#OTD half a century ago, the war between India and Pakistan came to an end & the new nation of Bangladesh was born from what was East Pakistan. Although the actual war lasted around 2 weeks, the conflict was long in the making (1/6) 
A major moment was night of 25th March, 1971 when the West Pakistani govt. launched Operation Searchlight - a mass crackdown on the Bengali Nationalist movement. It prompted a mass exodus of Bengali speaking population to India (2/6)
The Jessore Road, a 108 KM long thoroughfare connecting Jessore to Calcutta, became filled with desperate masses making their way to Calcutta to save themselves from genocide back home (3/6)
It is estimated that between 8 to 10 million refugees made their way to Calcutta from end of March to early December. Their pitiful sight prompted American poet & activist Allan Ginsberg to pen is memorable poem September on Jessore Road (4/6)
Ginsberg first recited "September on Jessore Road" in a poetry recitation held at St. George's Episcopal Church in New York City (5/6)
As of 2016, "September on Jessore Road" was reproduced on two large posters, written in English and Bengali, at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka (6/6)
Images from: Herald magazine, localpress.co.in, The Hungry Philosopher
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