The city witnessed joyous celebrations as Bangladesh became a sovereign nation after the Pakistani Army was defeated on this day in the Bangladesh Liberation War. The nine-month war had the Mukti Bahini and India joining forces and led to the secession of East Pakistan from Pakistan. The war was not long but resulted in large-scale destruction of life and property by the Pakistani Army.
December 16 is now celebrated as Victory Day in Bangladesh every year. After Mukti Bahini’s victory, groups of Calcuttans who had sympathised with the Mukti Bahini and groups from East Pakistan living in exile in the city had gathered in front of the embassy of the new nation and sang the Tagore song Amar Sonar Bangla with gusto and “tunelessly”, remembers a member of the happy crowd. This song is the Bangladeshi national anthem.
People shed happy tears. A group of Calcuttans had set up the Bangladesh Assistance Fund before the Indian government joined the war and would carry to the border blankets and buckets, with guns concealed in them.