Dhaka Pakistan Rifles and the Bengali police. Large parts of the city were burnt and destroyed, including Hindu neighborhoods. Much of the city's population was either displaced or forced to flee to the countryside. In the ensuing Bangladesh War of Independence, the Bangladesh Forces launched regular guerrilla attacks and ambush operations against Pakistani forces. Dhaka was struck with numerous air raids by the Indian Air Force in December. Dhaka witnessed the surrender of the west Pakistan forces in front of the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces on 16 December 1971 with the surrender of Pakistan. Dhaka was declared the national capital by the
Greater Dhaka shown in blue and red on map, based on 2011 figures: Notes: ** Areas may differ from 2001 due to accuracy or natural changes in land boundaries. Greater Dhaka Greater Dhaka is the conurbation surrounding the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka, which has grown into one of the world's largest megacities, and shows a very rapid rate of expansion. Dhaka not only grows because it is the capital and largest urban center, but also due to massive internal displacement from millions of people living in a perennially flood-prone river delta. The area of Dhaka Statistical Metropolitan Area was 1,353 square