December 20, 1971
- Surrendered PakistanGeneral Niazi and General Rao Farman Ali taken to Kolkatafrom Dhaka by a special chartered flight.
- The number of arrested Pakistani troops is 65,670 till the night of December 19, a spokesperson of Indian army’s eastern command announced. Another 8,000 troops detained in Chittagong garrison. And 20,000 otherPakistani bureaucrats, police also detained.
- A few diplomats acknowledge their allegiance to Bangladesh today – Ehsanul Kabir, economic minister of Pakistan embassy in London; Muslehuddin Ahmad, commercial councillor in Paris, and Khairul Anam, second secretary in Brussels.
- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto takes over the presidency of Pakistan. In a radio speech he proudly declaresa fight to reclaim ‘East Pakistan’.
- Many army high officials including former president Yahya Khan, his chief of staff General Abdul Hamid Khan and security secretary Gulam Umar Khan are sent to retirement.
Source: Bangladesh Liberation War Museum