April 4

1967

Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" speech in New York City's Riverside Church.

1968

Martin Luther King shot dead. The American black civil rights leader, Dr Martin Luther King, is assassinated.

1971

Tajuddin Ahmed travels to New Delhi from Calcutta and meets Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He asks her to recognise Bangladesh as an independent state. He is accompanied by BarristerAmirul Islam.

Bengali military officers, namely, Major Shafiullah, Major Ziaur Rahman, Major Khaled Mosharraf and others meet in India and request Colonel M.A.G. Osmani to form the Mukti Bahini and take command of it.

1972

The United States recognizes Bangladesh as an independent state. Earlier in 1971, the Nixon administration had adopted a pro-Pakistan stance.

1975

Vietnam War: Operation Baby Lift A United States Air Force C-5A Galaxy crashes near Saigon, South Vietnam shortly after takeoff, transporting orphans 172 die.

1979

Deposed Pakistani PM is executed. Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, is hanged in spite of international calls for clemency.