March 28, 1971

In Dampara Police Lines, Chittagong, Bangalee police personnel put up a brave resistance. But they could not hold on for long as they were not trained in the art of warfare. They suffered heavy casualties and abandoned their post when they were about to be overrun by the Pakistan army.

By the dawn of March 28, Pakistan army managed to secure the main road from the cantonment to the naval base at Tiger Pass. Bangalee troops had to fall back on their main defence at Halishahar. From the direction of the port, the Pakistan army attempted several times during the day to clear Agrabad road and link up with the naval base at Tiger Pass. But Bangalee forces' stiff resistance foiled all their attempts.  [Rafiqul Islam, A Tale of Millions, Adeylebros &Co, 1974, pg. 92]

The Swadhin Bangla Betar today requested peace-loving countries of the world to give recognition to Swadhin Bangladesh and sought physical assistance of all types to liberate the democratic minded people of the new country.

It was further announced that from tomorrow broadcast from the centre might be heard on 350-metre medium wave every day at 8:30am, 12:30pm and 7:00pm. The duration of the broadcasts would vary between half an hour and an hour. [Hindusthan Standard, March 29, 1971]

PAK ATROCITY CONTINUES

On March 28, 1971, American Consul General in Dhaka Archer K Blood sent a telegram to Islamabad and Washington captioned "selective genocide". He reported that they are "mute and horrified by a reign of terror by the Pakistan military" in East Pakistan. Pointing towards various evidences Blood suggested that Awami League supporters and Hindus were being systematically targeted by the martial law administrators.

A situation report sent by American Consulate in Dhaka on the same day informed that despite Radio Pakistan's announcements, life had not returned to normal in Dhaka. Earlier, Tikka Khan said in Dacca that "complete peace has been restored and life is returning to normal in East Pakistan". Apparently, large-scale looting, pillaging and murder on part of non-Bangalee people against Bangalees were taking place and the army was standing by watching, it said.

It was further reported that a curfew was re-imposed at noon but lifted shortly thereafter. Army checkpoints being set up at several intersections in the city. The tightening of curfew seemed designed to facilitate Pakistan military search and destroy operations. There was a continuous flow of people streaming out of the city carrying meagre possessions.

Pakistan Observer and Morning News appeared today for the first time since March 25. Except for mastheads, both papers in their one-page format carried the same content -- on the front, text of President Yahya's March 26 broadcast and text of Zone B Martial Law Orders 117 to 134, and on the back a full-page ad of National Shipping Corporation. Censorship obviously in effect, commented the situation report.  [ Archer K Blood, The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh, UPL: 2006, pp. 200-01]

According to an American missionary who lived near Shankhari Bazar, machine guns were placed at the ends of the street and soldiers attacked the entire Bazaar area without warning on the morning of March 28, 1971. Not a sign of life remained in the once busy Bazar area; corpses remained unburied on the street and inside gutted homes. Parts of three-storey buildings had completely collapsed from the ferocity of the attack and shell holes marked heavy armament attacks.

CONCERN IN INDIA

The situation in Bangladesh was causing mounting concern in India. The Indian Army Commander-in-Chief, Gen Manekshaw, rushed to Delhi for consultations at the Cabinet level. India's own crisis ridden state of West Bengal, bordering Bangladesh, was still chronically unstable and under president's rule direct from Delhi. There were fears that the wave of Bengali nationalism sweeping through the eastern half of the former state of Bengal might have serious repercussions on the Indian side. [Daily Telegraph (London), March 29, 1971)

However, on the previous day, the Indian Government decided to provide relief -- shelter, food and medical -- to the Bangladeshi refugees who had begun to trickle in soon after the crackdown. The cost would be borne by the central government. The governments of Indian states bordering Bangladesh were enjoined to operate the relief programme, and a branch of the secretariat of the Ministry of Rehabilitation was set up in Kolkata to direct these efforts. [Srinath Raghavan, 1971:A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh, Permanent Black, 2013, pg.75]

Largely attended public meetings in support of the freedom struggle in Bangladesh were held today in Kolkata, Delhi and elsewhere in India. Speakers belonging to almost all shades and colours, unanimously demanded that the Government of India should come forward to recognise the provisional government of Bangladesh, the setting up of which was announced by the Swadhin Bangla Betar. [Hindusthan Standard, March 29, 1971]

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com