The day of Pakistan’s capitulation in December 1971 became Bangladesh’s Victory Day. As liberation and independent statehood became realities, a mood of exuberance took hold of the delta. But the new state was faced with enormous problems: extensive war damage to the economy, dealing with collaborators and caring for war victims. The Awami League was at the helm and won the first elections but soon proved not up to the task. Two years after independence the country was in profound economic and political crisis, and for most people the situation had become almost unbearable. Even worse, famine struck and, reverting to Pakistan’s model of authoritarian rule, politicians were swept aside by three successive coups d’état that installed a military dictatorship.