This book is devoted to a study of the international legal implications of the Bangladesh liberation movement. Being the first ever national liberation movement in this decolonized era, the Bangladesh incident has assumed and will continue to assume paramount significance in contemporary international law and relations. International legal issues that have been put to severe test over the Bangladesh incident are numerous but are also subtle and complex. Of them the prominent one is the legal status of the Bangladesh liberation war and whether such a war may be regulated by known rules of international law. The study accepts the international legal principles involved in the Bangladesh crisis as they are commonly understood in the existing international legal system and applies them to the Bangladesh situation. The end in view is to test their operation, adequacy and effectiveness in dealing with such an international crisis as this, and to highlight whether the Bangladesh experience has brought about any change in.and contribution to, the progressive development of international law. This book. from the facets of the Bangladesh situation. aims to develop certain guiding principles that help in assessing the standard of legitimacy should similar events occur in the future, and thus aid the international community in concern for the establishment of a legal order to deal with post-colonial national liberation movements.

Contents:

1. Introduction / 2. Factors Shaping the Bangladesh Liberation Movement /3.The Right of East Pakistanis to Self-Determination The Legal Position of East Pakistan’s Exercise of Self-Determination / 4. The Legal Position of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Bangladesh  / 5. Domestic Jurisdiction and the Bangladesh Liberation Movement / 6. The Use of Armed Force / 7. Resort to Force by India / 8. International Legal Personality and Competence of the Bangladesh Provisional Government / 9. The Secession of East Pakistan or the Territorial Integrity of Pakistan: A Conflict of Principles