Timeline of Bangladeshi History - 20th Century

20th Century

Year Date Event
1905 Partition of Bengal.
1907 Haraprasad Shastri discovered Charyapad, the oldest known Bengali written form.
1913 Establishment of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Bangladesh in Brahmanbaria
1921 Establishment of Dhaka University, the first university of Bengal territory (now Bangladesh).
1930 18 April Chittagong Armoury Raid by Surya Sen.
1934 12 January Surya Sen was hanged on 12 January 1934 by the British rulers following the arrest in February 1933.
1947 15 August Partition of British India, Pakistan and India become two independent states.
1948 11 March General strike by students protesting at the exclusion of Bengali as an official language.
21 March Governor-General of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah declares in a civic reception that "Urdu, and only Urdu" will remain as the state language.
24 March Jinnah reasserts his 'Urdu-only' policy in a speech at Curzon Hall at the University of Dhaka.
28 March Jinnah reiterates his language policy on radio.
1949 23 June Formation of the Awami Muslim League
1952 21 February Bengali Language Movement reaches its peak as the police open fire on protesting students.
1953 17 April The Awami Muslim League becomes the Awami League.
September A. K. Fazlul Huq forms the Krishak Sranik Party.
1954 11 March The United Front wins most of the seats in the East Bengal Legislative Assembly.
30 May Governor General Ghulam Muhammad deposes United Front government and establishes Governor-rule.
1955 6 June The United Front government is reinstated, Awami League does not participate.
14 October 'East Bengal' renamed 'East Pakistan'.
1956 29 February Bengali becomes one of the state languages of Pakistan.
1958 7 October Constitution abrogated and martial law declared in Pakistan.
1963 21 February Inauguration of the Shaheed Minar language martyr memorial.
1966 Six point Bengali nationalist movement led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman emerges.
1968 Agartala Conspiracy Case filed by the government of Pakistan accusing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others of sedition.
1969 January Mass Uprising of '69 (ঊনসত্তরের গণ-অভ্যুত্থান) in East Pakistan. (to February)
25 March Ayub Khan resigns and Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan assumes power under martial law.
1970 12 November 1970 Bhola cyclone
7 December First general election in Pakistan. Awami League gains majority.
1971 2 March First hoisting of the National flag of Bangladesh (initial version) at the Dhaka University by Vice President of Dhaka University Students' Union (DUCSU) leader A. S. M. Abdur Rab.
7 March Sheikh Mujibur Rahman makes his historic freedom speech.
25 March Pakistan Army launches Operation Searchlight at midnight on the 25th, marking the start of the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities. Sheikh Mujib is arrested. (to 26 March)
26 March Major Ziaur Rahman broadcasts the declaration of independence over the radio.
31 March Kushtia resistance begins.
2 April Jinjira genocide
10 April Formation of a provisional Bangladesh government-in-exile.
12 April M. A. G. Osmani takes command of the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
17 April The government-in-exile takes oath at Mujibnagar.
18 April Battle of Daruin, Comilla and Battle of Rangamati-Mahalchari waterway, Chittagong Hill Tracts.
5 May Gopalpur massacre, workers slain by the Pakistani Army
20 May Chuknagar massacre by the Pakistan Army.
24 May Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra radio station established in Kolkata.
11 July Sector Commanders Conference 1971. (to 17 July)
16 August Operation Jackpot, Bangladesh naval commando operation.
20 August Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman attempts to defect after hijacking a fighter plane.
5 September Battle of Goahati, Jessore.
28 September Bangladesh Air Force functional.
13 October Dhaka guerrillas kill Abdul Monem Khan, governor of East Pakistan.
28 October Battle of Dhalai Outpost, Srimongol.
9 November Six small ships constitute the first fleet of Bangladesh Navy.
16 November Battle of Ajmiriganj, an 18 hour encounter between MB Freedom Fighters and the Pakistan army.
20 November Battle of Garibpur between India and the Pakistan Army. (to 21 November)
21 November Mitro Bahini, a joint force of Bangladesh and Indian troops formed.
22 November Battle of Boyra, involving Pakistani and Indian air force.
3 December Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 breaks out. Bangladesh Air Force destroys Pakistani oil depots.
4 December India officially invades East Pakistan.
6 December India becomes the first country to recognize Bangladesh. Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra radio station becomes Bangladesh Betar.
7 December Liberation of Jessore, Sylhet and the Moulovi Bazar.
9 December Chandpur and Daudkandi liberated.
10 December Liberation of Laksham. Two Bangladeshi ships sunk mistakenly by Indian air attack.
11 December Liberation of Hilli, Mymensingh, Kushtia and Noakhali.
14 December Selective genocide of nationalist intellectuals, liberation of Bogra.
16 December Surrender of the Pakistan army and liberation of Dhaka.
22 December The provisional government of Bangladesh arrives in Dhaka from exile.
1972 9 February The 25-year Indo-Bangladeshi Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace is signed in Dhaka.
10 February Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returns to Bangladesh.
17 March Indian army leaves Dhaka.
19 March The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India sign the Joint River Commission bilateral working group.
4 November Constitution of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh is adopted by the Assembly.
16 December Constitution of Bangladesh becomes effective.
1973 7 March First general election in Bangladesh is held, Bangladesh Awami League secures a majority.
6 September Bangladesh joins the Non-Aligned Movement(NAM).
15 December Gallantry awards for wartime service published in the Bangladesh Gazette.
1974 Bangladesh famine of 1974 cause the deaths of over one million people.
22 February Pakistan recognizes Bangladesh.
9 April A tripartite agreement is signed between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan regarding post-war humanitarian issues.
17 September Bangladesh joins the United Nations (UN).
28 December Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares a state of emergency.
1975 25 January A fourth amendment the constitution abolishes the parliamentary system and establishes a presidential system system in its places.
25 February Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) established under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the single legitimate political party.
15 August Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
3 November On Jail Killing Day, four leaders of the liberation war are assassinated in prison.
7 November Major General Ziaur Rahman becomes deputy Martial Law Administrator.
1976 29 August Death of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
1977 21 April Ziar replaces Sayem as President.
30 May Ziar gains 98.9 percent of votes in a referendum on his continuance as president.
3 June Supreme Court justice Abdus Sattar becomes vice president.
1 September Formation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP).
28 September Japanese Red Army terrorist group forces a hijacked Japan Airlines Flight to land in Dhaka.
1978 Bangladesh is elected to a two-year term on the UN Security Council.
3 June Ziar wins presidential election and secures his position for a five-year term.
1979 18 February The 1979 General Election takes place. Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Ziar scores a decisive victory.
1981 30 May Assassination of Ziaur Rahman.
1982 24 March Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad assumes power after a bloodless coup.
4 October Bangladesh signs a memorandum of understanding with India on water sharing over the following two years.
1983 11 December Hussain Muhammad Ershad takes over as president.
1986 7 May At the 1986 General Election, a victory by the Jatiya Party consolidates Ershad's position.
1987 7 December Ershad dissolves parliament under opposition pressure.
1988 3 March Jatiya Party gains an overwhelming majority in the General Election with 68.44% of the votes.
2 December A devastating cyclone strikes Bangladesh.
1989 26 April The Daulatpur-Salturia Tornado, one of the deadliest in world history hits Bangladesh.
1990 6 December Ershad offers resignation.
1991 27 February Bangladeshi general election, 1991, Bangladesh Nationalist party snatches victory.
29 April 1991 Bangladesh cyclone kills more than 138,000.
1996 14 May Over 400 are killed as a tornado strikes northern Bangladesh.
19 May Failed attempt of coup d'état by Lt. Gen. Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim, Bir Bikram.
12 June General election of '96, Bangladesh Awami League gains majority.
12 December India and Bangladesh sign a 30-year treaty on Ganges water sharing.
1997 2 December The 'Chittagong Hill tracts Peace Accord' is signed between Bangladesh government and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti.
1999 17 November 21 February is declared International Mother Language Day in the 30th General Conference of UNESCO.
2000 20 March President Clinton becomes the first US president to visit Bangladesh.

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