By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, March 27, 2023 (BSS) - The attempt of encircling Rangpur Cantonment
in a bid to capture it at the supreme sacrifice of around 600 heroic
Bangalees on March 28, 1971 remains as a scintillating example of Bengali
valor.
 
A valiant participant in that attempt and Ekushey Padak winner heroic freedom
fighter Majibar Rahman Master said the Bangalees showed the unique heroism
only three days after the Pakistan army's crackdown on innocent Bangalees on
March 25, 1971.
 
As many as 30,000 Bangalees irrespective of caste, creed and religion as per
the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his
historic March 7 speech attempted to capture the cantonment on that day.
 
"Supreme sacrifice of hundreds of independence-seeker heroic Bangalees while
surrounding the cantonment that day ignited the sleeping heroism in every
Bangalee to participate in the Great War of Liberation to achieve
independence," Rahman said.
 
According to the famous book 'Juddhe Juddhe Swadhinota' written by Major
Nasir Uddin, tens of hundreds of Bangalees irrespective of caste, creed and
religion rushed towards Nishbetganj on the Ghagot river bank in Rangpur city
that day.
 
"The independence-seeker Bangalee Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, Oraon,
Santal and other ethnic communities equipped with indigenous, lethal and
sharp weapons, spears, arrows and bows attempted to capture the cantonment,"
the book wrote.
 
The independence-seeker Bangalees had been assembling from the south and
southwestern areas from 4 to 5 pm there to capture the cantonment at any
cost.
 
At one stage, Awami League (AL) leader Sheikh Amjad Hossain chaired an
unplanned sudden meeting addressed by its leader Majibar Rahman Master and
CPB leader Comrade Sayer Uddin when thousands assembled at Nishbetganj to
march towards the cantonment.
 
"The 23rd Brigade Headquarters of the Pakistani Army was then stationed at
Rangpur cantonment and the third Bengal Regiment, 26th Regiment and 23rd
Cavalry Regiment and its associate forces and 29th Tank Bahini were under its
command," the book wrote.
 
War criminal Brigadier General Abdullah Malik was the then Brigade Commander
and the cantonment was equipped with modern automatic heavy arms, artillery,
tanks and ammunition with huge Pakistani forces and non-Bengali Beharis.
 
The Pakistani army from 10 military jeeps with machine guns soon started
showering automatic gunfire towards the independence-seeker Bangalees that
continued for about five minutes killing some 600 Bangalees and injuring
hundreds more.
 
"The vast green grass fields on the Ghagot riverbanks witnessed the flow of
blood of martyred Bangalees," the book wrote.
 
The terrified massacres were committed by the Pakistani occupation army led
by war criminals Brigadier General Abdullah Malik, Colonel Sagir and other
Pakistani Army Officers and their collaborator non-Bengali Behari soldiers
and officers.
 
Under the command of Colonel Sagir, most of the bodies were collected and
burnt and many bodies and burnt remains were put into the mass grave at
Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi in the city.
 
"The happenings were witnessed by Bangalee Officers Major Nasir Uddin,
Lieutenant Badiuzzaman and Lieutenant Hashem, and at one stage, Colonel Sagir
became very angry on them for their silence after the whole genocide was
completed," the book quoted.
 
Former Rangpur district unit Commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad and
incumbent District Council Chairman heroic freedom fighter Mosaddek Hossain
Bablu said the message of supreme sacrifice of Bangalees reached quickly to
the northern region.
 
"The political and student leaders instantly began organising the War of
Liberation following the Nishbetganj massacre that ignited a fire in the mind
of every Bangalee across the region," Bablu said.
 
Captain Nawajesh set up the Headquarters of the EPR Bahini at Kurigram and
started organising resistance against the occupation forces and soon killed
15 Pakistani Army men, including Major Ezaz, at Teesta Bridge frontal battle
in Rangpur.
 
"The unique heroism and supreme sacrifice of the brave people ignited real
heroism in every Bangalee when they started to join the Mukti Bahini en-masse
in neighbor uring India till achieving the complete Independence on December
16, 1971," he said.
 
In commemoration of the supreme sacrifice of the heroic Bangalees, Bangladesh
Army has built Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi Smriti Soudha 'Rakta Gaurab' where
the grateful people pay rich tribute to the martyrs on March 28 every year.
 
Like in the previous years, the district administration and other
organisations have taken up programmes including placing wreaths at the
Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi Smriti Soudha 'Rakta Gaurab' tomorrow to pay rich
tribute to the heroic martyrs.
 
Different organisations will bring out rallies bearing indigenous weapons
used while attacking the cantonment followed by gathering of heroic freedom
fighters, political leaders and common people tomorrow at Nishbetganj in the
city.