বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (পঞ্চদশ খণ্ড)/১২
এম আর সিদ্দিকী
It was 1st March 1971. News came on the Radio that the elected National Assembly will not meet. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in a meeting in Hotel Purbani. He was enraged. He came out and declared hartal on 2nd for Dhaka and on 3rd for the rest of the country. A meeting was called for 7th March at Race Course Maidan. He declared that there will be no co-operation with the Government. No one will pay any taxes and duties. No bank will payout any fund without clearance from local Awami Leaguc Chicf. The struggle began.
In Chittagong I was the president of District Awami League. Soon an Action Council (Sangram Parishad) was formed and I was elected Chairman of the Action Council. All non-Bengali firms had to take clearance from me to draw money from the bank. Even the Army Officers’ family needed permission from us to leave East Pakistan. Bengalees got very agitated and started demonstrating by processions and slogans. In Chittagong there is a large Bihari community living in the Railway colony. While a procession was passing by the Bihari colony they were attacked with lathis, swords and guns. Each Bihari family was supplied with guns by Pakistani authoritics which was not known to the Bengali residents. Many Bengalees were injured and killed. Riots broke out between the Biharies and Bengalees. Riots got worse every day. Army was deputed in the area. The contingent was headed by Col. Choudhury, an East Pakistani who apparently tried to protect the Bengalees. They were soon removed and replaced by a West Pakistani contingent who started siding with the non-Bengalees. Armed forces set up Head quarters at the Government Circuit House. The Navy joined forces.
When a lot of Bengalees dead and wounded were being brought in from Pahartali area to Medical College Hospital I went personally to the Circuit House seeking their protection. They assured help. When I asked for a lift to my house they put me in a Navy truck which was heading straight to Bihari Colony. I was sure they were going to hand me over to the Biharies to be killed. I told them to stop but they would not listen. At one point another military truck was coming from the opposite direction. When they slowed down to exchange information” I seized the opportunity and jumped out of the truck to safety.
Situation in Dhaka and rest of Bangladesh was worsening every day and was getting more and more tense. Non co-operation with the Government was more or less complete and universal. A kind of parallel Government came to the functioning.
Meantime President Yahya Khan proposed a dialogue with Awami League and flew into Dhaka on 15th with all Military colleagues and leading political leaders of West Pakistan like late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. While the dialogue went on they started flying in Army personal by plane load in civilian clothes and by ships.
In Chittagong Major Rafique then Capt. of the EPR contacted us and conveyed that the entire LPR Officers and Jawans will be with us. He undertook to contact his counterparts in Rangamati, Kaptai, and Cox's Bazar and arrange for their joining the fight as soon as the signal is given to them.
In the Cantonment Brigadier Mazumdar was in charge. He sent Captain Amin Ahmed Chowdhury to be in touch with us every night and pledged their support. The then D. C. Mustafizur Rahman and SP......... of Chittagong also pledged their support. The S. P. was late killed by Pak Army for Collaboration with Awami League.
One Ship M. V. “Swat” carrying arms, ammunition, explosives and soldiers arrived Chittagong. Being alerted Awami League Action Committee urged the port workers not to unload the ship. Army tried to force the workers at gun point but without success. They asked the EPR Jawans to shoot which they refused. Then the Army shot 7 EPR Jawans on the spot. Then they ordered the Army in the Cantonment to clear the ship. Brig. Mazumdar asked for advice as to what he should do. I could not take a decision as refusal to obey would amount to mutiny and open confrontation with Pak Army. I straightway drove to Dhaka on 23rd march for consultation with Bangabandhu and for his instruction. I met him in his house. He said he was hoping there will be a satisfactory conclusion of the dialogue and he does not think there will be a war as Yahya was there as president. I told him that war has started in Chittagong and I see all preparation for a full scale attack. He asked me to hurry back to Chittagong to mobilize all forces there and defend Chittagong. In case of an attack he will escape to Chittagong and join us in the fight. I enquired when to give the green signal to Army, LPR, police and civil administration. He was not sure. Col. Osmani was called in for consultation and he suggested that when the Radio stops broadcasting we should take that as the zero hour. But I said that could happen due to power failure. Then he said when they try to disarm Bengalees we should take that the war has started and resist. However I rushed back to Chittagong but too late. Brig. Mazumdar and Capt. Amin by that time was lifted by helicopter and brought to Dhaka. Chittagong Cantonment was placed in command to a non-Bengalee Officer. The Army unloaded the arms from ‘Swat’ and tried to take them to the Cantonment but people blocked their way every inch by road blocks. Firing took place but the Army was forced to store the arms in the Halishahar transit camp.
Twenty fifth situations was very tense in Chittagong. We did not know what was happening in Dhaka. At around 7-00 p.m. I managed to contact Sheikh Shaheb through his neighbor Mr. Mosharaff Hossain and Mr. Naeem Gouhar. He asked them to tell me that talks had failed. Ask Army, EPR and police not to surrender arms and give a call to people to give resistance. After this all communication with Dhaka was cut off.
The Sangram Parishad discussed the situation and decided to go into hiding and go into action, On 26th morning at about 6-30 a. m. my wife Latifa received a phone call from Mr. Moinul Alam (Ittefaq Correspondent in Chittagong) who gave her a message from Bangbandhu received through wireless operators of Chittagong. The message read “message to the people of Bangladesh and to the people of the world. Rajarbagh police camp and Peelkhana EPR suddenly attacked by Pak Army at 24-00 hours. Thousands of people killed. Fierce fighting going on. Appeal to the world for help in our freedom struggle. Resist by all your means. May Allah be with you. Joy Bangla. Message from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.” This message was passed on to me immediately. The Sangram Parishad immediately discussed the message and decided to announce the appeal over the radio. By this time the radio station at Agrabad was already inaccessible because of the presence of Pak Army. We Collected Mr. Belal Chowdhury Mr. Sultan Ali and other staff of Radio Pakistan Chittagong who suggested broadcasting the message from the Kalurghat relay station. A draft of the announcement was made in Bengali by Dr. Abu Jafar and others and it was decided that Mr. M. A. Hannan, General Secretary of District Awami League would read out the announcement. Accordingly on 26th March at 2-30 p.m. Mr. Hannan read out the historical announcement in the name of Sheikh which is known as the Declaration of Independence. Based on this later Bangladesh Government decided to observe 26th as the National Day. Major Zia and his troops were placed to guard the Kalurghat Radio Station. Next day on 27th March Zia went of the air and declared himself the President and gave a call for freedom fight. This confused the Awami Leaguers and the public Mr. A. K. Khan who heard the news said that it will be interpreted as an Army coup and there will be no support nationally or internationally. He made out a new draft in English. Major Zia realized the mistake and read out the new draft saying Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the president and the call was on his behalf.
Full scale fight started. Army tank was brought out but people created road blocks, put fire on the tarmac forcing the army to abandon the tank and retreat into the Cantonment. Inside the Cantonment Beluch Regiment killed Col. M. R. Chowdhury and nearly two third of Bengalees Officers and Jawans. Some of the men and Officers escaped with their arms through the hills. The Eighth Bengali Regiment which was stationed at CDA market was ordered to leave for Karachi. Major Ziaur Rahman along with other Bengali Officers conferred and killed the non-Bengali Colonel and joined the liberation forces. The Awami League organized an attack of the Cantonment under the leadership of Major Zia. EPR police and Awami League volunteers along with about 400 mercenary forces of Arakan Raja totaled about 2,000. The attack did not take place.
On 27th March Pakistan Government sent a big column from Comilla to join the beseized army in Chittagong Cantonment. We received the information through the telephone system of the Railway Stations. With the help of Noakhali Awami League we immediately built up road blocks all the way, the biggest one being at Shuvapur bridge where we blew up part of the bridge. However, the column proceeded slowly removing the road blocks. The deserting EBR forces and EPR volunteered to intercept and ambush the column at Kumira. Under the leadership of Capt. Bhuiyan & Capt. Rafiq we arranged for food and other necessities. The ambush did take place forcing column to abandon all the vehicles and the survivors running into the hills for safety. They lost a senior Officer of the Pak Army. Our forces then proceeded north and came in control of the road up to Feni River.
The liberation forces took position in different parts of the city preventing the enemies progressing from Chiuagong Airport and Comilla side. They were fighting for every inch of the land. Then the Navy and Air force joined in. the Navy shelled from the sea and PAF started strafing and bombing our strongholds and bazaars. Our boys started retreating through the hill tracts towards the border of lidia but Fighting all the way.
I was approached by Major Zia to collect ammunitions from India without which they could not continue the fight. With the help of some Hindu friends who knew the border well I managed to cross the border at Sabrum on 30th March along with Mr Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury, Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan and Mr. Abdullah AlHaroon. We were received well by the Indian border Police, was given food and then taken to Agartala to their chief. I was asked various questions and pointed out certain positions on the map of their chief. I was asked various questions and pointed out certain positions on the map of Chittagong. I identified them as being our troop concentrations. Then he told me that the intercepted Pak Army instructions to bomb these places. Later we came to know that these places were bombed on that day. On my request for ammunitions they arranged some supplies but said I must contact the Government at Delhi and get their clearance.
A large number of MNAS, MPAs arrived Agartala from Chittagong, Noakhali and Comilla. They all pressed me to form a Provisional Government so that we could officially negotiate with the Government of India. But I refused as none of the Senior Leaders like Syed Nazrul Islam, Khondakar Munshtaque, Tajuddin Ahamed, Kamruzzaman, Mansur Ali etc. have arrived yet. It was their prerogative to form a Government in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
I was then taken to the Chief Minister of Tripura, Mr. Sachindra Singha. Hc immediately talked to Mrs. Gandhi on phone. After discussion he suggested that I should go to New Delhi for talks. That day Dr. Anisur Rahman and Prof. Rahman Sobhan reached Agartala. I requested them also to accompany. So passage was arranged for us under assumed Hindu names. After we arrived Delhi I was taken to house where Officers from Home and Foreign Ministry and also Dr. Triguna Sen, ex-Education Minister and others met me. An appointment was made with the Prime Minister for the following. In the evening I was told another leader from Bangladesh has arrived there. To my pleasure and relief I found Mr. Tajuddin accompanied by Barrister Amirul Islam. I talked to them for a while and requested Mr. Tajuddin to meet the Prime Minister so that I could fly back to the front to our forces next morning which I did.
Few days later M/s. Tajuddin and Amirul Islam arrived Agartala. By that time Syed Nazrul Islam and Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed also arrived Agartala. The question of forming a Government was then taken up seriously. We expected that Syed Nazrul Islam, being next to Sheikh Mujib as 1st Vice-President, will head the Government as Prime Minister but Mr. Tajuddin said he had already told Mrs. Gandhi that he was the Prime Minister and our creditability will be gone if we change it. Khandakar Mushtaque Ahmed did not agree and most of MNAs also disagreed. As a result a deadlock arose.
All morning went. Everybody was getting impatient. At that point I went to Sayed Nazrul Islam and asked what was his final stand. He said when Mr. Tajuddin wants to be Prime Minister let him be in the interest of the movement. I have no personal ambition. It was decided that they will all go back to Calcutta and have the Cabinet announced there and then come back to Agartala.
Meantime thousands of refugees started arriving Agartala. They had to be identified, provided accommodation and food. We were given a room to set up an office which came to be known as “Joy Bangla” Office. We started registering all refugees and giving them identity cards. Camps were being set up all around Agartala. An MNA or MPA was put in charge of each camp. Rations were arranged. While doing these the uppermost anxiety in our mind was how to fight back the Pakistani and with the war. Col. M. A. G Osmani, being the seniormost retired Army Officer was put in charge of the liberation Army. The whole front was divided into sectors and one Major was made the Sector Commander. Major Dutta in Sylhet Sector, Major Zia in Chittagong Sector, Major Khaled Mosharraf in Comilla Sector and Major Shafiullah in Mymensingh Sector in the Eastern zone. While they were all engaged in fighting in the front we were responsible for providing them with rations, tents and arms.
It was felt that if we have to win the war we must build up a ‘Mukti Bahini’ in addition to our regular Army. Plans were drawn up to train 1,00,000 youngmen from the refugees to fight. Separate Youth Camps were soon set up and arrangements were made for trainers. While these arrangements were being negotiated with Indian Government we asked our Sector Commanders if they could start the training. Only Major Khaled Mosharraf volunteered to train the boys and also to share his ration with these boys until their ration was arranged. It was this first batch of boys who were first sent inside the country as commandos.
In Agartala Mr. Mahbub Alam Chashi and Mr. Taheruddin Thakur were assisting me full time. In the Office Mr. Taufiq Imam, C S P was made the Secretary General. Hc was D. C. Rangamati but joined liberation struggle and came over to Agartala with us. A kind of regular civilian Government in exile was functioning.
Sadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Bengali Officers of Radio Pakistan while fleeing to India took with them one 5-kilowatt Transmitter. This was set up in Agartala started functioning as Sadhin Bangla Betar. Prof. Mohd. Khaled, MNA, was put in charge of developing programmes for the broadcast. Since the transmitter was not powerful enough to cover all parts of Bangladesh, we requested the Indian Government to lend us a more powerful transmitter. Eventually a 50-Kilowatt Transmitter was arranged but was set up in Calcuua. So the broadcast shifted from Agartala to Calcutta.
After installation of the Cabinet I went to Calcutta and found that things were not quite organised. I suggested to Syed Nazrul Islam, Mr. Tajuddin and Khondakar Mushtaque Ahamed, that they should set up regular office like a Government. They said they do not have anybody there to help them. I promised to help with Officers from Agartala. The Foreign Minister's Office was then set up on the first floor of Deputy High Commission and Mr. Mahbub Alam was posted there as Foreign Secretary. I sent Mr. Taufiq Imam to be Cabinet Secretary to Mr. Tajuddin and Mr. Asaduzzaman was appointed as Finance Secretary.
I was made “In Charge” of the Eastern Zone and I was given a seal of “Ganaprojatantri Bangladesh Sarkar” with authority to operate all bank account and other funds. Mr. Chashi started contacting all Bengali Officers in Pakistan Embassies asking them to defect and join the exile Government. There was instant response and a large contingent of senior officers in the Washington Embassy was ready to defect. I was then requested by the then Foreign Minister to take over as the first Ambassador of the exile Government to USA and Canada. I left for USA in July, 1971. We took a floor in an office block on Connecticut Avenue which was the first Embassy of the Government of Bangladesh. I was not officially recognized as an Ambassador as they did not recognize Bangladesh but I was allowed to register as a Head of Mission so that I could carryon the political lobbing legally. Although the Government of the United States was a friend of the Government of Pakistan we received tremendous support in the US Press, Congress, Senate, Universities and general public because of the righteousness of our cause and because of the universal disapproval of the genocide carried out by Pakistan forces. Some Americans who lived in Bangladesh formed themselves into a group and set up in Washington. “The Bangladesh Information Centre”. Mention must be made of Dr. Greenough, Dr. David Nalin, Tom Dine, Anna Taylor. Among the Politicians Senator Church, Senator Kennedy, Senator Percy, Senator Saxbe. Congressman Gallagher took up our cause as a crusade and their offices became our campaign centres. It was the Saxbe-Church amendment which stopped military aid to Pakistan.
Bengalees in every city in USA formed themselves into an Association and started helping our cause by all possible means including raising of funds. Mention here must be made of Mr. F.R. Khan, the famous Architect, who was the president of Bangladesh Foundation in Chicago. In the Embassy, Minister Enayet Karim, Counsellor Kibria, Economic Counsellor Muhith and press Counsellor Abu Rushd Matinuddin and Syed Moazzem Ali all engaged in extensive lobbying as in an election campaign Shunning all official diplomatic protocols.
Came 16th December, 1971. Pakistani forces surrendered. Bangladesh become free of enemy occupation. we got worried about the fate of Sheikh. Finally on 1st January, 1972 he telephoned me there. I could not accompany him but returned a few days later. Breath of freedom was in the air and it felt like a new life again.
It was a memorable event meeting Bangabandhu who welcomed me with his warm embrace. Later I was asked to join his cabinet as Minister for commerce and Foreign Trade.
March, 1984