পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৩৩৮

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র : চতুর্দশ খণ্ড
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 The first major city to fall was Jessore. TIME'S William Stewart who rode into the key railroad junction with the Indian troops, cabled: Jessore, India's first strategic prize, fell as easily as a mango ripened by a long Bengal summer. It shows no damage from fighting. In fact, the Pakistani 9th Division headquarters, had quit Jessore days before the Indian advance, and only four battalions were left to face the onslaught,

 "Nevertheless, two Pakistani battalions slipped away, while the other two were badly cut up. The Indian army was everywhere wildly cheered by the Bengalis, who shouted: “Jai Bangla"; and “Indira Gandhi Zindabad." (Long live Indira Gandhi). In Jhingergacha, a half descried city of about 5,000 nearby people gather to tell of their ordeal. “The Pakistanis shout us when we didn't understand,” said one old man. “But they spoke Urdu and we speak Bengali".

Death Awaits

 By no means all of East Bengal was freed of Pakistani rule last week. Pakistani troops were said to be retreating to two river ports, Narayanganj and Barisal, where it was speculated they might make a stand or alternatively seek route of escape. They were also putting up a strong defense in battalion-plus strength in three garrison towns where Indian forces reportedly had encircled them. The Indians have yet to capture the major cities of Chittagong and Dinajpur. Neither army permitted newsmen unreserved access to the contested areas, but on several occasions the Indian military command did allow reporters to accompany its forces. The three-pronged Indian pincer movement, however, moved much more rapidly than was earlier believed possible. Its success was largely attributed to decisive air and naval support.

 Demoralised and in disarray, the Pakistani troop were urged to obey the “soldierto-soldier" radio call surrender, repeatedly broadcast by Indian Army Chief of Staff General Sam Manekshaw, “Should you, not heed my advice to surrender to my army and endeavor to escape,” he warned, “I assure you certain death awaits you". He also assured the Pakistanis that if they surrendered they would be treated as prisoners of war according to the Geneva Convention. To insure that the Mukti Bahini would also adhere to the Geneva code. India officially put the liberation forces under its military command.

 Pakistani prisoners were reported surrendering in fair numbers. But many others seemed to be freeing into the countryside, perhaps in hopes of finding escape routes disguised as civilians. “In some garrison towns stout resistance is being offered,” said an Indian spokesman, “and though the troops themselves wish to surrender, they are being instructed by the generals: “Gain time. Something big may happen. Hold on." He added sarcastically that the only big thing that could happen was that the commanders of the military regime in East Pakistan might pull a vanishing act.

 All week long, meanwhile, the Pakistani regime kept up a running drumfire about Pakistan's jihad, or holy war, with India. An army colonel insisted there were no Pakistani losses whatsoever on the battle field. His reasoning: “In the pursuit of jihad, nobody dies, he lives forever". Pakistan radio and television blared forth patriotic songs such as 'All of Pakistan Is wide Awake' and The Martyr's blood will not go wasted.' The