Indomitable March: The gates of hell cast open

BANGABANDHU'S LAST PRESS STATEMENT

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a press statement issued today, called for a general strike throughout Bangladesh on March 27 against the army's action in certain places in East Pakistan including Saidpur, Rangpur and Joydevpur.

He also expressed concern over the regrettable delay in resolving the crisis politically and termed it as "unfortunate". He said that if a "political solution is desired" by President Yahya Khan and his advisers, they should "realise that it was for them to take matters immediately, to a conclusion, and that to delay this would expose the country and its people to grave hazards."

Referring to attempts to divide Bangalees and Mohajirs, Bangabandhu said, "What is more reprehensible is that certain elements have been deployed by the anti-people forces to foment tension between locals and 'non-locals'."

He added, "I have repeatedly reaffirmed that all those who live in Bangla Desh, regardless of their place of origin or the language they speak, are our people, and they should consider themselves as such and take full part in the struggle for the emancipation of Bangla Desh. Their life, property and honour are our sacred trust."

The statement ended with the call, "Our movement shall go forward. The directives issued on March 14, 1971, shall continue in force, subject to the clarification issued from time to time."

THE DEADLIEST NIGHT

It's 11:00am on March 25. Major General Khadim Hussain's green telephone rang. Lt Gen Tikka Khan was on the line. He said, "Khadim, it's tonight." General Khadim passed the word to his staff who rang up all the outstation garrisons to inform them of the H-hour. The fateful hour was set at 1:00am, March 26. It was calculated that by then President Yahya would have reached Karachi. Yahya Khan quietly left East Pakistan in the evening.

The action started ahead of schedule. Major Siddiq Salik, the public relations officer of the Pakistani army in East Pakistan, and AAK Niazi commented that before the Bangalees could create strong resistance, the Pakistan forces, in order to reach various places in Dhaka changed the schedule of the operation.

The Pakistani soldiers came out of the cantonment at 11:30pm, launched an indiscriminate attack on the demonstrating Bangalees in the Farmgate area, and thus initiated the "Operation Searchlight".

The gates of hell were cast open. Bangladesh witnessed the deadliest night.

At 1:00am on March 26, troops from 22nd Beluch Regiment headed out as ordered and attacked Pilkhana EPR. As soon as Pilkhana was attacked, the entire Dhaka, including Rajarbagh, Dhaka University, and Shankhari Bazar, came under attack. Throughout the night, this massacre continued: women were raped, houses burned and looted, and countless people were killed.

In the first of many notorious war crimes, soldiers attacked Dhaka University, lining up and executing students and professors.

By midnight on March 25, Dhaka was literally burning; especially in the Hindu-dominated eastern part of the city. The army set houses afire and then gunned down people as they left their homes. The troops engaged in looting homes and shaking down people trying to flee Dhaka.

The offices of the dailies like the Ittefaq, Sangbad and the People were set on fire.

On the same night, many people were killed and injured in Chittagong by army firing.

After midnight, one group of Pakistani occupation forces came across a barricade in Shukrabad near Bangabandhu's residence. Breaking the barriers, they reached his house and kept firing shots until they captured him at 1:30am on March 26 and took him to the Dhaka Cantonment. Just before his arrest, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sent a message about attacks on EPR and police barracks in Dhaka and declared the independence of Bangladesh. This message was broadcast from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro on March 26, 1971, and was widely reported in newspapers worldwide.

Referring to Mujib's message, Siddiq Salik recounts, "When the first shot had been fired, the voice of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came faintly through on a wavelength close to that of the official Pakistan radio. In what must have been, and sounded like a pre-recorded message, Sheikh Mujib proclaimed East Pakistan to be the People's Republic of Bangla Desh"