The events that took place in the then-East Pakistan in 1971 were not merely a region's struggle for independence, but rather one of the most horrific humanitarian and legal catastrophes of the 20th century. The Geneva-based 'International Commission of Jurists' (ICJ) published this special legal study in 1972. This volume analyzes the events occurring from March 1 to December 18, 1971, with extreme neutrality. It primarily uncovers three major aspects: human rights violations, the standing of the laws at the time, and the role of the international community.
This study brings to light the details of planned genocide and torture carried out by the Pakistani military against Bengali students, intellectuals, and especially the Hindu community. Simultaneously, the ICJ analyzes the legality of the then-military rule and the legal context of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s non-cooperation movement. Furthermore, a legal autopsy of India's role in the Bangladesh Liberation War and the United Nations' failure to take effective measures is also included here.
This manuscript is not just a historical document, but a verified analysis of the Bangladesh Liberation War through the lens of international law. The spine-chilling description of the intellectual killings by the 'Al-Badr' forces during the final days of the war, as provided herein, is marked as a dark chapter in history. For truth-seeking readers and researchers, this book, written from an international perspective, can be considered an essential collection.