1947 - The lanuage controversy of Pakistan started even before the creation of Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan spoke only Bangla, while the West Pakistanis spoke Urdu, Pushtu, Punjabi and Sindhi. There were vast differneces in the way of living as well. The diet of the East consisted of fish and rice, while the West ate meat and wheat.

Also the country was administered from the West, which tended to direct foreign aid and other revenues to itself, even though the East had a larger population and produced the majority of the cash crops. These differences and more stirred up a sense of Bengali nationalism. Since the independence of Pakistan, the west hardly had any respect for the Bengalis.

1948 - On a visit to Dhaka, Md Ali Jinnah, The Governor General of Pakistan, stated that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan and no other. The announcement triggered the language controversy.

1952 - The all party state language committee of action was formed. 21st February was declared State Language Day. The Government banned all sorts of meetings & demonstrations. Dhaka University students defied these orders and held a demonstration. They clashed with the Police and para-military forces. Many were killed, hundreds injured and thousands were arrested. 'Ekushe February' (21st of February) became the Red letter day to the bengalis.

1954 - The United Front, demanding autonomy for East Bengal, won the first elections to the Provincial Legislature. But within weeks the party was dismissed by the Central Pakistan Government.

1958 - Scheduled national elections were cancelled. General Ayub Khan took power through military coup.

1966 - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the Awami League demanded the autonomy of East Pakistan.

1968 - The Pakistan Government attempted to stop the movement by holding a trial of conspiracy against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others.

1969 - Ayuab Khan was toppled by a political upsurge, he was succeeded by General Yahya Khan.

1970 - The Awami League won a massive electoral victory in December, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

1971 - At the race course meeting of 25th March, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman challenged the government. He was then arrested and taken to West Pakistan and thrown into jail. This started the rebellion in the East. The Mukti Bahini ( the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters), captured the chittagong radio station, Ziaur Rahman, on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced the birth of the new country.

President Yahya Khan responded by sending more troops to quell the rebellion. General Tikka Khan and his troops began the systematic slaughter of the Mukti Bahini and other 'subversive' elements such as intellectuals and hindus.

By june the struggle became a guerrilla war, with civillians joining the Mukti Bahini. The Pakistani army's tactics became more brutal. Naplam was used against innocent villages.

Pakistan took Dhaka and other major cities. By November, the whole country suffered under the Pakistani army. Widespread looting, rape and slaughter of civillians continued. During that nine months 10 million people had fled to refugee camps in India. Clouds of vulters circled above Bangladesh at this time.

Border clashes between Pakistan and India became more frequent as Mukti Bahini were using them to enter India to equip themselves with weapons.

Finally the Pakistan air force made a attack on Indian forces on 3rd December ; It was open warfare. The Indian troops crossed the border, liberated Jessore on 7th December and prepared to take Dhaka.

The West Pakistan army was attacked from the west by the Indian army, from the North and East by the Mukti Bahini and from all quarters by the civilian population.

By 14th December the Indian victory was complete, Pakistan's General Niazi signed the surrender agreement on 16th December 1971.

On his release from jail, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took over the reins of government. He announced the establishment of the world's 139th country - Bangladesh was born.