16th December – Vijay Diwas

News

  • On December 16, 2023, India will commemorate 53 years of the Indo-Pak War.
  • This 53-hour run honors the 53rd Vijay Diwas and pays tribute to the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 war.

Key Points

  • In remembrance of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, Vijay Diwas is celebrated annually on December 16.
  • On December 3, 1971, the Indian government declared that it would attack Pakistan in order to defend Hindus and Muslims living in Bengal.
  • India and Pakistan fought this war for thirteen days and the head of Pakistan’s 93,000-strong military unconditionally submitted to the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, the country’s allies, in Dhaka on December 16, 1971.
  • During the Bangladesh Liberation War, the armed groups known as Mukti Bahini fought the Pakistan Army. It was a movement of guerilla resistance.
  • This day marks the birth of Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh observes Bijoy Dibos, its independence day, on December 16 of each year.

NOTE: The former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is referred to as the country’s “Founding Father.”