Lesson 3/43 min
Bangabandhu's return
On the night of 25/26 March 1971, during Operation Searchlight, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is arrested. On 1 April he is flown via Karachi to Rawalpindi and then held in Mianwali prison. On 10 January 1972 he returns to Dhaka.
From prison to home
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| August 1971 | His trial begins in a Pakistani military court; 12 charges |
| December 1971 | Bhutto takes power and frees Mujib; they hold talks in Rawalpindi |
| 8 January 1972 | Lands at London's Heathrow on a special PIA flight; holds a press conference |
| 10 January 1972 | From London via New Delhi to Dhaka; in Delhi President V. V. Giri and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi receive him; reaches Dhaka late in the afternoon |
| 12 March 1972 | At Bangabandhu's request, the Indian allied forces begin to withdraw |
Watch out: Sources give different dates for when the last Indian troops left (from mid-March to 26 March 1972). The exam date is the start, 12 March 1972.
Check yourself
When did Bangabandhu return to Dhaka, and by which route?
At a glance
- 1
Arrested on 25/26 March 1971; held in Mianwali prison; tried on 12 charges in a Pakistani military court.
- 2
Bhutto took power and freed him; he reached London on 8 January 1972.
- 3
On 10 January 1972 he returned to Dhaka via London and New Delhi; V. V. Giri and Indira Gandhi received him in Delhi.
- 4
On 12 March 1972, at his request, the Indian forces began to withdraw.