SRI RAMNA KALI MANDIR

• President of India will inaugurate a famous Hindu shrine SRI RAMNA KALI MANDIR on December 17, 2021.
• It is located in Dhaka (Bangladesh).
• It was destroyed by the Pakistani forces during the war of 1971.

About:

• The temple was completely destroyed by Pakistani forces during heinous Operation Searchlight in 1971.
• The Ramna Kali Bari used to be a famous landmark of Dhaka where a Kali temple stood for centuries.
• The temple and the temple complex housing many residents were targeted on March 27, 1971, a day after the beginning of the Operation Searchlight of the Pakistan army that targeted the political Opposition and the religious minorities of East Pakistan.
• India supported the renovation and conservation of the historic temple with the help of the Government of Bangladesh.
• The inauguration comes 50 years after Pakistan was defeated in 1971.

Bangladesh Liberation War and Operation Searchlight

• Causes:
• Language Movement, 1948
• Disparities in the economic status of both sides
• Bengali attempt to revolt to earn respect for their language was met with severe suppression from the authorities.
• 1970 elections - Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League won a clear majority. But, the military in Pakistan was opposed to him becoming the country’s supremo.
• Yahya Khan’s military government was unwilling to give up power to Mujib.
• 25th March 1971, the Pakistani army started the infamous ‘Operation Searchlight’
• West Pakistan authorities would not give legitimate power to Mujib, he declared the country’s independence on 26 March.
• Guerrilla war started between the Pakistani army and their collaborators who were called Razakars and the Bangladeshi liberation forces ‘Mukti Bahini’.
• Pakistani forces started attacking civilians in Bangladesh, millions of refugees came to India
• Many Bengali soldiers from the Pakistan army defected to the Bengali side to fight for independence.
• Indian forces were helping by giving arms and training to the soldiers of the Mukti Bahini.
• India entered into combat officially on 3 December 1971 when Pakistan attacked Indian Air Force Bases.
• 16 December 1971, Pakistan surrendered. India won the war and Bangladesh became a free country.
• India played a key part in Bangladesh achieving recognition from other countries of the world.
• PM Indira Gandhi toured several countries to publicise the atrocities conducted by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh.
• To ensure a smooth transition, in 1972 the Simla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan.
• The treaty ensured that Pakistan recognised the independence of Bangladesh in exchange for the return of the Pakistani PoWs.
• India treated all the PoWs in strict accordance with the Geneva Convention, rule 1925.
• It released more than 93,000 Pakistani PoWs in five months."