sent to Bangladesh; these formations were active but not fully operational by November 1971. The Pakistan Army deployed ten infantry and two armoured divisions to face an Indian force of three corps (thirteen infantry, two mountain, one armoured division and several battle groups under the Indian Army Western and Southern Commands) as follows: Aside from these formations, Pakistan also had two independent artillery and two infantry brigade groups deployed on
13608-408: The 9th and 16th Divisions (known as "China Divisions" because these formations were given new Chinese equipment) to East Pakistan, they had a rough parity with the Indian army in infantry and a slight edge in armour. However, they could only hope to attack with 3:1 superiority in selected areas where surprise was vital. Pakistan had raised the 33rd Infantry Division, and had started to raise the 35th and
13824-438: The Assam Valley Division, Chittagong Division, Dacca Division, Rajshahi Division, and the Surma Valley Division. There were a total of 30 districts in Eastern Bengal and Assam, including Dacca, Mymensingh, Faridpur and Backergunge in Dacca Division; Tippera , Noakhali, Chittagong and the Hill Tracts in Chittagong Division; Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri , Rangpur, Bogra, Pabna and Malda in Rajshahi Division; Sylhet, Cachar ,
14040-590: The Bengali population of abandoning forward areas and concentrating the army around the Dhaka Bowl to maximise the defensive potential and achieve better co-ordination; however, it failed to come up with an alternative solution. The planners recommended taking advantage of the poor state of infrastructure and natural obstacles to the fullest. In brief, the plan was: Pakistani forces stationed in Sylhet (which, surrounded by Indian territory from three sides, would be extremely difficult to defend) and Chittagong would look after their own affairs. The planners did not devise
14256-444: The BoPs or other places. Paramilitary personnel were attached to the platoons to bring these units up to company strength. The army members were to stiffen these mixed units, but often the paramilitary members proved to be the weakest link. Thus, some of the regular army units lost cohesion and effectiveness when their regular companies were detached from them. The underdeveloped state of the Bangladeshi communication infrastructures and
14472-433: The Dhaka Bowl and the Eastern Sector except Chittagong) was given responsibility for the Eastern Sector only, and the 36th ad hoc Division (containing only the 93rd Brigade) was created to defend the Dhaka Bowl. Similarly, the 314th (for Khulna ) and the Rajshahi ad hoc Brigades were created and deployed in September. In mid-November, the 39th ad hoc Division was created to defend the Comilla and Noakhali districts from
14688-414: The Dhaka Bowl, but every inch of the province would not be defended. The Pakistan army occupied all the towns and fortified 90 of the 370 BoPs (half of the BoPs were destroyed by Indian shell fire by July 1971 to facilitate Mukti Bahini infiltration) and deployed close to the border to halt Mukti Bahini activity. The Pakistani high command began contemplating full-scale war with India to settle all issues as
14904-449: The East Bengal at all levels of command. With General Ayub Khan becoming the Defense Minister under Ministry of Talents led by Prime Minister Bogra , the involvement of the army in the national politics grew further with the implementation of the controversial One Unit program, abolishing the status of Four Provinces , despite the strong protests by the public and the West Pakistan's politicians. Major defense funding and spending
15120-508: The Eastern Naval Command). Air Commodore Mitty Masud was also replaced by the inexperienced officer Air Commodore Inamul Haque Khan . Masud resigned from the air force due to his apparent opposition to Operations Searchlight and Barisal. Lt. General Tikka Khan (Governor, Chief Martial Law Administrator and Commander of Eastern Command, ordered the formulation and implementation of Operation Searchlight after receiving approval from GHQ, Rawalpindi. Rear-Admiral Mohammad Shariff , commander of
15336-428: The English East India Company, the Dutch East India Company , and French East India Company . The property of the Ahsan Manzil was initially bought by the French for their factory and later sold to the Dhaka Nawab Family. The Portuguese were reportedly responsible for introducing cheese . Dhaka saw an influx of migrants during the Mughal Empire. An Armenian community from the Safavid Empire settled in Dhaka and
15552-556: The French-made CN-75 guns. In spite of Pakistan enjoying the numerical advantage in tanks and artillery, as well as better equipment overall, the Indian Army successfully penetrated the defences of Pakistan's borderline and successfully conquered around 360 to 500 square kilometres (140 to 190 square miles) of Pakistani Punjab territory on the outskirts of Lahore. A major tank battle took place in Chawinda , at which
15768-534: The Hili–Chilimari axis (from southwest to northeast) to cut the area in two. The division was deployed to counter both possibilities. Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army ( Urdu : پاکستان فوج , romanized : Pākistān Fãuj , pronounced [ˈpaːkɪstaːn faːɔːdʒ] ), commonly known as the Pak Army ( Urdu : پاک فوج , romanized : Pāk Fãuj ), is the land service branch and
15984-508: The IAF and neutralize its advantage at the onset of the war. The Pakistan Navy was in no position to counter the Indian threat, despite appeals to enhance naval capabilities over the years. The Pakistan Navy under commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Muzaffar Hasan (Fleet CO: Rear Admiral MAK Lodhi), with one cruiser , three frigates , five destroyers , four submarines and several gunboats, faced
16200-567: The Indian Army. Ultimately, the army's high command established the 9th, 16th, and 17th infantry divisions in 1966–68. In 1966, the IV Corps was formed and its headquarter was established, and permanently stationed in Lahore, Punjab in Pakistan . The army remained involved in the nation's civic affairs, and ultimately imposed the second martial law in 1969 when the writ of the constitution
16416-862: The Indian Western Fleet ( FOCWF : Rear Admiral E. C. "Chandy" Kuruvila ) consisting of one cruiser, eight frigates, one destroyer, two submarines and several patrol and missile boats in 1971. The Pakistan Navy had no aggressive plans except sending the Ghazi to the Bay of Bengal to sink the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant . On the Eastern Front, Indian Navy Eastern Fleet (Fleet CO: FOCEF Rear Admiral S. H. Sarma ) consisted of one aircraft carrier, one destroyer, four frigates, 2 submarines and at least four gunboats, Pakistan Navy eastern fleey (CO: Rear Admiral Mohammad Shariff ) had only one destroyer
16632-514: The Liberation War Museum. The Nawabs of Dhaka owned Rolls-Royces . Austin cars were widely used. Beauty Boarding was a popular inn and restaurant. Dhaka's fortunes changed in the early 20th century. British neglect of Dhaka's urban development was overturned with the first partition of Bengal in 1905, which restored Dhaka's status as a regional capital. The city became the seat of government for Eastern Bengal and Assam , with
16848-592: The Mohsinia Madrasa, Jagannath College and the Ahsanullah School of Engineering . Horse racing was a favourite pastime for elite residents in the city's Ramna Race Course beside the Dhaka Club . The Viceroy of India would often dine and entertain with Bengali aristocrats in the city. Automobiles began appearing after the turn of the century. A 1937 Sunbeam-Talbot Ten was preserved in
17064-593: The Mughal Emperor in Delhi. The Naib Nazim continued to function until 1793 when all his powers were transferred to the East India Company. The city formally passed to the control of the East India Company in 1793. British military raids damaged a lot of the city's infrastructure. The military conflict caused a sharp decline in the urban population. Dhaka's fortunes received a boost with connections to
17280-472: The Mughal government in Bengal. The legacy of cosmopolitan trading communities lives on in the names of neighbourhoods in Old Dhaka, including Farashganj (French Bazaar), Armanitola (Armenian Quarter) and Postogola (Portuguese Quarter). According to those who lived in the historic city, "Dhaka was a courtly, genteel town – the very last flowering, in their telling, of Mughal etiquette and sensibility. It
17496-528: The Mughal need to consolidate control in eastern Bengal. The Mughals also planned to extend their empire beyond into Assam and Arakan . Dhaka and Chittagong became the eastern frontiers of the Mughal Empire. Dhaka became the capital of the Mughal province of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1610 with a jurisdiction covering modern-day Bangladesh and eastern India , including the modern-day Indian states of West Bengal , Bihar and Orissa . This province
17712-734: The Mukti Bahini would launch the invasion of East Pakistan during the winter. The Pakistani army had divided the country into four sectors: Northern Sector : This area is to the north of the Padma and west of the Jamuna River, encompassing the Rajhshahi, Pabna , Bogra, Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. Pakistani planners were undecided on whether the Indian attack would come from the Siliguri Corridor south towards Bogra or on
17928-590: The Pakistan Army established and raised the 10th, 12th , and the 14th infantry divisions— with the 14th being established in East Bengal . In 1950, the 15th Infantry Division was raised with the help from the United States Army , followed by the establishment of the 15th Lancers in Sialkot. Dependence on the United States grew furthermore by the Pakistan Army despite it had worrisome concerns to
18144-816: The Pakistan Army has approximately 560,000 active duty personnel, supported by the Pakistan Army Reserve , the National Guard and the Civil Armed Forces . Pakistan Army is the sixth-largest army in the world and the largest in the Muslim world . In accordance with the Pakistan Constitution , Pakistani citizens can voluntarily enlist in military service as early as age 16, but cannot be deployed for combat until age 18. The primary objective and constitutional mission of
18360-449: The Pakistan Army is to ensure the national security and national unity of Pakistan by defending it against external aggression or the threat of war. It can also be requisitioned by the Pakistani federal government to respond to internal threats within its borders. During national or international calamities or emergencies, it conducts humanitarian rescue operations at home and is an active participant in peacekeeping missions mandated by
18576-540: The Pakistan Navy in the region, ran violent naval operations that contributed to the insurgency. The Pakistan armed forces had no reserves to meet any unforeseen events, and success depended heavily on reinforcements from West Pakistan. There was no contingency plan for any Indian military action – the main reason Generals Yakub, Khadim and Farman had opposed launching the operation. Pakistani forces occupied Bangladesh, and Gen. Gul Hassan, then Chief of General Staff of
18792-497: The Pakistan Navy, had established the naval forces in East Pakistan; the naval presence was tripled in East Pakistan with more officers from West Pakistan deployed in the region. Earlier, The Chief of the General Staff at GHQ, Rawalpindi, Major General Sahabzada Yaqub Khan , decided to run a series of exercises in East Pakistan to formulate an integrated battle plan for the province in 1967. Dubbed "Operation X-Sunderbans-1", it
19008-555: The Pakistan army, and no admirer of Gen. Niazi from 11 April 1971 – expressed satisfaction with the situation in mid-April. The size and disposition of Pakistan combat forces in East Pakistan changed during Operation Searchlight. The 14th Division was reinforced by the 9th (made up of the 27th, 313th and 117th Brigades) and the 16th (comprising the 34th and 205th Brigades) Divisions (minus their heavy equipment and most of their supporting units)—in all, fifteen infantry and one commando battalion and two heavy mortar batteries by May 1971. Until
19224-525: The Pakistani military alongside the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force , is a volunteer force that saw extensive combat during three major wars with India , several border skirmishes with Afghanistan at the Durand Line , and a long-running insurgency in the Balochistan region that it has been combatting alongside Iranian security forces since 1948. Since the 1960s, elements of
19440-755: The Palestinian infiltration in Jordan. In June 1971, the enlistment in the army had allowed the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi to raise and established the 18th infantry division, stationed in Hyderabad , Sindh , for the defence of 900 kilometres (560 mi) from Rahimyar Khan to Rann of Kutch , and restationed the 23rd infantry division for defending the Chhamb-Dewa Sector . In 1971, the II Corps
19656-606: The Sutlej (near Bahawalpur) and move east into India, swinging northeast towards Bhatinda and Ludhiana. Then IV Corps would push towards the Indian Punjab. Given that India had a slight edge in forces, Pakistani armoured units and the Pakistan Air Force needed to gain the upper hand quickly to ensure this plan succeeded. The overall objective of the Pakistani ground assault was to capture enough Indian territory in
19872-625: The United States and they established the 25th Cavalry , followed by the 24th Cavalry , 22nd, and 23rd Cavalry. In 1960–61, the Army Special Forces was reportedly involved in taking over the control of the administration of Dir from the Nawab of Dir in Chitral in North-West Frontier Province over the concerns of Afghan meddling in the region. In 1964–65, the border fighting and tensions flared with
20088-438: The aid of civilian federal governments when called upon to do so". The army has been involved in enforcing martial law against the federal government with the claim of restoring law and order in the country by dismissing the legislative branch and parliament on multiple occasions in past decades—while maintaining a wider commercial, foreign and political interest in the country. This has led to allegations that it has acted as
20304-578: The ancient district of Bikrampur , which was ruled by the Sena dynasty . Under Islamic rule, it became part of the historic district of Sonargaon , the regional administrative hub of the Delhi and the Bengal Sultanates . The Grand Trunk Road passed through the region, connecting it with North India , Central Asia and the southeastern port city of Chittagong. Before Dhaka, the capital of Bengal
20520-685: The army and submitted recommendations to strengthen the armed forces overall. Under the Yahya administration , the army was highly demoralized and there were unconfirmed reports of mutiny by soldiers against the senior army generals at the Corps garrisons and the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi. Upon returning from the quick visit in the United States in 1971 , President Bhutto forcefully dishonourably discharge seven senior army generals, which he called
20736-605: The army by appointing the Gen. Abdul Hamid Khan as the Army Chief of Staff (ACOS) of the Pakistan Army, who centralized the chain of command in Rawalpindi in a headquarters known as "High Command". From 1967 to 1969, a series of major military exercises was conducted by infantry units on East Pakistan's border with India. In 1970, the Pakistan army's military mission in Jordan was reportedly involved in tackling and curbing down
20952-520: The army commander with Ayub Khan promoting himself as controversial rank of field marshal . In 1969, the Supreme Court reversed its decision and overturned its convictions that called for validation of martial law in 1958. The army held the referendum and tightly control the political situation through the intelligence agencies , and banned the political activities in the country. From 1961 to 1962, military aid continued to Pakistan from
21168-707: The army commander, replacing with Lt-Gen. Tikka Khan who was later promoted to four-star rank and appointed as the first Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The army under Bhutto administration was reconstructed in its structure, improving its fighting ability, and reorganized with the establishment of the X Corps in Punjab in 1974 , followed by the V Corps in Sindh and XI Corps in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan in 1975 . The trilateral agreement in India,
21384-601: The army had not seriously considered a full-fledged invasion from India until December 1971, because it was presumed that the Indian military would not risk intervention by China or the United States, and the high command failed to realize that the Chinese would be unable to intervene during the winter months of November to December, due to snowbound Himalayan passes, and the Americans had not made any real effort to persuade India against attacking East Pakistan. In January 1972,
21600-705: The army have repeatedly been deployed in an advisory capacity in the Arab states during the Arab–Israeli wars , and to aid the United States -led coalition against Iraq during the First Gulf War . Other notable military operations during the global war on terrorism in the 21st century have included: Zarb-e-Azb , Black Thunderstorm , and Rah-e-Nijat . In violation of its constitutional mandate, it has repeatedly overthrown elected civilian governments, overreaching its protected constitutional mandate to "act in
21816-533: The army in the race of promotion but the most junior, Maj-Gen. Ayub Khan , whose name was not included in the promotion list was elevated to the promotion that resulted in a lobbying provided by Iskandar Mirza, the Defense Secretary in Ali Khan administration . A tradition of appointment based on favoritism and qualification that is still in practice by the civilian Prime Ministers in Pakistan. Ayub
22032-578: The army was overseen by Sir Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi , an Indian civil servant who was influential in making sure that ~260,000 men would be transferred into forming the Indian Army whilst the remaining balance going to Pakistan after the independence act was enacted by the United Kingdom on the night of 14/15 August 1947. Command and control at all levels of the new army was extremely difficult, as Pakistan had received six armoured, eight artillery and eight infantry regiments compared to
22248-556: The assets of the Pakistan armed forces were stationed in West Pakistan; the role of the Pakistan armed forces in East Pakistan was to hold that part of the country until the Pakistani forces defeated India in the west (in case of war). The Pakistan Army created the Eastern Command, with one commander in the rank of Lieutenant General responsible for the command. The armed forces (particularly the Pakistan Army), had drawn up
22464-453: The bases of the replacement was Admiral Ahsan's resignation; he opposed any military actions in the East Pakistan, and was determined to find political solutions rather than military. The GHQ generals in the army and air force (and the navy admirals) were determined to curb the political movement with violence and military might. Admiral Ahsan went to East Pakistan, later returning to West Pakistan. General Yaqub Khan temporarily assumed control of
22680-469: The border. The initial Pakistani plan was to launch diversionary attacks along the whole Indian border to keep Indian reserve forces away from the main target areas, then attack the Poonch and Chhamb sectors and drive back the Indian forces while an infantry brigade (supported by an armoured regiment) pushed into Rajasthan towards Ramgarh. Once India had committed her reserves, II Corps would assemble south of
22896-508: The call from one of the opposition leader of threatening to call for another civil war. The military interference in civic matters grew further when the martial law was extended for an infinite period despite maintaining that the elections to be held in 90-days prior. At the request from the Saudi monarchy , the Zia administration deployed the company of the special forces to end seizure of
23112-501: The certainty of military defeat if India decided to intervene. General Yahya Khan rejected Masud's arguments. Before the start of military operations a final high-level meeting was held (chaired by General Yahya Khan) at the General Headquarters (GHQ), where the participants were unanimously in favour of the military operation (despite the calls from Admiral Ahsan and Air Commodore Masud for a political settlement). One of
23328-510: The city is connected to a sewer system , whereas 80% is not connected. As a result, the rivers in Dhaka have severe pathogen pollution, as indicated by the fecal coliform count that is several hundred times higher than the recommended national and international standards of less than 200 cfu per litre for bathing and swimming. Chemical surveys in the rivers near Dhaka show extremely high organic pollution loading, high ammonia , and very low dissolved oxygen levels, which are close to zero in
23544-466: The city saw the introduction of electricity , railways , cinemas , Western-style universities and colleges and a modern water supply . It became an important administrative and educational centre in the British Raj, as the capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam province after 1905. In 1947, after the end of British rule, the city became the administrative capital of East Pakistan . It was declared
23760-479: The city took place under Governor Shaista Khan. The city then measured 19 by 13 kilometres (11.8 by 8.1 mi), with a population of nearly one million. Dhaka became home to one of the richest elites in Mughal India. The construction of Lalbagh Fort was commenced in 1678 by Prince Azam Shah , who was the governor of Bengal, a son of Emperor Aurangzeb and a future Mughal Emperor himself. The Lalbagh Fort
23976-596: The city with well-laid-out gardens. Caravanserai included the Bara Katra and Choto Katra . The architect of the palatial Bara Katra was Abul Qashim Al Hussaini Attabatayi Assemani. According to inscriptions in the Bangladesh National Museum, the ownership of Bara Katra was entrusted to an Islamic waqf . The Bara Katra also served as a residence for Mughal governors, including Prince Shah Shuja (the son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan). Dhaka
24192-654: The city witnessed revolts by the Bengal Army . Direct rule by the British crown was established following the successful quelling of the mutiny. It bestowed privileges on the Dhaka Nawab Family, which dominated the city's political and social elite. The Dhaka Cantonment was established as a base for the British Indian Army . The British developed the modern city around Ramna , Shahbag Garden, and Victoria Park . Dhaka got its own version of
24408-483: The city's area consists of water: There are 676 ponds and 43 canals. The Buriganga River flows past the southwest outskirts of Dhaka. Its average depth is 7.6 metres (25 ft) and its maximum depth is 18 metres (58 ft). It ranks among the most polluted rivers in the country. The city is surrounded by six interconnected river systems—the Buriganga and Dhaleshwari in the southwest, Turag and Tongi Khal in
24624-438: The city's economy. The hartal rate has declined since 2014. In some years, the city experienced a widespread flash flood during the monsoon. Dhaka is one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world. It is predicted to be one of the world's largest cities by 2025, along with Tokyo , Mexico City , Shanghai , Beijing and New York City . Most of its population are rural migrants, including climate refugees . Congestion
24840-421: The city's population doubled from 6 million to 12 million. There has been increased foreign investment in the city, particularly in the financial and textile manufacturing sectors. Between 2008 and 2011, the government of Bangladesh organized three years of celebrations to mark 400 years since Dhaka's founding as an early modern city. But frequent hartals by political parties have greatly hampered
25056-485: The construction of stately buildings, including the High Court and Curzon Hall. The city was home to diverse groups of people, including Armenians , Jews , Anglo-Indians and Hindus. The Hindus included both Marwaris and Bengali Hindus , with a plurality emerging by 1941 and engaged in professions like teaching, medicine, law, and business. Dhaka was the seat of government for 4 administrative divisions, including
25272-429: The country when the conservative alliance refused to accept the voting turnout in favor of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after the general elections held in 1977. The army, under Gen. Zia-ul-Haq –the army chief , began planning the military takeover of the federal government under Prime Minister Zulfikar Bhutto , eventually leading the coup d'état that suspended the writ of the Constitution amid responding to
25488-471: The country's politicians. Between 1950 and 1954, Pakistan Army raised six more armoured regiments under the U.S. Army's guidance: including, 4th Cavalry, 12th Cavalry , 15th Lancers , and 20th Lancers . After the incident involving Gracey's disobedience, there was a strong belief that a native commander of the Pakistan army should be appointed, which resulted in the Government of Pakistan rejecting
25704-562: The daily minimum 600 tons of supplies to the army units. The Eastern Command staff kept the plan unchanged after the review; Pakistani troop deployments were not altered after the July appraisal. Pakistani units were kept at the border with the intention to withdraw them towards Dhaka after a series of defensive battles. The Eastern Command completed a final revision of the plan in October 1971, after both generals (Gul Hassan and Hamid) had visited
25920-543: The defence concept and defensive lines, the Pakistan Eastern Command outlined its course of action: The divisional commanders were authorised to make plans for limited counterattacks in Indian territory to aid in their defensive objectives (one of which was to maintain control of the main roads leading into the territory). Pakistani planners assumed (based on intelligence estimates) that an Indian force of 8 to 12 infantry divisions, an armoured brigade and
26136-501: The deployment of the Indian Army in Kashmir – this agreement, however, was contested by Pakistan since the agreement did not include the consent of the Kashmiri people . Sporadic fighting between militia and Indian Army broke out, and units of the Pakistan Army under Maj-Gen. Akbar Khan , eventually joined the militia in their fight against the Indian Army. Although, it was Lieutenant-General Sir Frank Messervy who opposed
26352-477: The deployment of the army units and ultimately issued standing orders that refrained the units of Pakistan Army to further participate in the conflict. By 1948, when it became imperative in Pakistan that India was about to mount a large-scale operation against Pakistan, Gen. Gracey did not object to the deployment of the army units in the conflict against the Indian Army. This earlier insubordination of Gen. Gracey eventually forced India and Pakistan to reach
26568-439: The dividing of the ~400,000 men strong British Indian Army, but that only began few weeks before the partition of India that resulted in violent religious violence in India . The Armed Forces Reconstitution Committee (AFRC) under the chairmanship of British Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck had devised the formula to divide the military assets between India and Pakistan with ratio of 2:1, respectively. A major division of
26784-638: The division of the British Indian Army that ceased to exist as a result of the partition of India that resulted in the creation of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. Before even the partition took place, there were plans ahead of dividing the British Indian Army into different parts based on the religious and ethnic influence on the areas of India. On 30 June 1947, the War Department of the British administration in India began planning
27000-464: The dry season. In addition to the organic and pathogen pollution load from the 1.2 million m of untreated sewage, the rivers receive about 60,000 m of industrial effluent every day from nine major industrial clusters (as of 2021). There are an estimated 500–700 wet processing and dyeing textile factories releasing a range of chemicals including salts, dyes and bleaches, and 155 tanneries discharging heavy metals , including chromium . Four of
27216-613: The east (against one PAF squadron – CO Air Commodore Inamul Haque Khan ) and had another seven squadrons deployed elsewhere. Pakistani planners had assumed the PAF will be neutralized within 24 hours of IAF launching combat operations over East Pakistan, and the Pakistani planners were aware that the Indian Air force would then be free to concentrate more aircraft in the west after deploying units to negate any Chinese moves. The PAF devised Operation Chengiz Khan to launch preemptive strikes on
27432-571: The east along the Akhaura – Brahmanbaria axis, it had no brigades available to cover this area. The 27th brigade from Mymensingh was moved to Akhaura, while two battalions from the brigade were detached to form the 93rd Brigade in Mymensingh. Similarly, the 313th Brigade was moved from Sylhet to Maulavi Bazar and a battalion from the 313th was kept at Sylhet to form the nucleus of the 202nd ad hoc Brigade. The 14th Division (which covered both
27648-437: The east, the measures deceived the Indian Eastern Command to some extent. All paramilitary units (EPCAF/Razakar/Mujahid) were not up to army standards in terms of equipment and effectiveness, and the Eastern Command began to mix them with regular units to bolster their efficiency. Pakistani battalions were given two-thirds-companies of paramilitary units, while a company from some battalions was split into platoons and deployed at
27864-576: The end of 1971, General Yahya Khan's government was unable to find an active military administrator comparable to Admiral Ahsan as the civil war in East Pakistan intensified. Senior general officers and admirals were unwilling to assume the command of East Pakistan until Lieutenant-General Amir Niazi volunteered for this assignment. Lieutenant General Niazi was made the commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command (replacing Lieutenant General Tikka Khan, who remained as Chief Martial Law Administrator and Governor until September 1971). Rear Admiral Mohammad Shariff
28080-416: The establishment of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee to maintain strategic military communication between the inter-services and the federal government, that is to be chaired by the appointed Chairman joint chiefs as the government's principal military adviser. In 1976 , the first Chairman joint chiefs was appointed from the army with Gen. Muhammad Shariff taking over the chairmanship, but resigned
28296-420: The ethnolinguistic region. The partition was annulled by an announcement from King George V during the Delhi Durbar in 1911. The British decided to reunite Bengal while the capital of India was shifted to New Delhi from Calcutta. As a "splendid compensation" for the annulment of partition, the British gave the city a newly formed university in the 1920s. The University of Dhaka was initially modelled on
28512-403: The existing plan according to the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters (GHQ) directive (which emphasized the need to prevent the Mukti Bahini from occupying any area of the province and to fight for every inch of territory). HQ expected the Indians to occupy a large area of the province, transfer the Mukti Bahini and Bengali refugees there and recognize the Bangladesh government in exile – turning
28728-442: The first commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army. Eminent fears of India 's seizing the control over the state of Kashmir , the armed tribes and the irregular militia entered in the Muslim-majority valley of Kashmir to oppose the rule of Hari Singh , a Hindu and the ruling Maharaja of Kashmir , in October 1947. Attempting to maintain his control over the princely state , Hari Singh deployed his troops to check on
28944-478: The first full-length silent movies in Dhaka during the 1920s, including Sukumari and The Last Kiss . DEVCO, a subsidiary of the Occtavian Steel Company, began widescale power distribution in 1930. The Tejgaon Airport was constructed during World War II as a base for Allied Forces . The Dhaka Medical College was established in 1946. At the time of the partition of India, many rich Hindu families relocated to West Bengal. Their properties were seized by
29160-427: The following features as significant for setting up a defence plan: Instead of defending every inch of the land, survival of the armed forces was given top priority and the defence of Dhaka was the ultimate objective. Instead of deploying along the 2,600-mile (4,200 km)-long Indian border, three lines of deployment were chosen: The Pakistani planners were aware of the possible negative political implications among
29376-433: The following from GHQ in June 1971: The Pakistan GHQ had to weigh every request to resupply, reequip and reinforce the Pakistani forces in East Pakistan against the need of the West Pakistani forces, and did not have enough reserves of manpower and equipment for a long conflict. The Eastern Command only deemed one of the three divisions fit for conventional warfare. Seven West Pakistan Ranger wings, five Mujahid battalions and
29592-532: The fortress towns. From the fortresses, part of the surviving force was to take up positions near Dhaka and hold out until India was defeated in the west; Pakistani forces in the fortress towns would delay the bulk of the Indian forces and prevent them from concentrating on Dhaka. The Pakistan Army inherited six infantry divisions and an armored brigade after independence in 1947 from the British Indian Army , deploying most of their armed assets in West Pakistan . East Pakistan had one infantry brigade in 1948, which
29808-414: The general amnesties to separatists in the 1980s. Over the issue of Baloch conflict, the Pakistani military remained engage in Omani civil war in favor of Omani government until the rebels were defeated in 1979. The War Enquiry Commission noted the lack of joint grand strategy between the four-branches of the military during the first , the second , and the third wars with India, recommending
30024-402: The heavily Hindu-dominated city of Calcutta. In 1906, the All India Muslim League was founded in the city during a conference on liberal education hosted by the Nawab of Dhaka and the Aga Khan III . The Muslim population in Dhaka and eastern Bengal generally favoured partition in the hopes of getting better jobs and educational opportunities. Many Bengalis, however, opposed the bifurcation of
30240-469: The implementation of the first set of Constitution of Pakistan that had established the civilian control of the military , and the army went on to completely endorse and support the first martial law in the country imposed by President Iskander Mirza – the army later took control of the power from President Mirza in mere two weeks and installed Ayub Khan as the second President . The subsequent change of command resulted in Gen. Musa Khan becoming
30456-472: The imported hardware acquired from the United States , in spite of acquiring it from the domestic industry, under the Military Assistance Advisory Group attached to Pakistan in 1954–56. In 1953, the 6th Infantry Division was raised and disbanded the 6th Division in 1956 followed by the disbandment of the 9th Infantry Division as the American assistance was available only for one armored and six infantry divisions. During this time, an army combat brigade team
30672-433: The imposition of a 75% tax on the export of cotton from Bengal, as well as the surge in imports of cheap, British-manufactured fabrics after the advent of the spinning mule and steam power. The rapid growth of the colonial capital Calcutta contributed to the decline in Dhaka's population and economy in the early 1800s. In 1824, an Anglican bishop described Dhaka as a "city of magnificent ruins". Dhaka hosted factories of
30888-426: The infiltration by the Afghan National Army from Afghanistan . Dhaka Dhaka ( / ˈ d ɑː k ə / DAH -kə or / ˈ d æ k ə / DAK -ə ; Bengali : ঢাকা , romanized : Ḍhākā , pronounced [ˈɖʱaka] ), formerly known as Dacca , is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh . It is the ninth-largest and seventh-most densely populated city in
31104-495: The insurgency in Bangladesh began to escalate after August; with Mukti Bahini activities more aggressive and effective, Pakistani forces were in disarray. In doing so they had to contemplate fighting in the west and the east, and the ongoing insurgency. Since the defence of East Pakistan rested on overwhelming Pakistani success in the west (resulting in India withdrawing its forces in the east), any formal war would also start when Pakistani forces in West Pakistan were ready to strike. In
31320-428: The insurgency into an international diplomatic issue. Lieutenant General Niazi designated 10 cities ( Jessore , Jhenaidah , Bogra , Rangpur , Jamalpur , Mymensingh , Sylhet , Comilla and Chittagong ) on major communication hubs as "fortress towns" and placed the bulk of his troops near the Indian border. The final plan called for the armed forces to delay Indian attacks at the border and then gradually fall back to
31536-433: The intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The city has produced many writers and poets in several languages, especially in Bengali and English. The origins of the name Dhaka are uncertain. It may derive from the dhak tree, which was once common in the area, or from Dhakeshwari , the 'patron Hindu goddess' of the region. Another popular theory states that Dhaka refers to a membranophone instrument, dhak which
31752-437: The land, which is flat and close to sea level. This leaves Dhaka susceptible to flooding during the monsoon seasons owing to heavy rainfall and cyclones . Due to its location on the lowland plain of the Ganges Delta, the city is fringed by extensive mangroves and tidal flat ecosystems. Dhaka District is bounded by the districts of Gazipur , Tangail , Munshiganj , Rajbari , Narayanganj , and Manikganj . The city of Dhaka
31968-437: The landscape) gardens. Once upon a time, this was the new city; and even though it is today far from the ritziest part of town, the streets here are still wider and the trees more abundant and the greenery more evident than in any other part". Some of the early educational institutions established during the period of British rule include the Dhaka College , the Dhaka Medical School , the Eden College , St. Gregory's School ,
32184-407: The largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces . The president of Pakistan is the supreme commander of the army. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) , a four-star general , commands the army. The Army was established in August 1947 after Pakistan gained independence from the United Kingdom . According to statistics provided by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in 2024,
32400-406: The largest surrender in a war by any country after the World War II . Casualties inflicted to army's I Corps, II Corps, and Marines did not sit well with President Yahya Khan who turned over control of the civic government to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto through an executive decree. Commenting on the defeat, the military observer in the Pakistan Army, Major A.H. Amin, reported that the war strategists in
32616-443: The late 1970s. In the 1980s, Dhaka saw the inauguration of the National Parliament House (which won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture ), a new international airport and the Bangladesh National Museum . Bangladesh pioneered the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and hosted its first summit in Dhaka in 1985. A mass uprising in 1990 led to the return of parliamentary democracy . Dhaka hosted
32832-491: The legislative capital of Pakistan in 1962. In 1971, following the Liberation War , it became the capital of independent Bangladesh. In 2008, Dhaka celebrated 400 years as a municipal city. A gamma+ global city , Dhaka is the centre of political, economic and cultural life in Bangladesh. It is the seat of the Government of Bangladesh , many Bangladeshi companies , and leading Bangladeshi educational, scientific, research, and cultural organizations. Since its establishment as
33048-454: The main objective of the Eastern Command: to keep the insurgency under control and prevent the formation of a Bangladesh government inside the province. Gen. Niazi remained convinced that his scheme would have forced India to concede terms, but at least one Pakistani source labels his proposal "sheer folly". The main plan remained unchanged until September 1971: Pakistani units were to fight a series of defensive battles before deploying to defend
33264-416: The manpower gap, the East Pakistan Civil Armed Force (EPCAF) (17 planes and approximately 23,000 personnel) and Razakars (40,000 members, against a target of 100,0000) were raised after June 1971. The armed police (11,000 members) was also reorganised and bolstered with 5,000 West Pakistani personnel. Therefore, the undermanned army was only fit for "Police action". According to General Niazi, he had requested
33480-411: The meeting. During this meeting, Admiral Ahsan brief ran counter to the cut-and-dried solutions of West Pakistan representatives and civil servants. The Pakistan Air Force's Air Commodore Mitty Masud (AOC, PAF Base Dacca) stressed the importance of a political solution rather than military action. Air Commodore Masud backed Admiral Ahsan, as he believed that an autonomous East Pakistan was preferable to
33696-453: The mercantile networks of the British Empire . With the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in Britain , Dhaka became a leading centre of the jute trade , as Bengal accounted for the largest share of the world's jute production. But the British neglected Dhaka's industrial and urban development until the late 19th century. Income from the pre-colonial, proto-industrialized textile industry dried up. Bengali weavers went out of business after
33912-488: The military dictatorship in both east and west. The Martial law administrator of East Pakistan, Vice-Admiral S.M. Ahsan was East Pakistan's governor also. The positions of the Pakistan armed forces under Admiral Ahsan were changed and deployed at the borders to observe Indian intelligence efforts. The magnitude of force was also increased, and logistics efforts were improved under Admiral Ahsan's command. His two-year rule saw stability and improvement in government control of
34128-412: The most polluted rivers in the country. Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh at 23°42′N 90°22′E / 23.700°N 90.367°E / 23.700; 90.367 , on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River . The city lies on the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta and covers a total area of 270 square kilometres (100 sq mi). Tropical vegetation and moist soils characterize
34344-419: The newly established 1st Armoured Division was able to halt the Indian invasion. Eventually, the Indian invasion of Pakistan came to halt when the Indian Army concluded the battle near Burki . With diplomatic efforts and involvement by the Soviet Union to bring two nation to end the war, the Ayub administration reached a compromise with Shastri ministry in India when both governments signed and ratified
34560-550: The north, and Balu and Sitalakhya in the east—which support trade, transport, and stormwater drainage. However, the current state of the water quality of the river network is very poor, due to the discharge of untreated wastewater from households and industries. There are several lakes within the city, such as Crescent Lake, Dhanmondi Lake, Baridhara - Gulshan Lake , Banani lake , Uttara Lake, Hatirjheel-Begunbari Lake, 300 Feet Road Prionty lake, Ramna lake. Increasing air and water pollution affects public health and
34776-494: The plan: No war games were conducted to factor in the new directives, or specific plans drawn up to attain these objectives. The revised plan was sent to Rawalpindi and approved in August 1971. During June and July, Mukti Bahini regrouped across the border with Indian aid through Operation Jackpot and sent 2,000–5,000 guerrillas across the border (the unsuccessful "Monsoon Offensive"). The Pakistan Army had built up an intelligence network to track Mukti Bahini infiltrations along
34992-417: The popularly-mandated state government of Chief Minister Mumtaz Daultana in Punjab in Pakistan , and declared martial law under Lt-Gen. Azam Khan and Col. Rahimuddin Khan who successfully quelled the religious agitation in Lahore . In 1954, the Pakistan Army's Military Intelligence Corps reportedly sent the intelligence report indicating the rise of communism in East Pakistan during
35208-432: The pre-partition standards. The economy began to industrialize. On the outskirts of the city, the world's largest jute mill was built. The mill produced jute goods which were in high demand during the Korean War . People began building duplex houses. In 1961, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip witnessed the improved living standards of Dhaka's residents. The Intercontinental hotel , designed by William B. Tabler ,
35424-403: The province (none of which happened). Instead, the C-130 planes (which had played a crucial role during Operation Searchlight) were withdrawn from the province, diminishing the airlift capacity of the Pakistani forces further. The Mukti Bahini had sabotaged 231 bridges and 122 rail lines by November 1971 (thus diminishing transport capacity to 10 percent of normal), and complicated the delivery of
35640-456: The province in place of Admiral Ahsan; he was replaced by Lt. General Tikka Khan on his refusal to support military action against civilians. Once Operation Searchlight and Operation Barisal launched, Admiral Ahsan resigned from his position as Martial Law Administrator and Governor of East Pakistan, retiring from the Navy in protest. In his place, Rear Admiral Mohammad Shariff assumed the Naval Commander of East Pakistan (Flag Officer Commanding of
35856-467: The province. General Niazi (along with General Jamshed (GOC EPCAF), General Rahim (2IC Eastern Command), Brig. Bakir (COS 3 Corps), Rear Admiral Sharif and Air Commodore Inamul Haque Khan ) reviewed the existing plan and updated it to factor in the manpower shortage, logistical difficulties, and the directive of the GHQ to defend every inch of East Pakistan. The initial assumptions were: The review committee analysed four strategic concepts when formulating
36072-452: The province; however, the deployment ratio of military forces increased. In March 1971, General Yahya Khan visited Dhaka to break the Mujib - Bhutto impasse. Lieutenant General Tikka Khan's staff at the Eastern Command headquarters was the first to present their assessment of the civil and military situation to General Yahya Khan and the army and air force's senior officers accompanying him, and Vice-Admiral Ahsan persuaded General Yahya Khan at
36288-405: The quality of life in the city. The air pollution is caused for example by vehicle traffic and congestion. Also, due to the unregulated manufacturing of bricks and other causes, Dhaka has very high levels of fine particulate matter ( PM2.5 ) air pollution. Water pollution is caused by the discharge of municipal wastewater from households and industry without treatment. As of 2011 only 20% of
36504-419: The real nature of Indian strategy behind their support of the resistance. The Yahya administration is widely accused of permitting the army to commit the war crimes against the civilians in East and curbing civil liberties and human rights in Pakistan. The Eastern Command under Lt-Gen. A. A. K. Niazi , who had area responsibility of the defending the Eastern Front and had the responsibility to protect,
36720-553: The required artillery, commando, engineer and transport units attached to them. The growth in military infrastructure was slower in East Pakistan; the single division (14th Infantry division) HQed at Dhaka now contained two infantry brigades, with the 53rd Brigade stationed at Comilla and the 107th Brigade deployed in Jessore by 1963. In 1964, the 23rd Brigade was created in Dhaka. This under-strength division comprised three infantry brigades, with no armour and supported by 10 EPR wings, 12 F-86 Saber planes, and three gunboats rode out
36936-418: The residential style of the University of Oxford . It became known as the Oxford of the East because of its residential character. Like Oxford, students in Dhaka were affiliated with their halls of residence instead of their academic departments (this system was dropped after 1947 and students are now affiliated with academic departments). The university's faculty included scientist Satyendra Nath Bose (who
37152-408: The revised plan: The fortress concept was adopted; the planners decided on a single defensive deployment of troops on the border, which went against the troop deployments advocated by earlier plans. This was done to stick to the GHQ order of not surrendering any territory to the Mukti Bahini. When devising troop deployments, the planners mixed political considerations with strategic ones and envisioned
37368-409: The river system cutting through the plains was a formidable challenge to the movement of troops and supplies. General Niazi had ordered the Pakistan army to live off the land because of logistical difficulties, and Maj. General A.O. Mittha (Quartermaster General, Pakistan Army) had recommended setting up river-transport battalions, cargo and tanker flotillas and increasing the number of helicopters in
37584-585: The rivers surrounding Dhaka—Buriganaga, Sitalakhya, Balu and Turag—are so polluted that they have been declared as ecologically critical areas in 2009 by the Department of Environment. This makes them unsuitable for any human use. Nevertheless, people living in low-income and slum areas still have a lot of direct contact with river water, exposing them to health risks. They use river water for dish washing, laundry, cleaning fish and vegetables, and personal washing, washing and dyeing denim , washing fish baskets or plastic sheets, collecting plastic waste and fishing. As
37800-450: The schools of infantry and tactics, artillery, ordnance, armoured, medical, engineering, services, aviation, and several other schools and training centers were established with or without U.S. participation. As early as 1953, the Pakistan Army became involved in national politics in a view of restoring the law and order situation when Governor-General Malik Ghulam , with approval from Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin , dismissed
38016-422: The signal traffic of numerous brigades, he would deceive the Indian Eastern Command into committing at least 15 infantry divisions and other assorted supporting forces in the east; this would mean India would have less to deploy in the west after retaining forces to use against any possible Chinese attacks from the north (or at least deter the Indians from aggressive action). While India did not deploy 15 divisions in
38232-402: The sons of Mughal emperors. The pre-colonial city's glory peaked in the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was home to merchants from across Eurasia . The Port of Dhaka was a major trading post for both riverine and seaborne trade. The Mughals decorated the city with well-laid gardens, tombs, mosques, palaces, and forts. The city was once called the Venice of the East . Under British rule ,
38448-472: The state of communications. The East Pakistan garrison was reinforced with two infantry divisions in April 1971 to restore order and fight the insurgency. All divisional heavy equipment needed to fight a conventional war was left in the west. A comparison of the deployed units between March and November shows: According to one estimate, the Eastern Command needed at least 250,000 personnel; it barely had 150,000 (50,000 regular soldiers) by November 1971. To fill
38664-649: The state under laws that eventually became known as the Vested Property Act . The development of the "real city" began after the partition of India . After partition, Dhaka became known as the second capital of Pakistan . This was formalized in 1962 when Ayub Khan declared the city as the legislative capital under the 1962 constitution . New neighbourhoods began to spring up in formerly barren and agrarian areas. These included Dhanmondi (rice granary), Katabon (thorn forest), Kathalbagan (jackfruit grove), Kalabagan (banana grove), Segunbagicha (teak grove) and Gulshan (flower garden). Living standards rapidly improved from
38880-433: The suit by retroactively invalidated the martial law that suspended the Constitution and notably ruled that Yahya Khan's assumption of power was "illegal usurpation". In light of the Supreme Court's judgement, the army held the publicly televised conference when President Yahya Khan announced to hold the nationwide general elections in 1969–70. In 1969, President Yahya Khan decided to make administrative changes in
39096-553: The summer of 1970, the western operational plan was revised. The following conclusions were drawn: It was decided to keep part of the reserves to the north of the Ravi River and part to the south. The plan called for the formations near the border to seize favourable lodgement areas, to screen the main attack of the army. In September 1971 the plan was updated to include: The Pakistani army had fifteen divisions (including two armored divisions and in addition to several independent brigade groups) in West Pakistan in 1971. After transferring
39312-406: The summer retreat of the administration. Lieutenant Governors were in charge of the province. They resided in Dhaka. The Lt Governors included Sir Bampfylde Fuller (1905-1906), Sir Lancelot Hare (1906-1911), and Sir Charles Stuart Bayley (1911-1912). Their legacy lives on in the names of three major thoroughfares in modern Dhaka, including Hare Road, Bayley Road , and Fuller Road. The period saw
39528-451: The time of ceasefire declared, per neutral sources, Indian casualties stood at 3,000 whilst the Pakistani casualties were 3800. Pakistan lost between 200 and 300 tanks during the conflict and India lost approximately 150-190 tanks. However, most neutral assessments agree that India had the upper hand over Pakistan when ceasefire was declared, but the propaganda in Pakistan about the war continued in favor of Pakistan Army. The war
39744-441: The tribal advances but his troops failed to halt the advancing tribes towards the valley. Eventually, Hari Singh appealed to Louis Mountbatten , the Governor-General of India , requesting for the deployment of the Indian Armed Forces but Indian government maintained that the troops could be committed if Hari Singh acceded to India. Hari Singh eventually agreed to concede to the Indian government terms which eventually led to
39960-405: The tribal invasion in a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1947, later leaving the command of the army in 1947, in a view of that British officers in the Indian and Pakistan Army would be fighting with each other in the war front. It was Lt-Gen. Douglas Gracey who reportedly disobeyed the direct orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah , the Governor-General of Pakistan , for
40176-415: The twelve armoured, forty artillery and twenty-one infantry regiments that went to India. In total, the size of the new army was about ~150,000 men strong. To fill the vacancy in the command positions of the new army, around 13,500 military officers from the British Army had to be employed in the Pakistan Army, which was quite a large number, under the command of Lieutenant-General Frank Messervy ,
40392-451: The ultimatum issued on 16 December 1971 by the Indian Army in East, Lt-Gen. Niazi agreed to concede defeat and move towards signing the documented surrender with the Indian Army which effectively and unilaterally ended the armed resistance and led the creation of Bangladesh , only after India's official engagement that lasted 13 days. It was reported that the Eastern Command had surrendered ~93,000–97,000 uniform personnel to Indian Army–
40608-402: The under army administration had successfully stabilized the law and order in Balochistan despite the massive illegal immigration from Afghanistan , and issued the general amnesties to separatists and rebels. To address the Afghan containment and security, the army established the XII Corps in 1985 that is permanently headquartered in Quetta , that is designed to provide defence against
40824-602: The unified Eastern Military Command under Lt-Gen. A.A.K. Niazi, began its engagement with the armed militia that had support from India in April 1971, and eventually fought against the Indian Army in December 1971. The army, together with marines, launched ground offensives on both fronts but the Indian Army successfully held its ground and initiated well-coordinated ground operations on both fronts, initially capturing 15,010 square kilometres (5,795 sq mi) of Pakistan's territory; this land gained by India in Azad Kashmir , Punjab and Sindh sectors. Responding to
41040-407: The west to ensure a favourable bargaining position with India (should the Pakistani Eastern Command fail to repel the Indian attack on Bangladesh), and by forcing India to commit forces in the west and triggering the withdrawal of Indian forces from the east. From October 1971 onwards, Pakistani units began to take up positions along the border. To negate Indian superiority in infantry (in addition to
41256-484: The world with a density of 23,234 people per square kilometer within a total area of approximately 300 square kilometers. Dhaka is a megacity , and has a population of 10.2 million residents as of 2024, and a population of over 23.9 million residents in Dhaka Metropolitan Area . It is widely considered to be the most densely populated built-up urban area in the world. Dhaka is the most important cultural, economic, and scientific hub of Eastern South Asia , as well as
41472-415: Was Gour . Even earlier capitals included Pandua , Bikrampur and Sonargaon. The latter was also the seat of Isa Khan and his son Musa Khan , who both headed a confederation of twelve chieftains that resisted Mughal expansion in eastern Bengal during the late 16th century. Due to a change in the course of the Ganges, the strategic importance of Gour was lost. Dhaka was viewed with strategic importance due to
41688-422: Was abrogated by then-army commander, Gen. Yahya Khan , who took control of the nation's civic affairs after the resignation of President Ayub Khan, resulted in a massive labor strikes instigated by the Pakistan Peoples Party in West and Awami League in East Pakistan . In a lawsuit settled by the Supreme Court of Pakistan , the legality of the martial law was deemed questionable as the Supreme Court settled
41904-440: Was active along with seven gunboats; therefore, it was impossible to conduct operations in the deep Bay of Bengal and he had planned to sit the war out. Pakistan Eastern Command HQ began to revise the operational plan from September onwards under the following assumptions: Besides the above, the planners also had to factor in the status of the Pakistani forces in the province, logistical challenges presented by their deployment and
42120-452: Was airlifted to East Pakistan along with the 9th Infantry Division. The intervention in East Pakistan further grew when the Operation Searchlight resulted in the overtaking of the government buildings, communication centers, and restricting the politicians opposed to military rule. Within a month, Pakistani national security strategists realized their failure of implementing the plan which had not anticipated civil resistance in East, and
42336-416: Was declared the national capital by the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh in 1972. The post-independence period witnessed rapid growth as Dhaka attracted migrant workers from across rural Bangladesh . 60% of population growth has been due to rural migration. The city endured socialist unrest in the early 1970s, followed by a few years of martial law . The stock exchange and free market were restored in
42552-401: Was established and headquartered in Multan, driven towards defending the mass incursion from the Indian Army. In December 1971, the 33rd infantry division was established from the army reserves of the II Corps , followed by raising the 37th Infantry Division. Pakistan Army reportedly helped the Pakistan Navy towards establishing its amphibious branch, the Pakistan Marines , whose battalions
42768-533: Was established in 1956 to coordinate the city's development. The first master plan for the city was drawn up in 1959. The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization established a medical research centre (now called ICDDR,B ) in the city in 1960. The early period of political turbulence was seen between 1947 and 1952, particularly the Bengali Language Movement . From the mid-1960s, the Awami League's 6-point autonomy demands began giving rise to pro-independence aspirations across East Pakistan . In 1969, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
42984-401: Was formed in Chittagong, while the 53rd Brigade was moved to Dhaka as a command reserve. Brig. Gulam Jilani (later DG ISI), chief of staff for Gen. Niazi, reviewed the existing East Pakistan defence plan in June 1971 in light of the prevailing circumstances and left the plan basically unchanged. The following assumptions were made while re-evaluating the plan: Gen. Niazi added the following to
43200-440: Was home to an array of Mughal bureaucrats and military officials, as well as members of the imperial family. The city was guarded by Mughal artillery like the Bibi Mariam Cannon (Lady Mary Cannon). Islam Khan I was the first Mughal governor to reside in the city. Khan named it "Jahangirnagar" ( The City of Jahangir ) in honour of the Emperor Jahangir. The name was dropped soon after the English conquered. The main expansion of
43416-440: Was intended to be the viceregal residence of Mughal governors in eastern India. Before the fort's construction could be completed, the prince was recalled by Emperor Aurangzeb. The fort's construction was halted by Shaista Khan after the death of his daughter Pari Bibi , who is buried in a tomb in the centre of the unfinished fort. Pari Bibi, whose name means Fairy Lady , was legendary for her beauty, engaged to Prince Azam Shah, and
43632-439: Was involved in the city's textile trade, paying a 3.5% tax. The Armenians were very active in the city's social life. They opened the Pogose School . Marwaris were the Hindu trading community. Dhaka also became home to Jews and Greeks. The city has a Greek memorial . Several families of Dhaka's elite spoke Urdu and included Urdu poets. Persians also settled in the city to serve as administrators and military commanders of
43848-457: Was known as Bengal Subah . The city was founded during the reign of Emperor Jahangir . Emperor Shah Jahan visited Dhaka in 1624 and stayed in the city for a week, four years before he became emperor in 1628. Dhaka became one of the richest and greatest cities in the world during the early period of Bengal Subah (1610-1717). The prosperity of Dhaka reached its peak during the administration of governor Shaista Khan (1644-1677 and 1680–1688). Rice
44064-408: Was leveled with accusations of escalating the political violence in the East by the serving military officers, politicians, and journalists in Pakistan. Since the general elections in 1970, the army had detained several key politicians, journalists, peace activists, student unionists, and other members of civil society while curbing the freedoms of movement and speech in Pakistan. In East Pakistan,
44280-429: Was made second-in-command of the Eastern Command. Following the change in command, the 14th Division initially had its brigades posted at Comilla (53rd), Dhaka (57th), Rangpur (23rd) and Jessore (107th) before March 1971. During Operation Searchlight the 57th and the 107th moved to Jessore, while the 53rd had relocated to Chittagong. The Eastern Command moved 9th Division HQ (GOC Maj. Gen. Shawkat Riza) to Jessore, putting
44496-457: Was made up of two infantry battalions , the 1st East Bengal Regiment and the 1/14th (1st battalion of 14th Punjab Regiment ) or 3/ 8th Punjab Regiment (3rd battalion of the 8th Punjab Regiment ). Between them, the two battalions boasted five rifle companies (a battalion normally had five companies). This weak brigade – under the command of Brigadier Ayub Khan (served as an acting Major General – appointment: GOC, 14th Infantry Division) – and
44712-453: Was not rationally analysed in Pakistan with most of the blame being heaped on the leadership and little importance given to intelligence failures that persisted until the debacle of the third war with India in 1971. The Indian Army's action was restricted to Punjab region of both sides with Indian Army mainly in fertile Sialkot, Lahore and Kashmir sectors, while Pakistani land gains were primarily in southern deserts opposite Sindh and in
44928-494: Was opened in 1966. Estonian-American architect Louis I. Kahn was enlisted to design the Dhaka Assembly, which was originally intended to be the federal parliament of Pakistan and later became independent Bangladesh's parliament. The East Pakistan Helicopter Service connected the city to regional towns. The Dhaka Stock Exchange was opened on 28 April 1954. The first local airline Orient Airways began flights between Dhaka and Karachi on 6 June 1954. The Dhaka Improvement Trust
45144-418: Was played by order of Subahdar Islam Khan I during the inauguration of the Bengal capital in 1610. Some references also say it was derived from a Prakrit dialect called Dhaka Bhasa; or Dhakka, used in the Rajtarangini for a watch station; or it is the same as Davaka, mentioned in the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta as an eastern frontier kingdom. According to Rajatarangini written by
45360-432: Was promoted to the acting rank of full general to command the army as his predecessors Frank Messervy and Douglas Gracey were performing the duty of commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army in the acting rank of general, the neighboring country India's first commanders-in-chief were same in this context. The department of the army under General Ayub Khan steered the army's needs towards heavy focus and dependence towards
45576-404: Was readily made available by Gen. Ayub Khan to deploy to support the American Army's fighting troops in the Korean war . Working as cabinet minister in Bogra administration , Gen. Ayub 's impartiality was greatly questioned by country's politicians and drove Pakistan's defence policy towards the dependence on the United States when the country becoming the party of the CENTO and the SEATO ,
45792-446: Was released from prison amid a mass upsurge which led to the resignation of Ayub Khan in 1970. The city had an influential press with prominent newspapers like the Pakistan Observer , Ittefaq , Forum , and the Weekly Holiday . During the political and constitutional crisis in 1971, the military junta led by Yahya Khan refused to transfer power to the newly elected National Assembly, causing mass riots, civil disobedience, and
46008-434: Was run by (then) Colonel Rao Farman Ali under the command of Major General Muzaffaruddin (GOC 14th Division); the conclusions of this exercise formed the basis for the Pakistani operational plan in 1971. Pakistani planners assumed that the main Indian assault would take place on the western border of East Pakistan, and the army in East Pakistan would not defend every inch of the province. Pakistani staff planners identified
46224-560: Was screened on the Riverfront Crown Theatre on 17 April 1898. The film show was organized by the Bedford Bioscope Company. The electricity supply began in 1901. This period is described as being "the colonial-era part of Dhaka, developed by the British during the early 20th century. Similar to colonial boroughs the length and breadth of the Subcontinent, this development was typified by stately government buildings, spacious tree-lined avenues, and sturdy white-washed bungalows set amidst always overgrown (the British never did manage to fully tame
46440-439: Was solely focused towards Ayub's army department and the air force department led by Air Marshal Asghar Khan , giving less priority to the national needs for the Navy. From 1954 to 1958, Ayub Khan was made subjected with receiving multiple service extensions by the civilian Prime Ministers first receiving in 1954 that extended his service to last till 1958. The Pakistan Army under Ayub Khan had been less supportive towards
46656-860: Was then sold at eight maunds per rupee. Thomas Bowrey, an English merchant sailor who visited the city between 1669 and 1670, wrote that the city was 40 miles in circuit. He estimated the city to be more populated than London with 900,000 people. Bengal became the economic engine of the Mughal Empire. Dhaka played a key role in the proto-industrialization of Bengal. It was the centre of the muslin trade in Bengal , leading to muslin being called "daka" in distant markets as far away as Central Asia . Mughal India depended on Bengali products like rice, silk and cotton textiles. European East India Companies from Britain, Holland, France, and Denmark also depended on Bengali products. Bengal accounted for 40% of Dutch imports from Asia, with many products being sold to Dutch ships in Bengali harbours and then transported to Batavia in
#731268