1971 in Bangladesh

• 2 March – First hoisting of the National flag of Bangladesh (initial version) at the Dhaka University[1] 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 – Sheikh Mujib declares the independence of Bangladesh before his arrest by Pakistani Army.
• 27 March – Major Ziaur Rahman broadcasts the declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 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.

Lieutenant-General A. A. K. Niazi, the commander of Pakistan Eastern Command, signing the instrument of surrender in Dhaka on 16 Dec 1971, in the presence of India's Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora.

• 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.

The Shadhin Bangla Football Team was formed by Bangladesh Krira Samity of the Bangladeshi government in exile shortly after the start of liberation war in 1971. This is the first instance of a Bangladesh national football team in any form. The team toured throughout India playing a total of 16 friendly matches to raise international awareness and economic support for the liberation war.

The Shadhin Bangla football team captain Zakaria Pintoo, was the first person to hoist the Bangladesh flag outside the territorial Bangladesh.[2] By the end of the 16th match the team had contributed Tk 5 lac to Muktijuddho Fund in 1971.[3]

• 8 April - Bir Sreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf, war hero (b. 1943)
• 18 April - Bir Sreshtho Mostafa Kamal, war hero (b. 1948)
• 20 August - Bir Sreshtho Matiur Rahman, war hero (b. 1930s)
• 28 October - Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman, war hero (b. 1953)
• 5 September - Bir Sreshtho Nur Mohammad Sheikh, war hero (b. 1936)
• 10 December - Bir Sreshtho Mohammad Ruhul Amin, war hero (b. 1935)
• 14 December - Bir Sreshtho Mohiuddin Jahangir, war hero (b. 1949)

• 25 March - Dr. AKM Asadul Haq, physician (b. 1928)
• 25 March - ANM Muniruzzaman, statistician (b. 1942)
• 25 March - Ataur Rahman Khan Khadim, physicist (b. 1933)
• 25 March - Dr. Fazlur Rahman Khan, geologist (b. 1939)
• 25 March - Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev, educationist (b. 1907)
• 25 March - Dr. Md Abdul Muktadir, geologist (b. 1940)
• 25 March - Nazmul Hoque Sarkar, lawyer, politician (b. 1937)
• 25 March - Sultanuddin Ahmed, engineer (b. 1935)
• 26 March - Mohammad Aminuddin, lawyer (b. 1921)
• 27 March - Meherun Nesa, poet (b. 1942)
• 29 March - Dhirendranath Datta, politician, lawer (b. 1886)
• 29 March - Khondakar Abu Taleb, journalist (b. 1921)
• 30 March - Dr. Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, educationist (b. 1920)
• 31 March - Shahid Saber, journalist (b. 1930)
• April - Muhammad Shafi, dentist (b. 1915)
• 8 April - Mohammad Shamshad Ali, physician (b. 1934)
• 9 April - Dr. Shamsuddin Ahmed, physician (b. 1920)
• 12 April - Dr. Jekrul Haque physician, politician (b. 1914)
• 14 April - Dr. Abul Fazal Ziaur Rahman, physician (b. 1926)
• 14 April - Sukharanjan Samaddar, educationist (b. 1938)
• 15 April - Muhammad Habibar Rahman, mathematician (b. 1940)
• 24 April - Dr. Suleman Khan, physician (b. 1939)
• 26 April - Dr. Mohammad Sadat Ali, educationist (b. 1942)
• 5 May - M Anwarul Azim, industrial administrator (b. 1931)
• 7 May - Ranadaprasad Saha, philanthropist (b. 1896)
• 13 May - Sheikh Abdus Salam, educationist (b. 1940)
• 29 May - Dr. Kosiruddin Talukder, physician (b. 1899)
• 28 August - Saroj Kumar Nath Adhikari, educationist (b. 1938)
• 30 August - Altaf Mahmud, lyricist and musician (b. 1933)
• 9 September - Khondakar Abul Kashem, educationist (b. 1944)
• 26 September - Dr. Atiqur Rahman, physician (b. 1931)
• 28 October - Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, educationist (b. 1952)
• 15 November - Dr. Azharul Haque, physician (b. 1940)
• 20 November - Dr. ABM Nurul Alam, physician (b. 1961)
• 25 November - Mir Abdul Qayyum, psychologist (b. 1939)
• December - Dr. Anwar Pasha, author (b. 1928)
• 11 December - ANM Golam Mostafa, journalist (b. 1942)
• 12 December - Nizamuddin Ahmed, journalist (b. 1929)
• 14 December - Dr. Faizul Mahi, educationist (b. 1939)
• 14 December - Dr. Ghyasuddin Ahmed, educationist (b. 1935)
• 14 December - Munier Chowdhury, educationist, author (b. 1925)
• 14 December - Dr. Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury, educationist, linguist (b. 1926)
• 14 December - Dr. M Abul Khair, educationist (b. 1929)
• 14 December - Dr. Mohammad Mortaza, physician (b. 1931)
• 14 December - Dr. Rashidul Hasan, educationist (b. 1932)
• 14 December - Dr. Sirajul Haque Khan, educationist (b. 1924)
• 14 December - Dr. Santosh Chandra Bhattacharyya, educationist (b. 1915)
• 14 December - Shahidullah Kaiser, journalist, author (b. 1927)
• 14 December - Selina Parvin, journalist, poet (b. 1931)
• 15 December - Dr. AFM Alim Chowdhury, ophthalmologist (b 1928)
• 15 December - Dr. Mohammed Fazle Rabbee, cardiologist (b. 1932)
• 16 December - Dr. Ayesha Bedora Choudhury, physician (b. 1935)