August 15, 1971

OPERATION JACKPOT

Bangladeshi naval commandos launched their first attack today. In the night, they attacked simultaneously the ports of Mongla, Chittagong, Chandpur, Narayanganj, and sunk 26 gunboats of the Pak army carrying commodities, arms and ammunitions.

Submariner Abdul Wahed Chowdhury (Bir Uttam) was the leader of a group of 60 commandos for the operation in Chittagong Port. He shared an interesting detail of the operation with The Daily Star: "We began moving secretly through Chattogram. The importance of maintaining the timing cannot be overstated. One wrong move and we could all lose our lives. To carry out the operation we crossed the Karnaphuli river and went to the other side to the Sadarghat area. It took us about five to six minutes to swim to our targets. Throughout the day it was drizzling. After reaching the targets, we took out our daggers and started digging six feet below the waterline to ensure that the limpet mine could stick to it. After that, we took out the pin. We had 30 minutes to return to safety but on our way back Pak army fired on us. The bullet passed right past my ears but fortunately it did not hit me."

Fortunately, all the naval commandos safely reached shelter.

The operation had successfully disrupted the arms and ammunition supply line of the Pakistanis. It cut the lifeline of the Pakistan army. The operation got wide publicity in the world media and, after these successful operations, no foreign ship agreed to anchor in the ports of the then East Pakistan.

INDIA DOESN'T WANT WAR: INDIRA

Referring to Pakistani President Yahya Khan's threats of war, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi today said, "We do not want war with any one nor do we indulge in sabre rattling. We also do not shout war slogans. We are also not afraid of any threats. We shall face the challenge when they come."

Indira Gandhi was addressing a mammoth gathering at the Red Fort on the occassion of the 24th anniversary of India's independence.

Apparently referring to the demand for early recognition of Bangladesh, she said, "We must think whether by asking certain steps we strengthen the current struggle in Bangladesh. I can assure that whatever we do will be with this end in view."

1971'S CRUDEST JOKE

Commenting on a news report from Islamabad that Tikka Khan had been decorated by Yahya with the civil award of Hilal-e-Quaid-i-Azam, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra today commented that it was the crudest joke of 1971.

The clandestine radio operated by the Bangladesh government-in-exile added, "This shows that, in some peculiar way, history does repeat itself sometime. General Dyer who massacred within minutes a peaceful crowd at Jalianwalabag was honoured by London's Daily Express with the Silver Sword of Valour on his arrival from India. Of course, the crimes of Tikka Khan against humanity dating from the massacre of Baluch people in the midst of their Eid day prayer until today are of a much grislier order than that of Dyer. This unconscious disciple of Marquis de Sade is really in the class of Eichman and Dr Mengele and the commandants of Hitler's extermination camps at Auswitz, Belsen and Dachau. Hitler decorated them with some of the highest orders of the Nazi Reich-needless to say, in the name of their services to German people and state."

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