Operation Searchlight is a planned genocide carried out by the Pakistani military since March 25, 1971, in an attempt to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement in March 1971 and earlier. [9] Operated by the Order , which was a subsequent follow-up to Operation Blitz in November 1980. The main objective of the operation was to capture all the major cities of the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) by March 26 and wipe out the political and military opposition within a month [10]. The Bengalis then put up a counter-resistance , which was beyond the imagination of the Pakistani planners [11]. The main part of Operation Searchlight ended with the collapse of all major cities in mid-May. This military offensive accelerated the 1971 genocide. The genocide infuriated the Bengalis, which is why the Bengali generals and soldiers of the Pakistan army revolted , the independence of Bangladesh was declared and many people had to take refuge in India as refugees. This horrific genocide marked the beginning of the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971 and the Bengalis struggled to disperse the occupying Pakistani forces.