How did East Pakistan become the independent country of Bangladesh in 1971?

The independence of Bangladesh in 1971 was the culmination of long-standing political, economic, and linguistic grievances between East and West Pakistan. Following the 1970 general elections, where the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a decisive majority, West Pakistani leaders—including President Yahya Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto—refused to transfer power, leading to mass protests in the east.123

On March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military launched Operation Searchlight, a brutal crackdown targeting civilians, intellectuals, and activists. Mujib declared independence on March 26 before his arrest. In response, Bengali military units and student activists formed the Mukti Bahini, an insurgency supported by India.24

As millions of refugees fled to India, the conflict escalated into the 1971 India-Pakistan War after Pakistan launched preemptive air strikes on Indian bases on December 3. Indian forces quickly overwhelmed Pakistani troops in the east, securing the surrender of the Pakistani army in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, which finalized the independence of Bangladesh.5312