RowenaGlenny3 at 21:54, 11 February 2026

2026-02-11T21:54:47Z

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{{Short description|East Pakistani committee}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = East Pakistan Central Peace Committee
| native_name = {{ubl|{{plainlist|{{langx|bn|পূর্ব পাকিস্তান কেন্দ্রীয় শান্তি কমিটি}}|{{langx|ur|مشرقی پاکستان مرکزی امن کمیٹی}}}}}}
| colorcode = #008000
| leader =
| president = [[Syed Khwaja Khairuddin]]
| chairperson = [[Farid Ahmad]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1971|4|10}}
| ideology = * [[Anti-Bengali sentiment]]
* [[Anti-Hindu sentiment]]
* [[State terrorism]]
* [[Democide]]
| headquarters = [[Dacca]], [[East Pakistan]]
| country = {{flag|Pakistan}}
| abbreviation = {{ubl|PPKSC ([[Bengali language|Bengali]])|EPCPC ([[English language|English]])}}
| founder = 12 people, including [[Tikka Khan]] and [[Ghulam Azam]]
| dissolved = {{Start date and age|1971|12|16}}
| membership = 140<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/different-news/news/414986|title=|date=April 9, 2019|language=bn|script-title=bn:ঢাকায় মুক্তিযুদ্ধবিরোধী নাগরিক শান্তি কমিটি|trans-title=Dhaka's anti-liberation Citizen Peace Committee|access-date=November 15, 2024|work=[[Janakantha]]}}</ref>
| membership_year = April 1971
| position = [[Far-right politics|Far-right]]
| religion =
| national = {{ubl|[[Pakistan Armed Forces]]|[[Razakars (Pakistan)|Razakars]]|[[Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami|Jamaat-e-Islami]] | [[Al-Badr (East Pakistan)|Al-Badr]]|[[Al-Shams (East Pakistan)|Al-Shams]]}}
| flag =
}}

'''East Pakistan Central Peace Committee'''{{Efn|({{langx|bn|পূর্ব পাকিস্তান কেন্দ্রীয় শান্তি কমিটি|Purbo Pakistan Kendrio Shanti Committee}}; {{langx|ur|مشرقی پاکستان مرکزی امن کمیٹی}}), also known as the '''Nagorik Shanti Committee''' (Citizen's Peace Committee), or more commonly '''Peace Committee''' or '''Shanti Committee''', founded as the '''Dhaka Nagorik Committee''' ({{Langx|bn|ঢাকা নাগরিক কমিটি|4=Dhaka Citizens Committee}})}} was one of several committees formed in [[East Pakistan]] in 1971 to aid efforts of Pakistani forces during the [[Bangladesh War of Independence]]. [[Nurul Amin]], as a leader of [[Pakistan Democratic Party]], led the formation of the Shanti Committee to thwart the [[Mukti Bahini]], which fought for independence of the region.<ref name="Banglapedia">{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Peace Committee}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=13 April 1971 |script-title=bn:ভারতীয় চক্রান্ত বরদাস্ত করব না |trans-title=We will never tolerate Indian conspiracy |newspaper=[[The Daily Sangram]]}}</ref><ref name="Rubin2010">{{cite book |last=Rubin |first=Barry A. |year=2010 |title=Guide to Islamist Movements |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wEih57-GWQQC&pg=PA59 |publisher=[[M. E. Sharpe]] |page=59 |isbn=978-0-7656-4138-0}}</ref><ref name="Fair2010">{{cite book |last=Fair |first=C. Christine |year=2010 |title=Pakistan: Can the United States Secure an Insecure State? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RC-ANwtR_SoC&pg=PA22 |publisher=[[Rand Corporation]] |pages=21–22 |isbn=978-0-8330-4807-3}}</ref>

== Background ==
On 25 March 1971, the war in East Pakistan began. On 4 April 1971, twelve pro-Pakistan leaders, including [[Nurul Amin]], [[Ghulam Azam]] and [[Khwaja Khairuddin]], met [[General Tikka Khan]] of the Pakistan Army and assured him of co-operation in opposing the Bengali rebellion.<ref name="chandan">{{cite book |script-title=bn:একাত্তরের ঘাতক ও দালালরা |trans-title=The Killers and Collaborators of 71 |last=Chandan |first=Azadur Rahman |date=February 2011 |orig-year=2009 |edition=Revised 2nd |publisher=Jatiya Sahitya Prakash |location=[[Dhaka]] |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/105628755/%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%A8 |pages=48–54 |archive-date=4 December 2013 |access-date=9 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204182022/http://www.scribd.com/doc/105628755/%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%A8 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After subsequent meetings, they announced the formation of Citizen Peace Committee, with 140 members.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=133777 |title='Peace Committee formed on Apr 10 in '71 to resist birth of Bangladesh' |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]] |access-date=7 March 2016 |archive-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308055315/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=133777 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="dpak11041971">{{cite news |script-title=bn:ঢাকায় নাগরিক শান্তি কমিটি |newspaper=[[Daily Pakistan]] |date=11 April 1971}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.observerbd.com/2014/10/25/50744.php |title=Wartime crime charges against Ghulam Azam |work=[[The Daily Observer (Bangladesh)]] |access-date=7 March 2016 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115031759/https://www.observerbd.com/2014/10/25/50744.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first recruits included 96 Jamaat-e-Islami members, who started training in an Ansar camp at Khanjahan Ali Road, [[Khulna]].<ref>{{cite news |date=25 May 1971 |newspaper=[[Daily Pakistan]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=26 May 1971 |newspaper=[[The Azad|The Daily Azad]]}}</ref> The Shanti Committee also recruited [[Razakars (Pakistan)|Razakars]].<ref name="Wall Street Journal">''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', 27 July 1971; quoted in the book ''Muldhara 71'' by Moidul Hasan</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/07/15/guilty-of-all-grisly-acts |title=Guilty of all grisly acts |work=[[bdnews24.com]] |date=15 July 2013 |access-date=7 March 2016}}</ref>

== History ==
The leaders of the East Pakistan Central Peace Committee called on citizens of Pakistan to defend Pakistan from ''"Indian aggression"'', as India was accused of supporting the Bangladeshi liberation movement. The Peace Committee organised a rally from [[Baitul Mukarram]] to Chawkbazar Mosque on 13 April. The rally was to end with a meeting near [[New Market, Dhaka]]. At the end of the rally, riots began in [[Azimpur, Dhaka|Azimpur]], Shantinagar and Shankhari Bazar areas, fire was set to houses of Bengalis and some were killed.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Karlekar |first=Hiranmay |date=2005 |title=Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan? |url=https://archive.org/details/bangladeshnextaf0000karl |url-access=registration |publisher=SAGE |page=149 |isbn=978-0-7619-3401-1}}</ref>

The Peace Committee spread throughout East Pakistan, reaching even rural villages. Compared to the indiscriminate killing of Pakistan Army, the Peace Committee were more specific and guided by lists, they made of opponents.<ref name=":0" /> The members of Peace Committee were feared and hated by the population of East Pakistan. Peace committee members were killed during the war.<ref>{{cite book |last=United States Congress |date=1971 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eC-8cRFQOycC |publisher=[[U.S. Government Printing Office]] |pages=27134–27135}}</ref>

On 14 April, at a meeting in Dhaka, the Citizen Peace Committee renamed itself as the East Pakistan Central Peace Committee. A working committee was formed consisting of 21 members.<ref name=po-apr16>{{cite news |title=Citizens Peace Committee Renamed |newspaper=[[The Pakistan Observer]] |date=16 April 1971}}</ref> They set up an office in [[Maghbazar]]. The Peace Committee appointed one or more liaison officers for the different police station areas of Dhaka. On 17 April 1971, the members of the peace committee apprised Governor [[Tikka Khan]] of the progress made by them toward restoring normalcy and confidence among the citizens.<ref name=po-apr17>{{cite news |date=17 April 1971 |title=Peace Committee Leaders call on the Governor |newspaper=[[The Pakistan Observer]]}}</ref> The central peace committee was being deputed to the district and divisional headquarters throughout east Pakistan.<ref name=po-apr26>{{cite news |date=26 April 1971 |title=Peace Committee to be set up in districts |newspaper=[[The Pakistan Observer]]}}</ref> When Pakistani troops arrived in [[Munshiganj]], south of the capital, on 9 May 1971, they were warmly received by the local peace committee and other residents.<ref name=purbadesh>{{cite news |title=Munshiganj Welcomes Pak Troops |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/newspapers/paob19710512-01.1.1 |date=12 May 1971 |newspaper=[[The Pakistan Observer]] |pages=1, 6}}</ref>

According to the historian Azadur Rahman Chandan in his 2011 book about the war, the Peace Committee was the first organisation to be set up by local residents who collaborated with Pakistan.<ref name="chandan"/> Its members were drawn from the Muslim League, [[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|Jamaat-e-Islami]], which thought an independent Bangladesh was against Islam; as well as the [[Urdu]]-speaking [[Biharis]].<ref name="kann">{{cite news |first=Peter R. |last=Kann |date=27 July 1971 |title=East Pakistan Is Seen Gaining Independence, But It Will Take Years |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>

== Tasks ==

* This was a pro-Pakistan local militia formed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
* They collaborated with the '''Pakistan Army''' to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement.
* Members of this committee were involved in:
** Targeted killings of Bengali nationalists and intellectuals.
** Supporting the Pakistan Army in atrocities, including massacres and widespread rape.
** Instigating violence and terrorizing Bengali civilians.

* They earned a notorious reputation for betrayal and brutality against the Bengali population.

== Abolition ==
On 16 December 1971, after the end of the war, the committee was abolished.<ref name="Banglapedia" />

== Former members ==
* [[Khwaja Khairuddin]] - President of [[Council Muslim League|East Pakistan Council Muslim League]]

== See also ==
* [[Bangladesh genocide]] (1971)
** [[Bangladesh Genocide Remembrance Day]]
** [[Al-Badr (East Pakistan)|Al Badr]], perpetrator
** [[Al-Shams (East Pakistan)|Al Shams]], perpetrator
** [[Razakars (Pakistan)|Razakars]], perpetrator
** [[Mujahid Bahini (East Pakistan)|Mujahid Bahini]], perpetrator
* [[List of massacres in Bangladesh]]
** [[Persecution of Biharis in Bangladesh]]
** [[Persecution of Buddhists#Bangladesh|Persecution of Buddhists in Bangladesh]]
** [[Persecution of Hindus#Bangladesh|Persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh]]
** [[Persecution of Christians in Bangladesh]]
** [[Attacks on secularists in Bangladesh|Persecution of atheists and secularists in Bangladesh]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{1971 Bangladesh genocide}}

[[Category:Politics of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:Reactions to the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Wartime collaboration]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi war crimes]]
[[Category:Perpetrators of the Bangladesh genocide]]

East Pakistan Central Peace Committee - Revision history

RowenaGlenny3 at 21:54, 11 February 2026