Praveen Davar | | Published 29.04.21, 12:15 AM The Mukti Bahini played a key role in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. However, its role tends to be overshadowed by the much bigger contribution of the Indian armed forces in the final stages of the war that changed the geopolitics and geography of the subcontinent, thanks to the visionary leadership of the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi, and the outstanding military leadership of General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw and the other two service chiefs and commanders at various levels. Beginning as the Mukti Fauj, the Mukti Bahini was born soon after the crackdown by the Pakistan army on March 25, 1971. It gradually grew into a large organization of armed and trained men owing allegiance to the provisional government of Bangladesh. The terror let loose by the Pakistan army motivated many young people to join the Mukti Bahini. By the end of April, the number of volunteers rose to nearly 2.5 lakhs.