WAR 1971

[porky_kicker]

think twice before saying anything against indians,
pakis are such shameless creatures that they hide their identity and claim to be Indians when abroad.
in Muslim countries they are treated as toilet paper.

begging is in your blood,
pakistanis and terrorists have come to mean the same thing world over,

what is funny is how the pakis start jumping up and down when a incident involving other nationalities in terrorism emerges.
dont worry pakistanis will always top in terrorists production.

and yet they have to open their mouth to spew nonsense.

 

[bengalraider]

Its time for India to reach out to Bangladesh and help them in their time of need.
We should do all of the below
1) Sign a no war pact and common defence pact.This basically neutralizes Myanmar.
2) Create a legal war for bangladeshi labour to come work in India.
3)Start moves to Create a common textile hub between India and Bangladesh, Indian Businessmen gain from Cheaper labour, Bangladesh gets investment.
4) The Payra port project must be sped up.
5) Integrate Bangladesh into the DFC & NHDP net. They get Investment, we get access to the NE
6)Intel sharing in monitoring extremists across both borders.
7) More Joint Exercises.
8)Indian Investment into Gas fields inside Bangladesh
9)Integrate Bangladesh into the Trans Asian Highway network.
10) Create a common chamber of commerce.
11)Help Bangladesh negate the Wahhabi money flooding in .

 

[rockey 71]

Our sage, Nobel Laureatte Dr Mohmmad Yunus has this to say.

http://www.muhammadyunus.org/index....on-innocent-people-in-dhaka-on-july-1-evening

This is similar to what I have been saying, but the great man is more articulate and graceful in his statement.

 

[harsh]

Major Gen (retired) Ian Cardozo, a hero of the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh, paid tribute to BBC’s coverage of the hostilities on Monday but recalled its one mistake that benefited India in taking on numerically superior Pakistani forces.

At the time, Cardozo was a major in a 5 Gorkha Rifles battalion, comprising about 750 soldiers, that was tasked with capturing Atgram near Sylhet.

It was short of artillery and food supplies, but ultimately managed the surrender of two Pakistan Army brigades, including three brigadiers, a colonel, 107 officers, 219 JCOs and 7,000 troops in one of the most incredible successes of the war.

Speaking at a book release event here, he said: “Today I would like to use this platform to pay tributes to the BBC. They were the only reliable broadcasting station at that time, giving news as it happened. The Indian Army had nothing to hide, so the British war correspondents were going along with our troops.

“They were reporting minute-to-minute the progress of the battle. But they made a mistake. They announced that a ‘brigade’ of Gurkhas had landed at Sylhet. We heard it, as well as the Pakistanis. So we decided to pretend that we were a brigade.”

Taking advantage of the misinformation, Cardozo’s battalion built on small victories and created a situation where the Pakistani troops offered to surrender on December 15, 1971. Until it happened, Cardozo and others believed a Pakistani brigade was in the area, but they were surprised to discover the final number was more than twice the strength of a brigade.

One of the most decorated officers of the Indian Army, Cardozo recalled the vital operation to capture Sylhet during a packed invitation-only event to celebrate the life of Lt Gen FN Bilimoria, former head of the central command and father of Karan Bilimoria, a member of the House of Lords.

Cardozo, a contemporary of Lt Gen Bilimoria, penned the book ”Lieutenant General Bilimoria: His Life and Times”, which was recently presented to Indian Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh in New Delhi.

The book release event here was attended by leading lights of the British Army, including former chief of general staff, Field Marshal John Chapple, and several Bangladesh citizens, who became emotional on meeting the man who played a defining role in their country’s formation.

One Bangladeshi member of the audience thanked Cardozo for the “great job you have done for us”. Cardozo is expected to receive an enthusiastic reception at the Bangladesh high commission here on Tuesday.

Answering questions, Cardozo said calmly but firmly: “I do not like to use this platform to denigrate Pakistan. I think everybody knows what they are up to, what they have been up to and what they continue to do. I don’t have to elaborate.

“But India believes in peace, people, progress, development, not in war. But if war is forced upon us, as it was in 1965, in 1971 and in Kargil, we were the victors in every war,” he added to much applause.

Retired British Army officers recalled their interaction with Lt Gen Bilimoria, who was the Indian Army’s liaison officer in the School of Infantry in Warminster in the 1970s. A popular soldier, he saw action in the 1971 war and held several key posts, including GOC of the central command. Karan Bilimoria recalled the values passed on to him by his father, who died at the age of 72 in 2005.

Cardozo’s remarkable military career saw him losing a leg when he stepped on a landmine in the 1971 war. He cut off his mangled leg with his own khukri and told his Gurkha batman: “Now go and bury it.”

Determined not to let the disability affect his career as a soldier, he later became the first disabled officer in the Indian Army to command an infantry brigade. He has penned books on war heroes and the sinking of INS Khukri in the 1971 war.

 

[harsh]

http://idrw.org/when-bbc-error-helped-india-in-1971-war/

 

[Rushil51]

http://www.indiatimes.com/news/indi...o-who-inspired-border-passes-away-259773.html

The 92-year-old will be laid to rest today in his ancestral village.

He was immortalised on the silver screen by Puneet Issar in the 1997 film Border.

During the war in 1971, just 80 Indian soldiers posted in Rajasthan's Longenwala fought off the Pakistani army battalion of 45 tanks and more than two thousand soldiers.

Even though in the movie many Indian soldiers including Singh's character is killed in the operation, according to available public records only two soldiers from the battalion led by Brigadier (then Major) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri died that night.

Recognising his bravery, Singh was awarded the Vir Chakra by then President VV Giri.

 

[Zebra]

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[Mikesingh]

Write a book however crappy and become a hero. Try it! You'll even land a role with Arnab Goswami on Times Now!

 

[armyofhind]

The timing of the book release itself betrays the intention.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Proabably in hands of Bangladeshi resistance mukti baheni..

 

[rockey 71]

How they served Bangladesh

Hasan Jahid Tusher and Porimol Palma

Indian Air Force Group Captain (retd) Hemant Sardesai became officially eligible to fly aircraft as pilot shortly before Bangladesh's Liberation War broke out in March 1971. And it was the first time he saw enemy bullets as pilot because he took part in the war from Guwahati of India's Assam state, against the Pakistani occupation army.

The Kurmitola airbase and Tejgaon railway in Dhaka were the key targets of attack during his air operations in Bangladesh.

“After the attack on the Kurmitola airport, the runway was unusable by the Pakistani air force,” said Hemant, recalling his memories of 1971.



“After the attack there we came to know that senior Pakistani army officials including Niazi were trying to go out of Dhaka. Then we were asked to attack ground targets in Narsingdi where there was a small airfield. Accordingly we carried out air strikes with live bombs there to make the runway unusable,” he added.

On December 14 or 15, his team was asked to attack the governor's house in Dhaka as there was a meeting there. Instructions were given to keep an eye on the Dhaka stadium, InterContinental Hotel, and the governor's house.

“Four of us carried out the attacks -- four times firing eight rockets each time. And that possibly ended the war,” said Hemant, one of a 28-member delegation of Indian war veterans and four serving officers, who arrived in Dhaka on a five-day visit on December 14 to join the Victory Day celebrations today.

The High Commission of India in Dhaka and Ekattor TV jointly organised the media interaction in honour of the Indian war veterans and Bangladesh's freedom fighters.

Simultaneously a delegation of 30 freedom fighters, six officers, three lawmakers, and a Supreme Court judge, led by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, left for India to interact with Indian war veterans.

The reciprocal visits by freedom fighters and Indian war veterans marking Victory Day started in 2005, and so far 280 freedom fighters and 125 Indian veterans have joined the interactions in Dhaka and Kolkata as a testimony to the eternal friendship forged after they shed blood together for the independence of Bangladesh.

A 28-member visiting delegation of Indian war veterans and four serving officers with Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, ndc, psc at the Army Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment. Photo: ISPR
On March 27, 1971, India expressed full support to Bangladesh's Liberation War and opened its border to give Bangladeshi refugees a shelter in India after Pakistan unleashed atrocities on the innocent Bangalees on the night of March 25.

Exiled Bangladeshi army officers and volunteers from India immediately started using these camps for the recruitment and training of the Mukti Bahini guerrillas.

The joint command of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian Army started operation on the evening of December 3, when the Pakistan Air Force bombed Amritsar, Sreenagar and the Kashmir valley in India.

The joint force continued advancing inside Bangladesh and reached Tongi on December 14 and Savar on the morning of December 16 to ensure surrender of the Pakistani forces.

“It's a great feeling,” said 1971 war veteran Lt Col JS Sarai, who fought for the cause of Bangladesh in Jessore-Khulna region.

“This is the only war where an army that has entered a country has not turned into an occupation army… I am proud of that,” he said, at Palm View restaurant in the capital yesterday where the Indian war veterans shared their memories.

“We did not win because we had veterans and ammunition and anything else. We were soldiers…. So, better than any weaponry, it is the strength of character that won war, not the soldiers or the weapons or anything,” said Sarai.

The Pakistani army was much stronger weapon-wise, but not in morale, while the people of Bangladesh and Indian soldiers had the strength of character made them victorious, he said.

Lt Gen (retd) GS Sihota, a then young captain flying army helicopters, played a key role in the 'heliborne' operations in Sylhet. Even after his helicopters were hit by the Pakistani army, he continued the mission.

On December 9, he and his team had to cross the Meghna River. When they were following the rail line nearby, they saw machine gun bullets flying towards them.

A media interaction jointly organised by the High Commission of India and Ekattor TV at a hotel in the capital yesterday in honour of Indian war veterans and Bangladeshi freedom fighters. Photo: Prabir Das
“At one stage a bullet went through our helicopter. We were lucky that it did not hit any vital portion of the helicopter. We landed safe on the helipad in Sylhet,” he said, recalling one of the many dangers they encountered.

Senior officers who were with him ordered him to evacuate a wounded officer who got shot in another helicopter by the machine gun on the rail line. The officers destroyed the enemy machine gun and took control of the areas, he said.

“My colleague and I, we bring you greetings from India, greetings from all those who have not been able to participate,” he said, wishing more prosperity and growth of Bangladesh.

Maj Gen (retd) Harinder Singh Batra, of the parachute regiment of the Indian army, who was posted to Balurghat in West Bengal to set up a training camp for the Bangladeshi freedom fighters, said they gave basic military training and also accompanied the fighters in their missions.

The capability and the strength of the Bangladesh army built on the foundation of the 1971 now is laudable, he said.

“I feel absolutely delighted to be here and to meet the people of the great country and its army,” Harinder said.

He said this type of interactions would boost relations between the armed forces and the peoples of the two neighbouring countries.

Indian veterans Brig Gen (retd) Bhanot Madan Mohan and Vice Admiral (retd) Raman Prem Suthan also shared their memories of the war.

Speaking on the occasion, Railways Minister and freedom fighter Mujibul Haque expressed his gratefulness to Indian veterans because they had risked their lives for the cause of Bangladesh and its people. “We will always remember you,” he said.

Ekattor TV chief editor Mozammel Babu said the relations of India and Bangladesh were written with blood, and the history needed to be retold to the young generations.

Awami League lawmakers Dipu Moni, Mehzabin Khaled, and former chief of army staff Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid also spoke.

http://www.thedailystar.net/city/how-they-served-bangladesh-1330606


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[rockey 71]

Bangladesh to be a great country, say foreign war veterans
United News of Bangladesh | Published at 09:25pm on December 15, 2016

War veterans from India and Russia who fought with bravery for liberating Bangladesh in 1971 on Thursday expressed their firm conviction that Bangladesh in the near future would be a great country in the global arena.


They also highly appreciated massive transformation of Bangladesh in various areas, including socioeconomic development, and wished every success of the country and its people to live as a victorious and dignified nation in the global arena.

War veterans said this in a reception accorded in their honour by prime minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban in the evening.

A total of 29 war veterans from India and five from Russia and their spouses are now in the city to join the celebrations of the 46th Victory Day of Bangladesh.

Leader of the Indian delegation retired lieutenant general GS Sihota and leader of
Russian delegation Kozhurin Victor, war veterans of India retired brigadier Bhanot Madan Mohan, the 46th Victory Day air commodore Chandra Mohan Singla, retired vice admiral Raman Prem Suthan spoke on the occasion.

Indian high commissioner in Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla and four serving military officers of India and officials of the India and Russian embassies and senior officials of the prime minister's office were present.

Kozhurin Victor shared his experience as a marine officer who took part in sweeping mines in the Chittagong port after the independence.


He presented a book written in Russian language on mine sweeping operation to the prime minister.

He wished to translate the book in Bangla and donate its proceeds for the welfare activities of the people of Bangladesh.

Recalling the war days in Bangladesh, Indian delegation head GS Sihota said when they landed today in Bangladesh, they saw a transformed nation.

Extending his heartfelt thanks to the prime minister for inviting them to join the Victory Day celebrations, he said they have brought here greetings from everybody in India and also from the armed forces of India. ‘We want to wish prosperity to the nation,’ he added.

Extending her thanks to the war veterans of India and Russia for coming to Bangladesh on the eve of the 46th Victory Day, the prime minister said, ‘We'll always remember the contributions that you made 45 years back ...........the sacrifices that you made, our people will always remember that.’

She said after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the country's people could not talk about the history of War of Liberation as it was totally distorted.

She, however, said when her party assumed office in 1996 and she first became the prime minister, her government started the process of remembering the foreign friends who made immense contributions and sacrifices during the war of independence.

‘Once upon a time, it was all banned. But, now people, especially the younger generation, are very much enthusiastic and they want to know the real history.......we always tell them that you should build this country as a Golden Bangladesh,’ she added.

Hasina, recalled the contributions of India and Russia to building the war-ravaged country even after the War of Liberation.

The prime minister said ‘although Bangladesh was liberated on December 16, they were freed from that captivity the next day as the Pakistani forces guarding that house then insisted saying 'Niazi can surrender, but we won’t surrender.’

She said in the early morning on December 17, an Indian Army team, led by Major Ashok Tara, came to the house and forced the Pakistani force to surrender and they were released.

PM's international affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi was present while former foreign minister Dipu Moni, MP, and Mahzabin Khaled, MP, spoke on the occasion.

http://www.newagebd.net/article/4926/bangladesh-to-be-a-great-country-say-foreign-war-veterans

 

[raheel besharam]

Jai Hind...

__________________________

 

[Bornubus]

My Tauji (as Naik ) served in 1971 war Eastern Front (BEG). He came back home after 8 months.

His unit helped in bridging water bodies so that our Armour and other vehicles could cross.

So salute to every war hero for this glorious victory. May such victories comes in future too.


Our ancestors cut Pak in half now its our generation time to cut Pak in 10 failed states.


================================

Also, the first time in our war history when 1st Heliborne ops carried out in Sylhet.


Gurkhas made a Mincemeat of Porkies with their khukhris - Fact

 

[SANITY]

On the day Pakistan surrendered to India at Dhaka, Bangladesh’s foreign minister-in-exile advised Baloch, Pakhtoon and Sindhi nationalists to launch a joint liberation struggle against Pakistan with Indian help.

Abdus Samad Azad, the first foreign minister of Bangladesh, with Indira Gandhi in New Delhi in 1972. Credit: YouTube/AP

In the nine months since March 25, 1971 – as the Mujibur Rahman-led Bangladesh liberation struggle got transformed into a war of independence, ending on December 16, 1971, with the emergence of the former East Pakistan as the sovereign, independent Peoples Republic of Bangladesh – the Pakistani Army’s campaign of massacre and mass rape became the unmarked and un-wept genocide of the 20th century. This grim event is well documented by research scholars and there is no scope for doubting the records.

The other deeply disturbing part was the hostile attitude adopted by the so-called civilised world of western democracies against the people of Bangladesh for the sin of aspiring to be a sovereign independent nation free from the shackles of the repressive Pakistani military dictatorship. Following the Nixon administration’s policy of openly supporting the brutalities of the Pakistan Army by looking the other way when millions of people were being slaughtered, the entire West totally ignored the terrible events of 1971 in Bangladesh.

Faced with the genocide of its people, the Bangladeshi leadership in general and a certain hawkish section among them took more than an unforgiving attitude towards Pakistan. What emerged was the desire for a hard, punishing policy of revenge.

One such leader boiling with rage was Abdus Samad Azad, who was designated as foreign minister by the Bangladesh government in exile operating from Mujibnagar. He happened to be in London on December 16, 1971, the day when the Pakistan army led by General A.A.K. Niazi, General Officer Commanding of the Pakistani armed forces in East Pakistan surrendered before the joint command of the Indian armed forces and the Mukti Bahini – known during the war as Mitro Bahini – in the midst of a milling crowd of a million people at the open spaces of Romna Maidan in Dhaka.

On that very day, Azad called a meeting at the Charing Cross Hotel near Trafalgar Square in London, a closed-door Top Secret conclave, to which were invited the senior leaders of the ethno-sub-nationalities of the minority provinces of what remained of Pakistan after Bangladesh was created. These leaders had been camping in London for about a year in 1970-71 for fear of becoming victims of a military crackdown in their provinces – much like what had happened in East Pakistan.

Now Azad may have been the foreign minister of a nation that had just been born and the leader of what was essentially a one-man delegation but it is unlikely that he called this meeting on his own. In all likelihood, the foreign minister had received instructions to do so from the provisional government back home.

Those invited included:

• Khan Abdul Wali Khan, chief of the National Awami Party of the North West Frontier Province, an iconic Pashtun leader who was the son of the famous Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan – known in India as the Frontier Gandhi.
• Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the charismatic leader of the Bugti tribe of Balochistan
  
• Nawabzada Khair Baksh Marri, an defiant guerrilla leader of the Marri tribe of Balochistan
  
• Ataullah Mengal, leader of the Mengal Tribe of Balochistan, and
  
• An unnamed representative of G.M. Syed, the uncompromising freedom fighter of Sindh’s Jiye Sindh Mahaz, who was serving a life sentence as a political prisoner in Pakistan.
  .

The subject matter of the discussions was extraordinarily sensitive.

Abdus Samad Azad, his leader Shaikh Mujibur Rahman and their party, the Awami League, were congratulated wholesomely by all those assembled leaders for having successfully led their liberation struggle and created a sovereign independent Bangladesh.

Azad, for his part, extended his fraternal greetings to the assembled leaders and took the opportunity to convey the apprehension of the Awami League – warning them that given the fact that Pakistan had disintegrated so ignominiously, it was likely that the Pakistan Army, in anger and in a spirit of vengeance, could launch incremental phases of violent military crackdown on the ethno-sub-national peoples of the country – namely the Baloch, the Pashtuns and the Sindhis as had happened in Bangladesh.

Political repression of an extreme kind, economic exploitation, social ostracisation, subjugation and deprivation of the minority provinces could become intolerable, he said. Azad wanted to know if the assembled leaders of the minority provinces agreed with his aforesaid analysis. There was a chorus of approval.

Azad next submitted that if he made a suggestion – given the ground realities of the evolving unsavoury political situation in Pakistan – that there was need to forge a joint front of liberation struggle among the ethno-sub-national peoples in Pakistan aimed at breaking away from Pakistan and becoming sovereign independent nation states as Bangladesh had done, would they approve of it. Pakistan in defeat was in disarray, the Indian Army had reached the gates of Lahore, therefore this was the most opportune moment to strike. And if they agreed, Bangladesh was capable of helping them set up the entire infrastructure of struggle and extending wholehearted support and succour including political, diplomatic and most importantly material back up to such an unified movement.

Quick came the poser in a chorus: what would be India’s stand? Azad assured them that if they wanted India’s backing, which he believed from the experience of Bangladesh would be unavoidable and also strategically vital, the Awami League leadership could talk to New Delhi and secure India’s support with utmost urgency. But at that moment, he said, time was of the essence. To win New Delhi’s support, the assembled leaders would have to declare their commitment to the values of democracy and secularism, the fundamental rights of citizens, pluralism, standing up for their respective national aspirations and abjuring religious obscurantism, intolerance and extremism.

All the leaders present in the meeting gave an unstinted commitment that their struggles embraced the values of democracy and secularism, had nothing to do with religious intolerance and extremism and were founded on the aspirations of their respective sense of nationalism.

However, all the leaders present at the secret conclave also said in one voice that this issue should have been addressed much earlier so that they could be ready with an “yes” answer. Now the time was too short and they were not ready at that point of time. The requisite administrative infrastructure to conduct a liberation struggle was not in place.

Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti broke ranks and said with a great amount of passion and regret: “I am afraid India will have to fight another war with Pakistan for our sake to secure our freedom”. Two other leaders, Khan Abdul Wali Khan and Khair Baksh Marri, lent their unqualified support to what Bugti said.

Soon after it ended, Azad presented details of the meeting to myself and a senior Indian government official who happened to be passing through London at the time.

In terms of their specifics, it is obvious the talks failed. It was apparent that the secret plan of action was chalked out in haste. There were no prior consultations. The uncertainty over the outcome of the war was certainly the main reason why the idea was brought up in the secret confabulations so late in the day. The legacy of bitterness that had piled up among the Bangladeshis against the Punjabi elements for their involvement in the horrendous atrocities of the Pakistan war machine during the liberation struggle was the paramount contributing factor to the conceptualisation of this plan. As it turned out, the effort proved itself to be a bit amateurish. It was more like a war game that was fit for the history books.

Sashanka S. Banerjee (right) with Mujibur Rahman flying on a Royal Air Force VIP Comet Jet on January 9, 1972 from London to New Delhi and then on to Dhaka, arriving on the soil of Bangladesh on January 10, 1972 to a tumultuous welcome at Romna Maidan.

The aftermath

At the end of the Bangladesh War, Mujib was released from Mianwali Jail in Rawalpindi on January 8, 1972, arriving in London the next day. Because of my long association with him – I first met Shaikh Mujibur Rahman in 1962 – he asked me to accompany him to Dhaka via Delhi on the VIP flight that the British government arranged.

I met him again in London in 1973 when he was the prime minister of Bangladesh. He was in town for a gall bladder operation. During my discussions with him, I asked if he knew about the December 16, 1971 secret meeting that Abdus Samad Azad had called. He confirmed: yes, he was fully aware of it. It was unfortunate, he said, that the Baloch people missed their historic opportunity for freedom because of the hesitation of their leadership.

From what I learnt from Mujibur Rahman himself, the Bangladesh government in exile was kept informed of the inconclusive London conclave of December 16, 1971. News of the meeting reached New Delhi too. But Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had already taken a political decision to unilaterally declare a ceasefire on the western front – on December 17 – thus ending the India-Pakistan war of 1971. For a victorious army that was holding 93,000 POWs, this was a gesture of goodwill that appears, in hindsight, both hasty and uncalled for. It left some of India’s outstanding issues with Pakistan, most importantly Kashmir, unaddressed. The wide ranging view in the country was that while India won the war, it lost the peace. The Simla Agreement of 1972 was a memorial to that failure.

Nonetheless, research scholars in India have acknowledged that Indira Gandhi’s decision to go in for an unilateral ceasefire on the western front – which brought the 1971 Bangladesh War to a close – was certainly not influenced by pressure from the Great Powers.

Could the inconclusive secret London conclave have played a part, news of which would have reached the prime minister even as she was firming up her mind? We shall perhaps never know. Nor will we know what might have happened had Azad’s proposal been accepted by all or even just the Baloch leaders present at that London meeting. Indian military support for the Mukti Bahini was easy to provide because India was sandwiched between the two parts of Pakistan. A Baloch equivalent would likely have been a different affair.

Sashanka S. Banerjee was posted as an Indian diplomat in London at the time of the events described here. He is also the author of India, Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh Liberation, & Pakistan: A Political Treatise, published in 2011. On October 20, 2013 , Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina conferred a state honour, ‘Friend of Bangladesh Liberation War’, on him.

 

[rockey 71]

And you Bangladeshis insult India and are getting closer to pak

1.Having known many Indians for years, I can say that is a view held by only by the conceited / narrow minded. Unfortunately they are influenced by certain politicians and their media which thrive on anti-Muslim / anti-BD rhetoric.
2. Anyone who has visited BD or known us would testify that we have no dislike for India or Indians. Regarding Pakistan, you must understand BD nation does not like to remain frozen in '71. We like to move forward and we are doing good as a nation. Being Bengalis and Muslims it is quite natural for us to remain attached to the Bengali and Muslim diasporas.

 

[rockey 71]

BD role exemplary

Says head of visiting Indian war veterans' delegation

Lt Gen (retd) GS Sihota, who is leading an Indian delegation of war veterans fighting for Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, speaks at a meeting to share the wartime memories at a Dhaka hotel yesterday. The 28-member team is in Bangladesh to join the Victory Day celebrations. Photo: Star
Staff Correspondent
The way Bangladesh looks after its freedom fighters is exemplary, said Lt Gen (retd) GS Sihota, the leader of an Indian delegation of war veterans who fought for liberating Bangladesh in 1971, yesterday.

Talking to reporters at a Dhaka hotel, he also lauded the country for its development -- both in economic sectors and security forces.

The 28-member delegation is in Bangladesh to join the Victory Day celebrations.

Sihota said they were able to meet a number of freedom fighters. “When we talked to them, then we realised that what they went through we had no knowledge about it... And what they went through was much more than just a soldier fighting a war. The risk factor taken by them was immense.”

He said he was happy to see that the entire nation is taking care of the freedom fighters.

He praised the initiatives to give them the opportunity to be a part of the government, look after their needs, their families, their children and their education. “I think it is an example for the rest of the world....”

About the country's military strength, he said, “Not many counties can do the things such a short period... we were impressed. The entire delegation was impressed because it's a very young nation.”

About Bangladesh-India relationship, he said more and more engagement, greater economic venture, and greater defence cooperation can bring these two countries together.

After his speech, war veterans from Bangladesh and India, who were involved in Operation Kilo Flight and Operation Jackpot, shared their wartime memories.

Indian war veterans Chandra Mohan Singla, Hemant Sardesai, Raman Prem Suthan, and Suvesh Kumar Mitter; and gallantry award-winning freedom fighters from Bangladesh Sultan Mahmood, Badrul Alam, Shahbuddin Ahmed, Akram Ahmed, AW Chowdhury, Kazi Abdus Sattar and Jalal Uddin took part in the programme.7777

 

[rockey 71]

Home > Bangladesh
Post-war minesweeping Russian mariners visit Bangladesh after 42 years
Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com

Published: 2016-12-17 20:31:34.0 BdST Updated: 2016-12-17 21:50:51.0 BdST

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Four of the Russian mariners who took part in the historic minesweeping operations in the Bay of Bengal after the 1971 war of independence are visiting Bangladesh after 42 years.

The Russian embassy in Dhaka said over 800 Russian mariners were involved in the mine-sweeping operation in the Bay of Bengal, but only four of them could travel back to Bangladesh. Many of their colleagues had died or could not travel due to their age.

In 1971, the then Soviet Union supported Bangladesh in the war of independence and was one of the first to recognise the new sovereign state.

After the liberation, it also helped Bangladesh revive its economy, destroyed during the bloody nine-month war in which three million people were killed.

The mine-sweeping operation in the port of Chittagong conducted by Special Expedition-12 of the Soviet Navy in 1972-1974 was of “great importance”.

To remember the self-sacrificing job of Russian navy officers, the Bangladesh government invited them to visit again after 42 years and to celebrate the 46th Victory Day on Dec 16.

Victor Kozhurin, Captain 2nd rank, who served as a Senior Engineer of the Special Expedition-12 Engineer Service, is leading the delegation of Russian officers, who came to Dhaka along with their spouses.

Vladimir Karamyshev served as a Senior Assistant to the Commander during the operation.

Alexander Chukanin was the Commander of Electro Mechanic Combat Unit-5 Floating Crane "Chernomorets 13".

Another member of the delegation Nikolay Koloskov was posted as the Deputy Commander of the Ship Raising Party.

Anna Molchanova, spouse of the late Vladimir Molchanov, came to Bangladesh on behalf of her husband, who served as the Main Engineer of the Expedition and loved Bangladesh very much.

Vladimir Molchanov and Viktor Kozhurin wrote a book on the USSR mine-sweeping and ship-raising operation in the Bay of Bengal - The Fairway is Clean Again.

During the official reception at Ganabhaban on Dec 15, Viktor Kozhurin presented this book to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and suggested that it should be translated into Bangla.

On Dec 16, they also witnessed the Victory Day Parade in Dhaka, attended the President's special reception and a dinner in their honour by Minister for Liberation War Affairs AKM Mozammel Huq.

They are visiting Chittagong on Saturday, the embassy said in a statement.

 

[Mikesingh]

And you Bangladeshis insult India and are getting closer to pak

Have you ventured to read some of the posts of some BDs on the troll forum called Pakistan Defence Forum? You'll be shocked at the way they berate Indians. Of course they don't speak for the majority of BDs but those comments really suck. Probably Jamaat e Islami poodles having their undying loyalty to the Porks in spite of them raping their mothers and sisters in then East Pakistan.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

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Battle of Garibpur

One of the factors that led to the fall of the erstwhile East Pakistan in the 1971 war was low morale of the Pakistani armed forces. Various factors were attributable to this lowering of morale and one of them was the famous battle of Garibpur fought in India's favour at the early stages of the war, in fact even before the declaration of war. Located in Bayra Salient near the border inside Western Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), Garibpur lies astride the highway from India to Jessore via Chaugacha. In order to protect Indian lives and property from incessant enemy raids and air and artillery attacks, 14 Punjab (Nabha Akal), a veteran battalion under the able command of Lt. Col. R.K. Singh, moved inside East Pakistan to occupy Garibpur in mid-November 1971. The unit was supported by air, artillery, 'C' Squadron of 45 Cavalry consisting of 14 PT-76 tanks, platoon engineers of 102 Engineer Regiment and medical elements. To evict this Indian unit from Garibpur, Pakistan's 107 Infantry Brigade launched a massive attack on the night of November 21/22 with its 3rd Independent Armoured Squadron on the lead. Lt. Col. R.K. Singh was informed that since there was a likelihood of the Garibpur position being outflanked by the Pakistani battalion at Chaugacha, there would, in all probability, be a requirement of strong reaction. This factor had necessitated the grouping of tanks with 14 Punjab, a fact not known to the enemy.

A night before the attack, on November 20th, a strong patrol of 14 Punjab was sent across to the south to reconnoitre a suitable area ahead of Fatehpur which was four kilometres inside East Pakistan. Major (later Lt. Col.) A.P. Vishwanathan led this patrol which comprised elements of all rifle companies with a view to ensure that all these companies would have route guidance on arrival into positions. There was a clash with a Pakistani patrol which had moved south-west from Jessore. The Pakistani patrol pulled back after a fierce fight, but it was apparent that surprise was likely to be lost. There was just enough time for Lt. Col. R.K. Singh to issue orders on the radio to his Company Commanders before the early winter night settled in. By 3 a.m. on November 21st, the battalion was in position and the men were feverishly at work to get the defence ready before daylight. That very night a patrol with Captain G.S. Gill along with the artillery observer, Captain P.P. Chaturvedi, moved north to gain early warning and also to attempt to hit the Pakistani guns by an observed artillery shoot. In the cold and foggy hours, Captain Gill heard the unmistakable sound of enemy tanks moving south from the Chaugacha-Jessore road. The fog and poor visibility allowed the patrol to remain close to the enemy columns and report on them accurately to battalion headquarters.

The Pakistani thrust lines having become apparent, thanks to the good work of the patrols operating ahead of the defence, readjustments to muster the recoilless rifle and the PT-76 tanks at the required places were carried out. The men rose splendidly to the occasion and the well-organised drills and training stood to good effect in those crucial couple of hours. On the night of November 21st, the 14 Punjab initially attacked enemy positions in South Garibpur and later followed up to outflank the positions from south. These attempts were effectively foiled by 'C' company and the main attack came almost frontally on 'D', 'B' and 'A' companies around 3 a.m. The infantry-tanks attack, however, first came on 'D' company around 6 a.m., before fanning out. The enemy attacked confidently and one tank charged to within 25 metres of the Indian position. The enemy's artillery and tank fire had forced the recoilless crew of 'D' company back, but Havildar Lekh Raj, the crew leader, stayed on and fired to destroy two of the lead tanks. In another engagement, one of the Indian tanks which had by then moved to cover the developing threat, hit another Chaffee tank which turned out to be a troop leader's tank. The troop leader while attempting to clamber out was shot by Captain Gill. In the close fighting that ensued when the other Chaffees closed in, the Squadron Commander of 45 Cavalry, Major D.S. Narang was hit and killed but not without taking two Chaffee tanks. The enemy momentum of assault petered out by about 8:30 a.m. The winter sun, now up through the rising fog, revealed 11 of enemy's tanks destroyed and three abandoned in good condition.

In the afternoon, around 3:30 p.m., three Pakistani aircraft roared in. While they were circling over the border, Indian Air Force Gnats appeared and shot up all three. The troops on the ground had an uninterrupted view of this neat work by the Indian Air Force and saw the Pakistani pilots bailing out over Indian territory. The unexpectedly violent response of Pakistan's 107 Infantry Brigade to 14 Punjab's entry across the Bayra Salient was as surprising as the losses suffered in one battle. It led to interesting political results on both sides. On the tactical level, this battle forced the Pakistanis to vacate Chaugacha which resulted in Major General Dalbir Singh's 9 Infantry Division closing up almost half-way up to Jessore. Later, when the war was fully joined, the armoured personnel carriers of 7 Punjab were the first Indian elements to reach Jessore airfield. Thus, two battalions of the Punjab Regiment contributed effectively to the capture of Jessore. This unique battle of one battalion group defeating a brigade attack supported by armour and the Indian Air Force will go down in the annals of warfare as a classic example indeed.


Their are records that couple of PT-76 sunk a large pakisthani gunboat ..

It took 100rnds to do the job ..