Virtual Bangladesh: History: Bibliography

Title: Witness to Surrender
Author: Siddiq Salik
ISBN: 984 05 1373 7
Publisher: The University Press Limited
Address: Red Crescent Building, 114 Motijheel C/A, GPO Box 2611, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Contact: English
Year: 1997 (first published in 1977 by Oxford University Press, Karachi)
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: An interesting perspective by a (West) Pakistani Officer on the 1971 conflict. The deployment and actions taken by the occupational forces can be confirmed by cross examination from other text written in military format (see Maj. Gen. KM Safiullah (Bangladesh) and Lt. Gen. JFR Jacob (India) below for further details). What is an arousing observation is when the author re-lives the events leading up to Mujib's arrest and the one sided dialogue which took place prior to that event.

Title: Surrender at Dacca : Birth of a Nation
Author: Lt. Gen. JFR Jacob
ISBN: 984 05 1395 8
Publisher: The University Press Limited
Address: Red Crescent Building, 114 Motijheel C/A, GPO Box 2611, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Contact: English
Year: 1997
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: Written by India's Chief of Staff (Eastern Wing) during the 1971 War, the then Maj. Gen. Jacob describes the all important logistical aspects and reasoning behind the delay with military intervention of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force until the latter part of 1971. Co-ordination between the three services and integration of (plus the role played by the) Mukti Bahini is well documented hence adding the aspect of realism of the campaign to liberate Bangladesh.

Title: The Year That Was
Author: Ishrat Firdousi
ISBN:
Publisher: Bastu Prakashan
Address: 68/2 Purana Paltan, Dhaka
Contact: English
Year: 1996
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: The book is a collection of short stories and portrays individual experiences of over 70 people during the nine month military crackdown. They neither promote themselves as heroes nor victims but as observers and participants to what culminated to the formation of an independent nation. The inclusion of transcripts by (West) Pakistanis and Biharis, albeit limited in number, is a welcome addition to the compilation. Several narration's by Bengalis point out the difficult situations which some (West) Pakistani civilians had to endure during the conflict.

Title: Bangladesh at War
Author: Maj. Gen. K. M. Safiullah, psc., Bir Uttam
ISBN: 984-08-0109-0
Publisher: Academic Publishers
Address: 35 Syed Awlad Hossain Lane, Dhaka -1100, Bangladesh
Contact: English
Year: 1995 (Second Edition)
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: An excellent account from a Sector Commander and Bangladesh's First Army Chief of Staff, who describes the Mukti Bahini's continual confrontation with the (West) Pakistani military from the point of desertion to the surrender ceremony at the Ramna Race Course. Failed attempts and losses of both men and equipment whilst employing conventional tactics with vastly inferior equipment and lack of air support/artillery forced the Freedom Fighters to use guerrilla tactics. This approach, as Brig. Siddiq Salik states, proved to have had an adverse affect on the (West) Pakistani soldiers towards the closing days of the campaign. Due credit is given to all other Sector Commanders and includes a summary of events and tactics used which occurred other areas of the country during the conflict. This is the only book written by a Bengali Officer on the 1971 campaign which is known to be in the libraries of the Pakistani Military Academy.

Title: Of Blood and Fire : The Untold Story of Bangladesh's War of Independence
Author: Jahanara Imam translated by Mustafizur Rahman
ISBN:
Publisher: Academic Publishers
Address: 35 Syed Awlad Hossain Lane, Dhaka -1100, Bangladesh
Contact: English
Year: 1991 (Second Edition)
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: Originally published in Bengali, February 1986 under the title of 'The Days of '71', the book was eventually translated to English. This afforded a wider audience to experience the events in Dhaka up to, during and after the military crackdown. Written in the format of a day-to-day diary, the author provides a touching account of her family's involvement, and those around her, with the struggle for independence. The emotions and concerns of a wife and mother are heartfelt and will leave readers with lasting distaste for war and conflict.

Title: A Tale of Millions : Bangladesh Liberation War - 1971
Author: Maj. Rafiqul Islam, Bir Uttam
ISBN:
Publisher: Ananna
Address: 38/2 Bangla Bazar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contact: English
Year: 1986 (Third Edition)
Other: Review by Abdul M. Ismail: An authoritative account of Captain Rafiqul Islam, an East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) Company Commander who, like numerous other Bengali Officers took up arms and rebelled against their (West) Pakistani counterparts. The author shows his frustration of lack of logistical support, indiscipline of non-military personnel and shares his thoughts by his criticising his superior officers. An interesting observation was the recruitment of student leaders and educated individuals by Indian Intelligence. These 'elite' Bengalis were given superior training, arms and ammunition and operated under the Operational Layout of the Indian Armed Forces rather than under a unified command structure of (and much to the annoyance of the) Bangladesh Military . The second half of the book is dedicated to activities which occurred in other sectors and includes operational activities of the naval commandos who specifically targeted military and supply vessels.

Title: War and Secession : Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh
Author: Richard Sisson, Leo Rose
ISBN: 0520076656
Publisher: Univ California Press
Address:
Contact: English
Year: 1991
Other: n/a

Title: bish Bachhor Par
Author: Edited by Muhammad Jafar Iqbal
ISBN:
Publisher: Published by Dr. Nurun Nabi & Sajjad Choudhury
Address: 3, Bradley Court, North Brunswick, NJ 08092.
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1991
Other: n/a

Title: muldhAra
Author: Moidul Hassan
ISBN:
Publisher: University Press Limited
Address: 114 Motijheel Com Area, Dhaka.
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1986
Other: n/a

Title: lokkho prAner binimae
Author: Rafiqul Islam, Bir Uttam
ISBN:
Publisher: Chhayapath Prakashani
Address: 125-A Motijheel Com Area, Dhaka
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1981
Other: Also an English Version-- A Tale of Millions.

Title: ekAtturer ranAngon
Author: Shamsul Huda Chowdhury
ISBN:
Publisher: Ahmed Publishing House
Address: 7, Zinda Bahar Ist Lane, Dhaka.
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1982
Other: n/a

Title: ekAtturer dinguli
Author: Jahanara Imam
ISBN:
Publisher: Sandhani Publications
Address: Dhaka
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1986
Other: English Version Available

Title: muktijudhhe nae mAsh
Author: Major S. A. Bhuianh
ISBN:
Publisher: Ahmed Publishing House
Address: 7, Zinda Bahar Ist Lane, Dhaka
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1972.
Other: n/a

Title: India's Wars Since Independence - The Liberation of Bangladesh - Vol 1
Author: Maj.-Gen. Sukhwant Singh
ISBN: 07 06 91 05 75
Publisher: Stosius Inc., Advent Books Div
Address:
Contact: 1980
Year: n/a
Other:

Title: shAdhinatA '71, Vol I & II
Author: Kader Siddiqui, Bir Uttam
ISBN:
Publisher: Dey's Publishing
Address: 13, Bankim Chatterjee St., Calcutta 700073.
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1985
Other: n/a

Title: BANGLADESH, THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION
Author: Lawrence Lifschultz
ISBN:
Publisher: ZED Press
Address: 57, Caledonia Rd, London.
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1979
Other: n/a

Title: THE BANGLADESH REVOLUTION & AFTERMATH
Author: Talukder Maniruzzaman
ISBN:
Publisher: Bangladesh Book International
Address: R. K. Mission Road, Dhaka.
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1980.
Other: n/a

Title: ekAtturer ghatok o dAlAlerA ke kothAe
Author:
ISBN: Muktijudda Chetana Bikash Kendra
Publisher:
Address: Dhaka
Contact: Bengali
Year: 1987.
Other: n/a

Title: PAKISTAN CRISIS
Author: David Loshak
ISBN:
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Book Company
Address:
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1971.
Other: n/a

Title: THE LIGHTNING CAMPAIGN
Author: Maj-Gen. D. K. Palit
ISBN:
Publisher: Thompson Press(India) Ltd
Address:
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1972.
Other: n/a

Title: DISCOVERY OF BANGLADESH
Author: Stephen M. Gill
ISBN:
Publisher: The Uffington Press
Address: Melksham, Wiltshire, U. K.
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1973.
Other: n/a

Title: A SOCIO_POLITICAL HISTORY OF BENGAL & BIRTH OF BANGLADESH
Author: Kamruddin Ahmad.
ISBN:
Publisher: Inside Library
Address: 543/H Dhanmandi R. A., Rd 13, Dhaka.
Contact: ENGLISH
Year: 1975.
Other: n/a