The Tangail paratrooper landing, its significance

[Nilgiri]

Tamils do have some complex due to their skin color, perhaps, because of the racism by the North Indians.

And BD's have some complex, perhaps because they say they got killed and raped in the multi-millions and no one else gives a damn about it.

 

[Species]

And BD's have some complex, perhaps because they say they got killed and raped in the multi-millions and no one else gives a damn about it.

Complex or not we have our own country that we can call as the country for Bengalis. Tamils can't say that, you have proudly accepted Delhi's rule and are gradually being Hindi-ized!

That's really humiliating considering the same North Indians labelled you as Rakshasas (monsters) throughout history based on your physical appearance.

 

[Nilgiri]

Complex or not we have our own country that we can call as the country for Bengalis. Tamils can't say that, you have proudly accepted Delhi's rule and are gradually being Hindi-ized!

Verdict is still out whether you are a country.

90%+ of people in this forum say NAY....yet you still come here crying that you are....along with other figments of your imagination....like the BeeDeecaust and being good at cricket

But keep living in your little warped delusion...and wondering why everyone laughs at you. It actually unites Indians and Pakistanis a lot haha. We may fight and despise each other for whatever reason....but we both firmly agree you are a funny punchline and joke and you actually seem to enjoy being so.

 

[Species]

Verdict is still out whether you are a country.

90%+ of people in this forum say NAY....yet you still come here crying that you are....along with other figments of your imagination....like the BeeDeecaust and being good at cricket

But keep living in your little warped delusion...and wondering why everyone laughs at you. It actually unites Indians and Pakistanis a lot haha. We may fight and despise each other for whatever reason....but we both firmly agree you are a funny punchline and joke and you actually seem to enjoy being so.

Those who have nothing to boast of, have to rely on these insignificant forum trolls.

The point is, you Tamils have proudly accepted the rule of North Indians, the same people who have been humiliating you guys for centuries. These's no bigger example of submission and docility in the world than you Tamils.

 

[Sneaker]

And BD's have some complex, perhaps because they say they got killed and raped in the multi-millions and no one else gives a damn about it.

Let's not include whole BD due to this person... there are always some losers in every country..

 

[bluesky]

Tamils do have some complex due to their skin color, perhaps, because of the racism by the North Indians.

No, since 2,000 BC the Sudra Tamils have accepted the rules of Aryans and Huns that established themselves in the north of India and forced the Sudra Tamils to run for their lives to the south to live with apes, Hanumans and monkeys in the southern jungles.

 

[Nilgiri]

Let's not include whole BD due to this person... there are always some losers in every country..

BD people that I like here know by now to ignore my targetting of the 90% BD troll infestation.

I have shown some of my posts to RL BD friends to have a real giggle at the way it triggers these trolls over here.

 

[Major 13625]

BD people that I like here know by now to ignore my targetting of the 90% BD troll infestation.

I have shown some of my posts to RL BD friends to have a real giggle at the way it triggers these trolls over here.

Buddy You got triggered I'm sorry for you buddy. Please have a song to calm your nerves

 

[Banglar Bir]

Mods, kindly merge this thread in the relevant one i.e. December 16, 1971 | From East Pakistan to Bangladesh. for future records.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Calm down young brother, the main problem with us Muslims is that, in spur of a moment we get agitated very quickly, when faced with lies/deceit/unfairness/injustice.etc. are witnessed by us. Islam has taught us otherwise, to be patient, and settle our differences in an amicable and respectable manner, this is applicable for me also. However as I am much older in age and hope that my patience has grown over the decades. Opponents always seek such weaknesses to divide and confuse us. So time to unite not create further divisions among brothers. Remember BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER.

 

[Saiful Islam]

Were these deceased Pakistani army men given a Islamic burial (Janaza)?

 

[idune]

Unofficially Bangladesh is an indian state, Sheikh Hasina is the chief minister. 45 years old story has no significance what so ever in 2017, for present day occupied Bangladesh.

 

[Hellfire]

2:00 AM, March 26, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, March 26, 2017
THE TANGAIL LANDINGS A signal for victory

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Kader Siddiqui

Dr. Nuran Nabi

I travelled to Tura, the capital of Meghalaya, three times during the war as a representative of Tangail Mukti Bahini to bring arms and ammunitions. Brigadier Sanat Singh was my contact and host. He arranged my meetings with Gen Gill and Brigadier Klair during my first and second visit in June and July, respectively. During my third visit, I had the honour to meet Lt. Gen. Aurora, the GOC of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army, at the office of Gen Gill in Tura on November 7th.

In the meeting, Gen Aurora indicated that Indian paratroopers could be dropped in Tangail by the end of November or early December. He asked me to return to Tangail as soon as possible and make arrangements to secure an area so that Indian paratroopers could land safely. He also disclosed that several officers of the Indian Army would come to the liberated zones in Tangail and stay with us. We would be responsible for their security.

At the end of the meeting, General Aurora warned me that under no circumstance, should I share this information with anyone other than Kader Siddiqui. He further mentioned that I was the first Bangladeshi person privy to the details of this top secret military operation. He reminded me repeatedly of the importance of this message and asked me to comply accordingly.

As we shook hands to say goodbye, General Aurora mentioned, “This is the Liberation War of your motherland. I am certain you will be able to make good on your promise to your country. I hope to see you in Tangail.”

I evaluated my meeting with Gen Aurora as a signal for our impending victory.

the guerrillas of Dhaka in 1971
Accordingly, an Indian officer crossed the border and arrived in Tangail. He was perhaps the first Indian Army officer to infiltrate more than one hundred miles into the Bangladesh free zone before the war started. I met him on 3 December in Baroiotol, a village on the Dhaleshwari River near Bhuapur. He introduced himself as Peter and we exchanged passwords. I came to know that he was a Captain in the Indian Army and that he was a Bengali from Kolkata. He had arrived in the free zone just a night earlier, escorted by five freedom fighters, three of whom were trained wireless set operators. His mission was to contact Kader (Tiger) Siddiqui and select the strategic locations for the landing of the Indian paratroopers. All relevant information was to be sent back to his controlling headquarter.

The next morning, Kader left to oversee the massive preparation for the impending attacks. On December 7, Peter and I left the boat and camped by the side of Nikrail School. Kader showed up in our camp. He formally put me in charge of communication regarding all subsequent attacks and placed one hundred fifty freedom fighters under my command. My job was to coordinate communication among the different companies, to maintain constant contact with Kader, and to help Peter in his work. Kader's presence and the news of India's recognition of Bangladesh created a feverish excitement amongst the people. After the evening prayers, thousands of people assembled at the school ground. Kader gave a passionate speech.

Captain Peter was deeply impressed by the large turnout, and the support and enthusiasm of the population. We left Nikrail to move towards Ghatail. We reached West of Ghatail by early morning on December 9 and set up a temporary camp at the house of Abdul Halim Chowdhury. With Madhupur captured, the road for the Indian Army to move from Jamalpur to Tangail was clear and Captain Peter relayed this information to his command.

On the morning of December 10, Brigadier Kader Khan's troops, after their defeat at Jamalpur and Mymensingh, were fleeing towards Dhaka.

That afternoon (December 11), Peter received a coded message from his headquarters and burst into joy. He told me that the paratroopers would be landing shortly. I, then, sent a message to Kader which simply said, “They are coming,” alerting the commanders of the area.

At five in the afternoon, two Indian Air Force MiGs flew very low over Ghatail and Kalihati.

We did not know which dropping area they would choose as the MiGs circled a very wide area. Then we saw the cargo planes, flying above the circling MiGs. Suddenly, the two MiGs shot up towards the stratosphere as the cargo planes slowly descended. They were Indian Air Force transport planes, AN-12, C-119, and CD-3. The planes descended in waves. As they approached their lowest point of descent, they came to a slow hover.

It was as if they were floating in the air. Suddenly their bellies opened and parachutes began dropping.

The southeastern sky, as far as we could see, was covered with what looked like big balloons. On a sunny and breezy afternoon, the blue sky of Tangail was brilliantly recomposed with a spectacular view created by the paratroopers. For those who were lucky enough to watch, it was an unforgettable moment.

At eight in the evening, Kader stopped by our camp. He reassured Peter that the landing was successful and that the paratroopers had made contact with the Mukti Bahini. Kader told us that the highways connecting Madhupur, Gopalpur, Kalihati, and Sholakura were now all under the full control of the Mukti Bahini. The fleeing Pakistani soldiers had been attacked from various positions on the Tangail-Madhupur Highway. About twenty vehicles of the Pakistan Army had been destroyed and more than fifty soldiers had been killed. The Mukti Bahini had been able to capture a number of vehicles as well as a huge quantity of arms and explosives.

At five in the morning, Kader headed out with his troops to Tangail along the Mymensingh-Tangail Highway. Peter and I were also with him. We were welcomed at the liberated Kalihati headquarters by Commanders Nabi Newaz, Riaz, and Samad Gama. They reported that their forces were in full control of the Kalihati Police Station and that Tangail Highway was in our control as far south as Sholakura.

We then moved to Sholakura but were halted at the Sholakura Bridge by enemy fire. At this time, several volunteers arrived escorting a contingent of paratroopers. Behind the force of last night's gusty winds, these paratroopers drifted away from their targeted position and thus they could not join in the battle fought the previous night. Captain Peter was delighted to meet his colleagues, amongst whom was a young Captain.

Captain Peter then left us and joined up with the paratroopers and we resumed our advance to Phultala. Kader attacked Phultala with mortars and then sent about 300 fighters to take the village. By afternoon, the enemy fled and Phultala came under our control.

We learnt through radio contact that Brigadier Klair of the Indian Army was on his way to Tangail. I, with a team of freedom fighters, left for Pungli Bridge to meet the Indian paratroopers. As we walked on the road to Pungli Bridge, I came face to face with the bone-chilling scenes of last night's battle. Corpses of hundreds of enemy soldiers littered the road; the bodies sprawled from one side of the bridge to the other. We walked with care so as not to step on the dead. All around was a mass of twisted mangled bodies and body parts. Never in my life had I seen so much death in one place.

It was about three in the afternoon. When Brigadier Klair and Kader Siddiqui stepped down, five hundred freedom fighters and paratroopers received them with thundering applause.

Brigadier Klair came over to me and thanked me for the help and cooperation extended by the Mukti Bahini.

From the Indian officers I learnt that in the battle around Pungli Bridge, three hundred-seventy Pakistan soldiers were killed and more than one hundred injured. Six Indian paratroopers achieved martyrdom and 15 were injured. Over 600 Pakistani troops were taken prisoner.

After the meeting, Kader and Klair decided to move on to Tangail that same evening. Most of the town of Tangail was in the hands of the Mukti Bahini. However, a small contingent of Pakistani forces at the new Tangail town garrison had not yet surrendered though it was cut off from all sides. An attack was launched at four o'clock that evening with about 200 Freedom Fighters, supported by mortar and machine gun fire. Very soon, the enemy guns were silenced and the last remnants of resistance at Tangail ceased.

By that evening, the whole town stood liberated. By now, tens of thousands of people had begun assembling around the Awami League premises to see Kader and to celebrate our victory. Brigadier Klair then came over to join in the celebrations.

This for me was the last major action of the war. The Pakistan army was on the run and its eventual defeat was now simply a matter of time.

Reflecting on the War, I think Captain Peter's infiltration deep inside the enemy territory reveals a well thought out deception plan that has not been fully appreciated by analysts.

As Indian forces were not concentrated here, the Pakistani leadership presumed that no major attack was envisaged by the Indian Army through this sector and so an elderly Pakistani officer, Brigadier Kader Khan was left in charge. In my view, this was an intentional move by General Aurora to mislead the enemy into thinking that the Indian Army advance into Dhaka would take place through the Comilla border.

Meanwhile, on December 11th, General Jacob, the Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, arranged a press conference in Calcutta. He declared to the national and international press that the night before, Indian paratroopers had landed surrounding Dhaka city. He claimed that Dhaka was then a besieged city, waiting to fall any day.

On the insistence of reporters, General Jacob reluctantly disclosed that a division of joint forces had surrounded Dhaka city.

However, in reality, the division he referred to was actually only single battalion of paratroopers who had landed, not in Dhaka, but rather some seventy miles to the north, in Tangail district.

Pakistani command was distressed by this bluff. It created a tremendous amount of psychological pressure on General Niazi to surrender. The joint force strategy worked just as planned.

This Para drop at Tangail caught the Pakistani leadership on the wrong foot and hastened the end of the war. For Brigadier Khan, this was the second surrender of his military carrier. During our interrogation, we came to know that he had also surrendered to the Indian Army on the West Pakistan border during the India-Pakistan War of 1965.

The inclusion of the Tangail Mukti Bahini in the original war strategy to conquer Dhaka was an important historical event. One of the most significant components to this plan was the landing of a battalion of paratroopers in Tangail.

Arguably, I was the first person in Bangladesh to have had the privilege of knowing this vital secret plan.

I was lucky and honoured to be associated with such a clever war strategy. It was also a great testament to Kader as well as to the Tangail Mukti Bahini.

The writer is a Freedom Fighter and scientist.

Reprinted from Independence Day Special 2015

Thanks for the share. My relative was one of the first to touch the ground (a young captain then) in the drop that day. The fight was vicious and MB did a spectacular job in fighting alongside the advancing Indian Paratroopers and not only in provision of guides.

As the author highlights:

As we walked on the road to Pungli Bridge, I came face to face with the bone-chilling scenes of last night's battle. Corpses of hundreds of enemy soldiers littered the road; the bodies sprawled from one side of the bridge to the other. We walked with care so as not to step on the dead. All around was a mass of twisted mangled bodies and body parts. Never in my life had I seen so much death in one place.

It was about three in the afternoon. When Brigadier Klair and Kader Siddiqui stepped down, five hundred freedom fighters and paratroopers received them with thundering applause.

Brigadier Klair came over to me and thanked me for the help and cooperation extended by the Mukti Bahini.

From the Indian officers I learnt that in the battle around Pungli Bridge, three hundred-seventy Pakistan soldiers were killed and more than one hundred injured. Six Indian paratroopers achieved martyrdom and 15 were injured. Over 600 Pakistani troops were taken prisoner.

I think this is quite apparent, yet we see the usual suspects with equally suspect grasp pf the language of communication on this forum, derive the ridiculous claims usual with their posts!

I personally think Indian Army attacked when New Delhi became sure about MUKTIS will be unable to do anything significant and will only continue to suck money from India.
Wait 50 years more and Genocide figure will be 10 million and rapes will be 3 million and India Army wouldn't have been present and all war started by taking of chittagong port by MUKTIS,and Aurora will be replaced by Mujeeb in Pictures.

Yikes .... this is straight out of soothsayer's book!

 

[doppelgängerr]

Thanks for the share. My relative was one of the first to touch the ground (a young captain then) in the drop that day. The fight was vicious and MB did a spectacular job in fighting alongside the advancing Indian Paratroopers and not only in provision of guides.

As the author highlights:

As we walked on the road to Pungli Bridge, I came face to face with the bone-chilling scenes of last night's battle. Corpses of hundreds of enemy soldiers littered the road; the bodies sprawled from one side of the bridge to the other. We walked with care so as not to step on the dead. All around was a mass of twisted mangled bodies and body parts. Never in my life had I seen so much death in one place.

It was about three in the afternoon. When Brigadier Klair and Kader Siddiqui stepped down, five hundred freedom fighters and paratroopers received them with thundering applause.

Brigadier Klair came over to me and thanked me for the help and cooperation extended by the Mukti Bahini.

From the Indian officers I learnt that in the battle around Pungli Bridge, three hundred-seventy Pakistan soldiers were killed and more than one hundred injured. Six Indian paratroopers achieved martyrdom and 15 were injured. Over 600 Pakistani troops were taken prisoner.

I think this is quite apparent, yet we see the usual suspects with equally suspect grasp pf the language of communication on this forum, derive the ridiculous claims usual with their posts!




Yikes .... this is straight out of soothsayer's book!

Is this reality or writer just copy paste Mahabharat's folk lore?

 

[Hellfire]

Is this reality or writer just copy paste Mahabharat's folk lore?

I am sure Bangladesh may be, for you, another of the Mahabharat folk lore?

If you are looking for a serious answer, stop tagging me in stupidities.