December 4, 1971
- The joint force of East Bengal Regiment and sector 1 Captain Mahfuz advanceon Chittagong from Western sector and continue their move towards the eastern sector. They avoid the Pakistani camps on straight lines; rather they pass the camps to confuse the Pakistan military.
- Indian fighter jets keep bombing different military establishments in Dhaka and Chittagong. Dhaka experiences enormous amount of dog fights between Pakistanand Indian fighter jets. Dhaka was the actual base of Pakistan Air Force. Most of their fighter jets were stationed in Dhaka. The PAF had two squadrons of jets, 28 fighter planes – 14 Chinese Mig-19 and 14 US-made Sabre F-86. Before the Indo-Pakistan war broke out, President Yahya ordered the Migs to return to Pakistan, but the Sabres remained in Tejgaon airport. Almost half of the squadron of those Sabres was damaged in the Indian airborne attack.
- President Yahya Khan addresses the nation via radio. He declares war against India saying that Pakistanhas tolerated for long enough. The time has arrived to strike back the enemy. The Pakistan army will not only drive the Indian force out of “Pakistan soil” but also hurt them in their own boundary. Yahya orders his army to enter India.
- A government spokesperson says that both part of Pakistanare experiencing heavy conflicts. Indian pressure in East Pakistanis dealt with equal aggression. China promises firm support to Pakistan.
Source: Bangladesh Liberation War Museum