Genocide Remembrance Day () is a national day of remembrance in

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

observed on 25 March in commemoration of the victims of the

Bangladesh genocide The Bangladesh genocide was the ethnic cleansing of Bengalis residing in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Bangladesh Liberation War, perpetrated by the Pakistan Army and the Razakar (Pakistan), Razakars. It began on 25 March 1971, as ...

during the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...

in 1971. On 11 March 2017, the

Jatiya Sangsad The Jatiya Sangsad (), often simply referred to as Sangsad and also known as is the unicameral Legislature, legislative body of Bangladesh. The current parliament of Bangladesh contains 350 seats, including 50 seats reserved exclusively for w ...

unanimously passed a resolution designating 25 March as a ''Genocide Remembrance Day''. The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a result of the actions of the Pakistan Army during

Operation Searchlight Operation Searchlight was a military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the operation on the basis of ant ...

, which initiated the Bangladesh Genocide culminating with the

Independence of Bangladesh The independence of Bangladesh was Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence, declared from Pakistan on 26 March 1971, which is now celebrated as Independence Day (Bangladesh), Independence Day. The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March ...

History

The date 25 March commemorates

, a planned military pacification carried out by the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

, started on 25 March to curb the

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

i independence movement by taking control of the major cities on 26 March, and then eliminating all opposition, political or military, within one month. Two days after the beginning of the operation, foreign journalists were systematically deported from East Pakistan. During this period, the persecution of the Bengali population by the Pakistan army was notable. It is believed this was on account of the contempt Punjabi Pakistanis had for Bengalis. There is evidence that among the Bengalis, the Hindu minority was doubly marked out for persecution. In a post-war enquiry several senior Pakistani officers admitted to systematic targeting of the Hindu community. General A. A. K. Niazi, commander of the Pakistani Eastern Command, denied ordering extermination of the Hindus. "Bangladesh will reach out to UN seeking recognition of the 1971 Genocide while the government declared March 25 as Genocide Day", according to Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq.

International recognition

The government of Bangladesh is working on achieving global recognition of March 25 as "Bangladesh's Genocide Day". Genocide Watch and Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention issued statements on the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 perpetrated against Bangladeshi people by Pakistani Army. These statements will strengthen and accelerate Bangladesh's commitment to achieve global recognition of "Genocide Day". International Association of Genocide Scholars (IASG) on 25 March 2023 adopted a resolution recognizing the genocide committed by the Pakistani military during the

in 1971.

Gallery

File:March71.PNG, Location of Bengali and Pakistani military units during

File:03012009 Jolladkhana71 WarMuseumMirpur photo41 RanadipamBasu.jpg, The Jallad Khana Memorial at one of the killing fields in Mirpur File:Human Remains and War Materiel from 1971 Genocide - Liberation War Museum - Dhaka - Bangladesh (12826731774).jpg, Human remains and war material in

Liberation War Museum The Liberation War Museum () is a museum at Agargaon in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, which commemorates the Bangladesh Liberation War that led to the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. History The Liberation War Museum began under t ...

File:1971 intellectuals.JPG, A sculpture in Meherpur showing the execution of Bengali intellectuals by the Pakistan Army File:Martyr's Monument Dhaka University Ashfaq.JPG, Monument in honor of those killed at Dhaka University

References

{{authority control Genocide remembrance days March observances 1971 Bangladesh genocide Public holidays in Bangladesh Annual events in Bangladesh Spring (season) in Bangladesh Memorials to Bangladesh Liberation War

History

International recognition

Gallery

See also

Massacres in Bangladesh

Related days

References