Lesson 2/45 min
16 December: surrender and victory
Thursday, 16 December 1971. At the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka, Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, head of Pakistan's Eastern Command, signs the instrument of surrender. Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, head of the joint forces, accepts it.
The final days
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 3 December 1971 | Pakistan carries out air strikes on northern India; India enters the war |
| 4 December 1971 | The UN Security Council meets |
| 6 December 1971 | Jessore is freed, the first district to be liberated |
| 14 December 1971 | Intellectuals are abducted in Dhaka |
| 16 December 1971 | Surrender in Dhaka; Victory Day |
Pressure from abroad
- In December the United States moved cease-fire resolutions; the Soviet Union vetoed them
- The United States sent Seventh Fleet's Task Force 74, including the carrier USS Enterprise, toward the Bay of Bengal
- The US President then was Richard Nixon
The ceremony: who was who
| Side | Person | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi | Martial Law Administrator (Zone B) and Commander, Eastern Command; signed |
| Joint command | Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora | GOC-in-C, Indian and Bangladesh forces in the Eastern Theatre; signed |
| Bangladesh | Group Captain (later Air Vice Marshal) A. K. Khandker | Led the Bangladesh side present; did not sign the document |
| India | Maj Gen J. F. R. Jacob | Brought the draft instrument to Dhaka |
Facts to remember
- Place: Ramna Race Course (today's Suhrawardy Udyan), where the Swadhinata Stambha now stands
- Two people signed the instrument: Niazi and Aurora
- The Bangladesh Forces' commander-in-chief, Ataul Gani Osmani, was not present at the ceremony
- About 93,000 Pakistani personnel surrendered
- 16 December is Victory Day
Watch out: Nobody signed for the Bangladesh government; the document carries just two signatures. A. K. Khandker was present as Bangladesh's representative.
Watch out: Many books give the time as 4:31 pm. An Indian source gives 16:31 Indian Standard Time; Banglapedia gives 5:01 pm Dhaka time. Dhaka was half an hour ahead of Indian time, so these are the same moment. If a question asks for the time, compare it with the options.
Watch out: Books say 93,000 soldiers. The figure actually includes paramilitary and civilian staff; the soldiers numbered roughly 34,000 to 45,000.
Check yourself
Who signed the instrument of surrender?
At a glance
- 1
On 16 December 1971 (Thursday) Pakistan's Eastern Command surrendered at the Ramna Race Course; the day is Victory Day.
- 2
The instrument was signed by Lt Gen Niazi and Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, head of the joint command.
- 3
Group Captain A. K. Khandker was present for Bangladesh; Osmani was not.
- 4
About 93,000 Pakistanis surrendered; the time is 16:31 Indian Standard Time in an Indian source, 5:01 pm Dhaka time in Banglapedia.
- 5
Jessore was the first district freed, on 6 December 1971.