March 17, 1972 – a historic day. On this day, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi arrived in Bangladesh. At 10:30 AM, India's ‘Rajhans’ aircraft landed at Dhaka’s Tejgaon Airport. The person who arrived on this flight was not just a statesman; she was the leader who had provided shelter, food, and medical aid to ten million refugees during Bangladesh’s Liberation War, supplied weapons and training to the freedom fighters, fought diplomatic battles for Bangladesh’s recognition on the international stage, and, at one point, directly engaged India in the war.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, accompanied by his wife, personally stepped forward to welcome Indira Gandhi at the airport. That day was also Bangabandhu’s birthday—his first birthday on the soil of independent Bangladesh. Indira Gandhi chose this special day for her first visit to Bangladesh.
Although it was a national holiday, Bangabandhu had already announced that his birthday would not be a day of rest but rather a day of hard work and dedication to greater welfare. This declaration was published on the front page of The Daily Ittefaq on March 17, 1972.
During this visit, Bangladesh and India signed a 25-year cooperation treaty, whose key terms included:
• Both countries would respect each other’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
• Neither country would interfere in the internal affairs of the other.
• Neither party would join a military alliance against the other signatory.
Although Mujib’s opponents labeled this as a “slavery treaty,” in reality, it laid the foundation for strong Bangladesh-India relations. However, later, Sheikh Mujib’s daughter Sheikh Hasina's government fully aligned this relationship with Indian interests to prolong its power. Last July, when they were ousted due to mass protests, they paid the price for this flawed policy.
Earlier, within just six weeks, seven million refugees were resettled in Bangladesh. Then, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman requested the rapid withdrawal of Indian troops. Initially, March 25 was set as the deadline for troop withdrawal. However, when March 17 was chosen for Indira Gandhi’s visit to Dhaka, she decided to complete the withdrawal before that. Thus, the new date was set for March 15, 1972.
On March 12, at Dhaka Stadium, Bangabandhu took the salute at a grand farewell parade for the Indian Army. The last Indian soldier left Bangladesh on March 15. Consequently, on his birthday, March 17, Sheikh Mujib presented to the world a Bangladesh that was independent from Pakistan and free of Indian troops.
Liberation war veteran M R Akhtar Mukul recorded an excerpt from a conversation between Sheikh Mujib and Indira Gandhi regarding troop withdrawal in his book Chollish Theke Ekattor (From Forty to Seventy-One):
Sheikh Mujib: Madam, when will the Indian troops leave Bangladesh?
Indira Gandhi: The law and order situation in Bangladesh is still somewhat fragile. Wouldn't it be better to wait until your government has full control over the situation? However, we will act as you see fit.
Sheikh Mujib: We lost three million people in the Liberation War. Even if another one million people die for law and order in independent Bangladesh, we will accept it. But because you are a true friend, I sincerely request that, in the greater interest, the Indian troops be withdrawn as soon as possible.
Indira Gandhi: Excellency, I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on your reasons.
Sheikh Mujib: Now is the time to rebuild Bangladesh. At this moment, we do not want a strong political opposition in the country. But the presence of Indian troops could be used as a political issue, allowing the opposition to mobilize quickly. Madam, surely you do not want that. So, by when will the Indian troops be withdrawn?
Indira Gandhi: (Looking at the ceiling and thinking for a while) Excellency, my decision is that the Indian troops will be withdrawn by March 17.
Sheikh Mujib: Madam, why this specific date, March 17?
Indira Gandhi: Because it is your birthday. On this special day, the Indian troops will leave Bangladesh.
The last batch of Indian soldiers departed from Bangladesh on March 15, 1972. On March 17, on his first birthday in an independent country, Sheikh Mujib breathed a sigh of relief in a Bangladesh free from both Indo-Pakistani troops. By mid-March, just three months after the Pakistani army’s surrender on December 16, he had secured a completely sovereign and self-sufficient Bangladesh.
This remarkable day proves that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not just a political leader—he was a visionary statesman who laid the foundation of a sovereign Bangladesh within just a few months.
Sources:
• The Daily Ittefaq
• BBC Bangla
• Prothom Alo
• Chandra Shekhar Dasgupta: Bangabandhu’s Return to Indian Troop Withdrawal
• M R Akhtar Mukul: Chollish Theke Ekattor
Writer: Journalist
March 17, 2025