India recognizes Bangladesh

A country waiting to be seen

For eight months, Bangladesh had a declaration, a government, an army and a flag, but no other country in the world had formally recognized it. The government in exile had worked hard for that recognition, sending envoys abroad and appealing to world opinion, while India sheltered millions of refugees and supported the fighters. Recognition mattered: it would turn a liberation movement into a state other nations would deal with.

6 December 1971

Three days after full war broke out between India and Pakistan, recognition finally came.

On the morning of 6 December 1971, the King of Bhutan sent a telegram to Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, recognizing Bangladesh as a sovereign, independent country and praying for the safety of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. According to Wikipedia, this made Bhutan the first state in the world to recognize Bangladesh.

Later the same day, India recognized Bangladesh. Wikipedia describes India's recognition as the formal beginning of relations between the two countries.

On that same day, Jessore became the first district to be freed from Pakistani control, and the wartime radio, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, became Bangladesh Betar, the national radio.

Why it matters

Recognition by a neighbour at war on Bangladesh's side gave the new country a legal footing just as victory came into sight. Ten days later, Pakistan's forces surrendered in Dhaka. Today, 6 December is marked by Bangladesh and India as Friendship Day.

The road to wider recognition

At the moment of victory, only a few countries had recognized Bangladesh. Most nations followed within months. The Soviet Union did so on 25 January 1972 and the United States on 8 April 1972. Pakistan recognized Bangladesh in February 1974. China, Pakistan's ally, blocked Bangladesh's first application to the United Nations and recognized the country only on 31 August 1975. Bangladesh joined the United Nations in September 1974.