Ziaur Rahman - Liberation War of 1971

Liberation War of 1971

Following the failure of last-ditch talks, Yahya Khan declared martial law and ordered the army to crack down on Bengali political activities and arrested Sheikh Mujib on the early mornings of 26 March 1971. Zia who already by then revolted made announced the Declaration of Independence on the early morning hours of 27 March 1971 at the Kalurghat radio station in Chittagong. In that declaration Zia also declared himself head of the provisional revolutionary government of Bangladesh, against the Pakistani occupation army. Later again on 27 March, he repeated the declaration which read:

This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, the Provisional Head of the Government of Sovereign State of Bangladesh, on behalf of our Great National Leader, the Supreme Commander of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, do hereby proclaim the Independence of Bangladesh.

Zia organised an infantry unit gathering all Bengali soldiers from military and EPR units in Chittagong. He designated it Sector No. 1 with its HQ in Sabroom. A few weeks later, it was restructured officially under Bangladesh Forces as the sector in the Chittagong and Hill Tracts area, under General M. A. G. Osmani, the Supreme Commander of Bangladesh Forces, of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh HQ'd at 8 Theatre Road, Calcutta, WB, India. On 30 June 1971 Zia was appointed the commander of the first conventional brigade of the Bangladesh Forces, which was named "Z Force", after the first initial of his name, followed by K-forces in August and S-force in September, named after Major Khaled Musharraf and Major Shafiullah respectively. His brigade consisted of 1st, 3rd and 8th East Bengali regiments, enabling Zia to launch major attacks on Pakistani forces.

Having earned a reputation for courageous leadership during the course of the war and reading the declaration of independence of Bangladesh in a critical time, Zia was awarded the Bir Uttom, the second-highest military honour (and the highest for living officers) by the Government of Bangladesh.