Issue and Opponent: In 1947, when India and Pakistan were partitioned, the present Bangladesh fell under Pakistan’s rule and came to be known as East Pakistan. In 1971, West Pakistan, to suppress the Bengali voices of dissent from East Pakistan, began Operation Searchlight which led to the systematic genocide of Bengalis. Instead of bringing an end to the Bengali protests for self-determination, the genocide served as a major trigger for Bangladesh Liberation War (“Mukti Judhdho”) from March 26 to December 16, 1971, under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Awami League. In the 1970 parliamentary election, Awami League had won 167 out of 169 seats. However, instead of letting Mujibur become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, demanded that East and West Pakistan should have two different Prime Ministers. The protesters demanded that a new nation Bangladesh should be formed based on linguistic and cultural commonality of its population. Apart from cultural and linguistic differences between East and West Pakistan, the East Pakistanis felt economically oppressed. Economic oppression by West Pakistan had led to unequal regional development. Moreover, the East had faced the West’s lack of cooperation and sympathy after the devastating Cyclone Bhola in 1970 in which thousands of East Pakistanis lost their lives and properties. Dilemma Action: On the day of the DA (March 7, 1971), a crowd of 1,000,000 peaceful protesters from East Pakistan led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gathered at Ramna Race Course in Dhaka. Mujib declared that East Pakistan would free itself from West Pakistan and be an independent and sovereign nation. He categorically demanded the following: (1) An immediate lifting of martial law; (2) An immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks; (3) An inquiry into the loss of life; and (4) A transfer of power to the elected representative of the people before the assembly meeting March 25. Any gathering declaring sedition was illegal. However, the protesters who gathered in large numbers remained peaceful, and by all means, the gathering was a non-violent resistance against an oppressive regime. Mujib’s speech lasted for 19 minutes. After which, the gathering dispersed. This was part of a series of protests against the West Pakistan government for the liberation of East Pakistan. Outcome: No protesters who attended the mass gathering on March 7 were arrested although this led to Operation Searchlight (March 26, 1971) targetting Bengali nationalists by the Pakistan government and resulted in the Bangladesh Liberation War. Aided by India, East Pakistan managed to emerge victorious in the Liberation War, and Bangladesh was born on March 26, 1971, with the surrender of the Pakistan Army.