1971 Massacres in Bangladesh

From 1757 to 1947, India was a British Colony until the British withdrew its rule due to the anti-British movements. This led to India's division into India and Pakistan. The Hindu majority areas were within India's borders and the Muslim majority areas were put under the newly created Pakistan. Pakistan got two wings, West Pakistan was located in the west of India, while East Pakistan was located in the east of India. The distance between the two wings of Pakistan was about 1200 miles by land. Pakistan had been under military rule for most of its life. Soon after Pakistan was born the West Pakistanis got the ruling power including 95% military and civil servants. Bengalis, the natives of East Pakistan, were never allowed to participate in ruling the country. The West Pakistani rulers turned the Bengali land into a colony. They were never given the power to rule the country although Bengalis were the 56% majority. The West tried to impose Urdu as the ofcial language in the East. The issues of the state language, inter-wing economic and administrative disparities, provincial autonomy, defense of East Pakistan, and many other issues had been contributing to deteriorating the relations between the two wings of Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan marched on the streets for movements against the rulers of Pakistan. Bengali leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman demanded the autonomy of East Pakistan. He was arrested and tried as a secessionist and was kept in the prison for a total of 15 years.