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The Independence of Bangladesh in 1971: Source 3

The National Archives

Where this source supports the record

Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.

  1. Natural disasters · 12 November 1970

    Bhola Cyclone

    Manpura Island disaster area · Bangladesh

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    Why editors use it here

    Contemporary diplomatic document and archival context on the disaster's political dimensions.

    1. Quick read

      On 12 November 1970, a powerful tropical cyclone drove a catastrophic storm surge across the low-lying islands and coast of what was then East Pakistan.

      Reviewed 4 August 2026
    2. Trigger and conditions

      A depression in the Bay of Bengal organized and accelerated northward.

      Reviewed 4 August 2026
    3. Uncertainty

      The death toll is necessarily a range because entire settlements and records were lost.

      Reviewed 4 August 2026
    4. Why it matters

      Bhola shows that a weather hazard becomes a political and humanitarian catastrophe through exposure, poverty, weak communication, and public trust.

      Reviewed 4 August 2026