U.S. Congress Introduces Resolution Seeking Recognition of 1971 Bangladesh Genocide

A resolution has been introduced in the United States Congress calling for international recognition of the genocide committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence.

The proposal was presented last Friday by Greg Landsman. It highlights the atrocities carried out by the Pakistani military, including mass killings, widespread displacement, and systematic sexual violence against women.

The resolution has now been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for review.

It also addresses the discrimination faced by the people of East Pakistan under the then West Pakistan ruling authorities. The proposal accuses the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan of assisting the Pakistani military in 1971 and calls for accountability.

Citing journalist Anthony Mascarenhas’s report Genocide and the “Blood Telegram” sent by U.S. Consul General in Dhaka Archer Blood, the resolution asserts that Pakistan’s Operation Searchlight constituted a planned genocide.

Through this resolution, Congress urges the President of the United States to officially recognize the 1971 events as a “genocide” and “crime against humanity,” ensure accountability for the perpetrators, and preserve this history for future generations.