Operation Searchlight A Military Crackdown In 1971

Operation Searchlight A Military Crackdown In 1971

OPERATION SEARCHLIGHT – A Military Crackdown in 1971

By Cadet Sonam Jaiswal

In Mar 1971, rising political tension in East Pakistan reached a breaking point, leading to the launch of a military operation known as Operation Searchlight. This operation marked the beginning of a violent crackdown by the Pakistan Army and directly led to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

To understand the origins of this conflict, it is necessary to look back at the Partition of British India in 1947. British India, ruled by the British Empire from 1858 to 1947, was divided into two independent nations of India and Pakistan, largely on the basis of religion. Pakistan was created in two geographically separated wings of West Pakistan and East Pakistan, separated by more than 1,600 kilometres of Indian territory. Although united by religion, the two regions differed sharply in language, culture and social identity.

From the very beginning, political and economic power was concentrated in West Pakistan, while East Pakistan, despite having a larger population, remained politically marginalised and economically neglected. This imbalance steadily fuelled resentment and protest movements in the eastern wing.

Tensions intensified in 1948, when Urdu was declared the sole state language of Pakistan. This decision ignored the fact that the vast majority of East Pakistan’s population spoke Bengali. The imposition of Urdu led to the Bengali Language Movement, culminating in mass protests and the killing of student demonstrators in Dhaka on 21 Feb 1952. This event became a defining moment in the rise of Bengali nationalism.

Over the years, the divide between East and West Pakistan widened further. The situation reached a political crisis after the Dec 1970 general elections, in which the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a clear majority in the National Assembly. Despite this democratic mandate, the Punjabi dominated ruling establishment in West Pakistan refused to transfer power. The election results were effectively ignored, triggering widespread civil disobedience across East Pakistan.

On 07 Mar 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his historic speech at the Racecourse Ground in Dhaka, calling upon the people to prepare for a decisive struggle. Although he stopped short of a formal declaration of independence, the speech became a rallying call for the Bengali population. Soon after, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested by Pakistani authorities.

On the night of 25 Mar 1971, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight under orders from President, Gen Yahya Khan. Beginning close to midnight, Pakistani troops carried out coordinated attacks in Dhaka and other major cities. University hostels, police lines and residential neighbourhoods were deliberately targeted. The assault on the Dhaka Police Lines resulted in heavy casualties among Bengali policemen, while students and civilians were killed in large numbers.

The operation marked the start of a prolonged and brutal conflict that lasted nine months. Estimates of total civilian and military casualties vary widely, ranging from several hundred thousand to over three million, while millions of refugees fled into India, creating a major humanitarian crisis.

During the crackdown, the Pakistani Armed Forces employed a range of military equipment, including M24 Chaffee light tanks, artillery, heavy mortars, automatic weapons and rocket launchers against their own countrymen. Air assets such as F-86 Sabre fighter aircraft, T-33 jet trainers, and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft were used for troop movement and intimidation. Naval elements, including patrol boats and gunboats, supported operations along rivers and coastal areas.

Operation Searchlight failed to suppress Bengali resistance. Instead, it unified the population against Pakistani rule and transformed a political movement into a full-scale liberation struggle. India’s military intervention in Dec 1971 ultimately led to the surrender of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan on 16 Dec 1971 and the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation.

Operation Searchlight remains a stark reminder of the consequences of denying democratic choice and using military force against civilian population.

Cadet Sonam Jaiswal
Leviathan Battalion,
YTA 10