On 16 December 1971 Bangladesh won its independence from Pakistan through the Bangladesh Liberation war. There was mass rape during the Bangladesh Liberation war with an estimated 200,000-400,000 women were raped by Pakistan Army and their collaborators. On 22 December 1971 the Government of Bangladesh declared women who had been raped Birangana or war-heroine. President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked Bangladesh to "give due honor and dignity to the women oppressed by the Pakistani army" and called them his daughters. Yet many of them committed suicide, a section of them left the country to work as servants abroad, and a great many were killed in the hands of the unskilled mid-wives during abortion. This prompted the government to set up 'seba sadans' to give them clinical support. Kendrio Mohila Punorbashon Songstha was established in January 1972 to rehabilitate these violated women with the technical and humanitarian support from International Planned Parenthood, the International Abortion Research and Training Centre, and the Catholic Church. Later, the government provided them with vocational training and launched a campaign to get them married. Which led to accusations that Bangladesh was trying to hide the Biranganas. The Biranganas have often been ostracised by society and their family members.