Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971
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The Sector Commanders Conference during the Bangladesh Independence War was held in the week of July 11-17 1971. This conference was significant for shaping and organizing the freedom struggle. The command structuring of Bangladesh Forces, sector reorganization, reinforcement and appointing war commanders was its principle focus. This conference was equally presided over by Bangladesh Prime Minister Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed and General Osmani, during which General Osmani received his promotion from Colonel and reinstated from retirement as active duty into the armed forces of Bangladesh as its senior most official. General M A G Osmani had thereby been appointed Commander in Chief of all Bangladesh Forces. Principal participants of this conference was Squadron Leader M.Hamidullah Khan, Major Ziaur Rahman, Wing Commander Bashar, Major Jalil, Captain Haider, Lt. Col. Abdur Rab and Group Captain A.K.Khandaker. Lt.Col Rab was appointed as Chief of Army Staff and Group Captain Khandaker as Deputy Chief of Armed Forces. In this meeting, Bangladesh was divided into Eleven Sectors under Sector Commanders.
The 10th Sector was directly placed under Commander in Chief and included the Naval Commandos as C-in-C’s special force. Sector Commanders directed the guerrilla warfare against West Pakistani forces. For better efficiency in military operations each of the sectors were divided into a number of sub-sectors.
On November 21, 1971, by the time all Bangladesh Forces had severely under-cut the strength of the West Pakistani Forces, under a complicated politico-military scenario, a demand of the Government of India was conceded to by the Bangladesh Government-in-exile in Calcutta, India. The Bangladesh Armed Forces handed over the full command and authority of its operations to the Indian armed forces to command the war. The Pakistani army on December 16, 1971 surrendered itself to the Indian army. Victory was declared by the Indian authorities and all prisoners of war including including combat material were taken to India, with the Indian army remaining inside independent Bangladesh until mid-March 1972.
