The military cracked down on the politicians and the people they led. Operation Searchlight began on the night of March 25, 1971 and its basis for planning clearly stated: “AL (Awami League) action and reactions to be treated as rebellion and those who support (the League) or defy ML (martial law) action be dealt with as hostile elements... As AL has widespread support even amongst EP (East Pakistani) elements in the Army, the operation has to be launched with great cunningness, surprise, deception and speed combined with shock action.”

Troops moved with full force against Awami League supporters, students at the Dhaka University and Bengali Hindus. Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was arrested and moved to West Pakistan. Salik offers the following account of the night of March 25, 1971: “The first column from the cantonment met resistance at Farm Gate, about one kilometre from the cantonment. The column was halted by a huge tree trunk felled across the road. The side gaps were covered with the hulks of old cars and a disabled steamroller. On the city side of the barricade stood several hundred Awami Leaguers shouting Joi Bangla slogans.

“I heard their spirited shouts while standing on the verandah of General Tikka’s headquarters. Soon some rifle shots mingled with the Joi Bangla slogans. A little later a burst of fire from an automatic weapon shrilled through the air. Thereafter it was a mixed affair of firing and fiery slogans, punctuated with the occasional chatter of a light machine gun. Fifteen minutes later, the noise began to subside and the slogans started dying down. Apparently, the weapons had triumphed.”

... contd.