A raid was conducted on Guthuma BOP on July 16. The Pakistanis suffered 3 casualties. The guerillas returned safely.
On July 19, we raided Pakistani position at Kariabazar. This raid was organized on an information that the Pakistanis under a Major from a Punjab regiment had imprisoned about 200 Bengalees who were trying to excape to India. These Bengalce prisoners, with many women in that group, were being tortured by the Pakistanis. The raid was aimed at freeing the prisoners. At about 1: 30 that night, the raiding group with 45 men, Carrying 2 inch mortars, rocket launchers, LMGs, and rifles raided the high school in Kariabazar where the Major with his Punjabi troops were staying. The prisoners were kept in nearby shops and houses. As the raid started, our soldiers kept the enemy pinned down in the school building by firing from LMGs so that the Pakistanis could not come out. Then the guerillas shouted at the prisoners to escape under cover of the fire. Taking advantage of the darkness of the night, 150 of the prisoners managed to escape. There after heavy firing from mortars and rocket launchers continued for over thirty minutes. 18 Pakistani soldiers were killed. On our side there was no casualty.
On July 23, the freedom fighters put mines on the railway track between Bortakia and Mirsharai. The mine exploded when a train was passing. One engine and a compartment was derailed and railway communication remain suspended for some time.
Another raid was conducted on the Pakistani location at Hiaku. The area was being used as a parking place for military vehicles. On July 27, we conducted a raid on this position at about 4 in the evening with mortars and rocket launchers. This raid in daylight caught the Pakistanis totally by surprise. During 15 minutes of the raid, the vehicle park was totally destroyed. 4 Pakistanis wet killed on the spot and unknown number of soldiers were reportedly injured. Many vehicles were set on fire and these were burning for a few hours in the night.
On August 3, Group Captain Khandakar and Col. Rab from HQ Bangladesh Forces visited No.1 sector to discuss and co-ordinate guerilla operations as well as other military actions against the Pakistan Army. This co-ordination was being done in line with the decisions arrived at the sector commanders conference at Calcutta from July 10.
In the co-ordination mecting it was decided to step up guerilla operations against the Pakistanis. As thousands of able bodied men were voluntarily joining the war of liberation, more and more training centers were opened all over the border regions and we were receiving hundreds of trained boys at regular intervals. The trained guerillas themselves demanded to be sent for offensive actions and we were only too obliged to accept their requests. Continuous reports of atrocities by the Pakistanis hardened the attitude of the population as well as the guerillas. The helped us in allocating aggressive and dangerous tasks to various guerilla groups. It was considered an honour if a group was allocated more difficult and risky operational tasks.
On August 9 our troops raided Pakistani position near Andar Manik BOP and overran the Pakistani defences in the encounter, lasting over 1 hour. Naik Haris Miah took the lead in physically assaulting the defences and displayed great courage during this raid.
