Bangladesh celebrates “December 16” as “Victory Day” (Bijôe Dibôsh) is a national holiday. On this day in 1971, the Pakistani Army surrendered to the Indo-Bangladeshi High Command in Dhaka, ending the 9 month-long Bangladesh Liberation War and 1971 Bangladesh atrocities. General AAK Niazi, the Commanding Officer of the Pakistan Armed Forces in the then East Pakistan, surrendered his forces to Lt. Gen J. Singh Arora, the Allied forces commander.
The Instrument of Surrender was signed at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, by Lt General J. S. Arora, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army and Lt. General AAK Niazi, Commander of Pakistani forces , as the formal act of surrender of all Pakistani forces. Also present during the ceremony were Lt. General JFR Jacob, Chief of Staff of the Eastern Command and architect of the plan for the capture of Bangladesh.
Issue Date: 29-07-1971
The map was later deleted in 1972 from the flag. The red disc represents the sun rising over the golden Bengal (Soner Bangla), and also the blood of those who died for the independence of Bangladesh. The green field stands for the lushness of the land of Bangladesh.
India also commemorates victory over Pakistan on the same day in 1971 as Vijay Divas on 16 December.
