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HT This Day: March 28, 1971 -- Pak planes bomb Bangladesh
The men of the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army today started surrendering to the liberation forces of Bangla Desh, according to the Free Bangla Radio, even as Pakistan Air Force jets roared into action in support of the hard-pressed ground troops.
The men of the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army today started surrendering to the liberation forces of Bangla Desh, according to the Free Bangla Radio, even as Pakistan Air Force jets roared into action in support of the hard-pressed ground troops.
The radio said that Air Force planes had bombed Comilla town and that the Army had been using tanks. United States Consular sources confirmed that tanks were being used in Dacca. The town was claimed to be in the hands of the freedom fighters.
The radio repeatedly said that the East Pakistan Martial Law Administrator, Lt.-Gen. Tikka Khan, - was shot dead in Dacca this afternoon while directing troops. Government-controIled Radio Dacca kept silent on this.
A later report indicated that Lt.-Gen. Tikka Khan, whom the East Pakistani Judges had refused to swear in as Governor earlier this month, had escaped with severe injuries.
The Voice of Bangla Desh gave the name of the man who killed Gen. Tikka Khan as Shamshuddin.
There were reports of pitched battles in several towns with the Army encountering stiff resistance in Dacca, Chittagong, Rangpur and Comilla.
The Free Bangla Radio claimed that the Bangla Desh “Government” controlled most parts of East Pakistan and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was himself directing the operations.
The radio said: “The enemy is not even sparing hospitals. Many patients in a hospital in Dacca were killed when it was destroyed by bombings, it added.
In a day of conflicting reports, Pakistan Government radio announced the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, leader of the independence movement. But this was promptly denied by three secret radio stations operated by the freedom-fighters which said that he was free and not under arrest. The stations said Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was in Chittagong. However, there was no independent confirmation of either claims.
Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s voice was heard from one of the secret radio broadcasts in which he said: “I am free and all right. Comrades go ahead with your programme to achieve the goal of freedom. Do not be misguided by enemy propaganda.”
Reports said between 5,000 and 10,000 civilians had been killed so far.
Beside Dacca, Khulna was bombarded from the air by the Pakistanis to break the very strong resistance to the Army.
The Pakistan Army, facing a shortage of fuel, was believed to have got supplies from Burma.
Radio Dacca admitted this evening that people in the embattled cities and towns were fleeing to villages.
The Dacca station, broadcasting an official announcement, advised the people not to move out of their residences “since normalcy is fast returning and the martial law authorities will now be in a position to ensure their security.”
About 35,000 Indian citizens, who gathered near the Tripura border wanting to cross over to Pakistan and fight beside the men of Bangla Desh, were thanked by the liberation army leaders for their offer of support.
Addressing the Indians from the Bangla Desh side of the border, they said they were hopeful of warding off the Pakistani attacks on their own.
The use of tanks and aircraft followed the successful immobilisation of troops by the freedom fighters by raising wood-and brick barricades across streets in almost all towns, by blowing up bridges over the rivers and streams crisscrossing the land and by dismantling railway tracks and destroying railway stations.
The Pakistani authorities, however, claimed the Army had established “effective control” over the “whole of East Pakistan” and conditions were fast returning to normal, but unwittingly confirmed the impediments in the way by broadcasting a new martial law order calling upon the people to remove all barricades or other traffic obstructions within 100 yards of their houses or face ten years’ imprisonment.
Reports from Bangla Desh said the units of the liberation force had repulsed the Pakistani troops’ attempts to seize control of the towns of Chittagong, Comilla, Dinajpur and Sylhet from the freedom-fighters.
An attempt by the troops to capture Patanga airport, near Chittagong, was also foiled.
The freedom-fighters reported a “major success” in the capture of Mangla Dort. The chief of the East Pakistan Rifles in Khulna, with his entire battalion, was pitted against the troops in this action.
The Naval units at Chittagong and Khulna also joined hands with the liberation force.
A fierce battle raged in Dacca for the second successive day for control of Radio Dacca, seized by the Army on Thursday night.
The Voice of America said the Awami League headquarters in Dacca had been destroyed in the fighting.
The liberation force and the people captured the armoury at Comilla and distributed the arms to the people. The liberation army was in possession of the police station also.
In a clash in this border town, 248 liberation army men were killed and 48 injured. Those killed included women.
Despite the heavy casualties inflicted by the troops, the freedom fighters were in full control of Chittagong and Comilla, according to reports reaching Shillong.
Communication and supply lines have been cut in many parts of East Pakistan.
Pakistani Army personnel seen in parts of the East Pakistan-Tripura border region earlier were not seen today. Informed sources said the Army personnel had been withdrawn to the cantonments anticipating dislocation of communications.
East Bengal police personnel, who form part of the liberation army, and are stationed along the Tripura border, said they were ready to meet any attack from the Army.
The people of Bangla Desh were capable of meeting the challenge thrown by the West Pakistani military warlords, they added.
Government and semi-Government employees defied the martial law authorities’ directive to return to work by this morning or face dismissal and court martial.
Chalna Port near Khulna and the Hardinge bridge over the Padma river were in the hands of the Banda Desh liberation Force, authentic reports from across the border said.
The capture of the bridge made Pabna district inaccessible to West Pakistan troops.
Troops rushed
About 10.000 troops were dispatched to recapture Chalna early this morning. A bloody battle raced there.
More Pakistani troops were flown into Dacca today to join the operations to crush the Bangla Desh freedom struggle. At least 10,000 untrained civilians of the Sheikh’s “Liberation Army” died yesterday in various parts of East Pakistan when the Pakistani Army. in a desperate hid to regain control over East Pakistan let loose tanks and artillery fire on them according to reports received in Gauhati from several points across the border.
The army used tanks and artillery at Dacca, Naraingunj, Chittagong and the border towns of Rangpur, Khulna and Jessor, and in the cantonment area of Comilla, these reports said.
The casualties in Chittagong were said to be the heaviest. The Awami league supporters who seized control of the Chittagong radio station overnight were still holding it this morning.
In Jessore Airport area alone over 1,500 urban and rural civilians, many of them clad in “lungis and banians” were killed by machine-gun fire when the Sheikh’s supporters armed with spears, lathis and daggers, tried to capture the airport.
West Pakistan Army has occupied the headquarters of the East Pakistan Rifles at Kotbari in Comilla district after a prolonged fight.
District magistrate and other civilian officials have been arrested by the army.
The army is also reported to have occupied police stations of Parsuram, Brahman Baria and Casba under the Comilla and Noakhali districts.
