Bangladesh, Mukti Bahini

"You remember us for only two or three days in a year, rest of our time is spent on this floor -in turmoil and illness "-sayings of a veteran warrior of Bangladesh

Mukti Bahini ( Liberation Army), also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organisations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War,1971.he earliest move towards the formation of a liberation army started from the reading of declaration of Independence by Major Ziaur Rahman of east bengal Regiment on behalf of Seikh Mujibar Rahman. He had defected from the Paakistani Armies when crackdown was started on 25 March, on the Bangladesh Army.In the declaration made from

Kalurghat Betar Kendra (Chittagong) on 27 March 1971, Zia assumed the title of Provisional commnder-in-chief of the Bangladesh liberation army.

Headed by Colonel MuhammadAtaur Gani Osmani, a retired Pakistani army officer of Bangladesh, this band was raised as Mujib's action arm and security force before assuming the character of a conventional Guerrilla force.After the declaration of Independence, the Pakistani Militarysought to quel them, but increasing number of Bengali soldiers defected to the underground "Bangladesh army."These Bengali units slowly merged into the Mukti Bahini and bolstered their weapnry.

On April, 1971, Colonel(later general)M.A.G.Osmani assumed the command of armed forces Teliapara, Sylet Headquarters. Osmani was made the commander-in-chief of Bangladesh Armed forces on 17 April, 1971.Serious inititiave for organising the Bangla Desh Liberation army was taken betweeen 11-17 July. In a meeting of the sector commanders in Kolkata , four important resolutions were taken in consideration of strategic aspects of the war, existing problems, and future course of resistance.