Why is December 16 celebrated as Victory Day in Bangladesh?

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December 16 is celebrated as Victory Day in Bangladesh to commemorate the official end of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.1

Following months of conflict that began with the Pakistani military's "Operation Searchlight" in March 1971, the war escalated into a direct military confrontation between India and Pakistan in December. After Indian forces launched a major offensive and achieved swift military successes, the Pakistani troops stationed in East Pakistan surrendered on December 16, 1971. This surrender effectively brought the war to a close and secured the independence of Bangladesh.123