Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971

The Sector Commanders Conference 1971 during the Bangladesh War of Independence also referred by many as the war of liberation was held in the week of July 11-17 1971. This conference was significant for shaping and organizing the freedom struggle. The official creation of Bangladesh Forces that included and subsequently organised into the formation of Bangladesh Army, and later Bangladesh Air Force and Bangladesh Navy. Its command structuring, 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 Muhammad Ataul Gani 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 Muhammad 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 Bangladesh Army Staff and Group Captain Karim Khandaker Osmani's Deputy. In this meeting, Bangladesh was divided into Eleven Sectors under Sector Commanders. Each sector was further structured into a combination of sub-sectors, each commanded by a Sub-Sector Commander.
The 10th Sector was directly placed under the Commander in Chief and included the Naval Commandos as the C-in-C’s special force. These commandos were later absorbed into the Bangladesh Navy. 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.
The table below provides a list of the sectors along with the area under each of them, the names of the sector and sub-sectors commanders.
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, under a clandestine treaty that India compelled the exile Bangladesh government to sign in November 1971.. The Bangladesh Armed Forces handed over the full command and authority of its operations to the Indian armed forces to command the war. Morally broken and militarily devastated by the BD Forces, the Pakistani Army, on December 16, 1971, without defiance in about week and a half, peacefully surrendered itself to the Indian army. Victory was declared by the Indian authorities and all prisoners of war including combat material were taken to India, with the Indian army remaining inside independent Bangladesh until mid-March 1972.
After the 9(nine) month bloody struggle for independence, the second and final Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference was held on January 29, 1972 at 27 Mintu Road chaired by Bangladesh Forces Commander-in-Chief General M.A.G. Osmani.. This final conference began with General Osmani's speech regarding range of issuea and grievances. Furthermore, he issued several directives and initiatives. The Commander-in-Chief directed that all camps, camp headquarters under all sectors and sub-sectors be consolidated and dismantled by effectively 14th February, 1972. All types of captured weaponry and armament were to be deposited to the relevant authorities and relevant certificates and awards to be drawn up for qualified recipients. Prior to this conference under General Osmani's authorised a small commission for creating and naming gallantry awards. Under this directive Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan with assistance from Dhaka University recommended the four names for gallantry awards to be Bir Shrestha, Bir Uttam, Bir Bikram and Bir Pratik. Subsequently, they were forwarded to General Osmani. He summoned Group Captain A.K. Khandakar and appointed him as Convenor. Rehabilitation of members of Bangladesh Armed Forces including civilian militia members(mukti bahini) were also discussed at this conference. Many qualified personnel were inducted into different service branches. It was at this conference that General Osmani authorised the East Pakistan Rifles to be reformed and renamed Bangladesh Rifles. The famous group photograph of Bangladesh Forces War Commanders under the Bangladesh Flag with C-in-C General M.A.G. Osmani at the centre along with all Force and Sector Commanders was taken.

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