March 5, 1971

General Yaqub, who had taken charge of East Pakistan from Governor Ahsan on March 1, 1971, sent his resignation by telegram on the morning of March 5, 1971. Siddiq Salik, then public relations officer in the Pakistan army at Dhaka, recounts the events leading to Yaqub's resignation in his book Witness to Surrender.

On March 4 General Yaqub rang up General Peerzada, principal staff officer to Yahya Khan, and told him to request the president to visit Dhaka without further delay. Peerzada, after having a word with Yahya, rang back and informed Yaqub that the president would be visiting Dhaka soon but the date is yet to be confirmed. The same night, around 9:10pm, Yahya rang Yaqub and said, "I have changed my mind. I am not coming to Dhaka."

He hung up saying, "I cannot come because I am convinced that it won't bring me anywhere near the solution."

Immediately, General Yaqub made a telephone call to Peerzada and told him, "Peer, if the President cannot be persuaded to come [to Dhaka], I may be relieved of my responsibilities. I will send you my formal resignation tomorrow morning." [ Siddiq Salik, Witness to Surrender, UPL 1997, pg.50]

Lieutenant General Tikka Khan, nicknamed "the Butcher of Baluchistan", was appointed in Yaqub's place. The official announcement of Tikka Khan's appointment as the governor of East Pakistan came on March 6, 1971.

Both Admiral Ahsan and General Yaqub was removed by Yahya for having protested a hard line against the Bangalees. They advised Yahya to settle things politically, not militarily.

BANGABANDHU FORESAW THE END OF PAKISTAN

Air Marshal (Ret.) Asghar Khan, leader of National Movement for Solidarity party, called on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his Dhanmondi residence on March 5, 1971. We get a glimpse of their discussion in Asghar Khan's book Generals in Politics: he [Mujib] was certain that Yahya Khan had already made up his mind not to hand over power and that he would use the army to crush the East Pakistanis. He said that he was a Pakistani and had played a part in the Pakistan movement, having travelled from Calcutta to Delhi with a Pakistan flag shouting "Ban kar rahega Pakistan".

"Where were Yahya Khan and Bhutto then?" he had asked in an emotion choked voice. … I asked Mujib-ur Rahman [Mujibur Rahman] what scenario he visualised and how the stalemate could be broken. He replied that the situation was very clear. Yahya Khan would come to Dacca [Dhaka] first, followed by MM Ahmed [Head of the planning commission], who would be followed by Bhutto. Yahya Khan would then order military action and that would be the end of Pakistan. [ Mohammad Asghar Khan, Generals in Politics: Pakistan 1958-1982, UPL, 1983, pp.29-30]

ARMY WITHDRAWN TO BARRACKS

The martial law authorities withdrew the army to the barracks on March 5. According to a government announcement, the action followed Bangabandhu's appeal for peace, after which there had been considerable improvement in the general law and order situation.

Meanwhile, a completehartal was observed in the capital as well as other parts of the province.

Security forces opened fire on the demonstrating workers of Telephone Industries at Tongi, which left four workers dead and 25 others injured.

A 10-hour curfew was imposed in Rangpur town from the evening.

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