Rangpur people began War of Liberation from March 28

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RANGPUR, March 27, 2019 (BSS) – The heroic Rangpur people started the War
of Liberation decisively from March 28, 1971 only three days after Pakistani
crackdowns on the unarmed innocent Bangalees under the heinous operation
‘Search light.’

The Bengalese irrespective of caste, creed and religion showed unparallel
heroism by sacrificing over 400 lives on that day while gheraoing Rangpur
Cantonment in a bid to capture it from Pakistani occupation forces and
liberate the nation.

“Around 30,000 Bangalees at the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attempted to capture the cantonment then without
thinking about their lives,” said freedom fighter Majibar Rahman Master, who
participated in the attempt.

The Rangpur people factually started becoming mobilised after the Beharis
killed three heroic sons Sangku Samajhder, Abul Kalam Azad and Omar Ali on
March 3, 1971 when thousands of Bangalees brought out procession on the city
streets breaking curfew.

“As per call in Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech, Rangpur people
under leadership of the then Awami League (AL) and student leaders decided to
launch stiff resistance against the Pakistani army with a decisive struggle
for independence,” Master said.

According to famous book ‘Juddhe Juddhe Swadhinota’ written by Major
Nasir Uddin, uncounted number of common Bangalees from many villages rushed
toward Nishbetganj to the south of Rangpur cantonment.

“The independence-seeker Bangalee Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, Oraon,
Santal and other ethnic communities equipped with lethal and sharp weapons,
spears, arrows and bows attempted to capture the cantonment on that day,” the
book wrote.

They started rushing toward the cantonment. Meanwhile, a previous plan
was leaked out to the Pakistani occupation army, as the anti-liberation
forces including non-Bengali Behari collaborators were planning to eliminate
the Bangalees.

“It was about 4 to 5 pm when thousands of independence-seeker Bangalees
assembled at Nisbetganj from the south and southwestern areas to capture the
cantonment at any cost,” the book says.

CPB leader late Comrade Soyer Uddin and AL leader Majibar Rahman Master
addressed a spontaneous gathering at Nishbetganj near the cantonment with AL
leader Sheikh Amjad Hossain in the chair.

Brigadier General Abdullah Malik was the then Brigade Commander of the
23rd Brigade Headquarters of Pakistani army stationed at Rangpur cantonment
that was equipped with modern automatic heavy arms with huge Pakistani forces
and Beharis.

The Pakistani forces soon showered automatic gunfire toward the
independence-seeker Bangalees to commit the world’s most heinous genocide by
killing hundreds of Bangalees and injuring many more.

“The vast green grass fields on the Ghaghot riverbank at Nisbetganj
turned into a blood-sea after Brigadier General Malik, Colonel Sagir and non-
Bengali Behari soldiers and officers, committed the fearful genocide,” the
book wrote.

“The happenings were witnessed by Bangalee Officers Major Nasir Uddin,
Lieutenant Bodiuzzaman and Lieutenant Hashem. At one stage, Colonel Sagir
became very angry on them for their silence after the whole genocide was
completed,” the book quotes.

Later, Colonel Sagir, who always maintained links with the local Beharis,
told his under commands that he had taught proper lessons to the Bangalees by
killing hundreds of Bangalees as ‘they crossed all limits’.

Talking to BSS, former District Muktijoddha Commander Mosaddek Hossain
Bablu said the message of unprecedented heroism and supreme sacrifice of over
400 Bangalees immediately sparkled with real heroism in every Bangalee.

“Hundreds of students, youths, police and Ansar from all over Rangpur
region, started fleeing homes to join the Mukti Bahini en-masse in
neighbouring India with a vow to liberate the nation,” he said.

“And thus, the secular Bangalees showed unprecedented heroism on March 28
by giving blood by gheraoing Rangpur cantonment and started fighting
decisively till freeing the nation from the occupation forces on December 16,
1971,” Bablu added.

The district administration and other organisations will place wreaths at
Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi Smriti Soudha ‘Rakta Gaurab’ on March 28 (tomorrow)
to pay rich tribute to the heroic martyrs for their supreme sacrifice.