পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৪৬৪

বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ ১৭০। স্বাধীন বাংলা সান ৯ ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৭১ THE SUN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1971 BANGLADESH HAILS ITS DAY OF FREEDOM" Dancing in streets as key city falls to India Singing, dancing East Pakistanis went wild with joy in Jessore yesterday as Indian soldiers marched in triumph through the town. Indian tanks roared down the main street-while Radio Pakistan was insisting: 'We still hold Jessore." The townspeople were out in their thousands, shouting themselves hoarse with cries of "Joi Bangla!"-"Glory to Free Bengali Appalling For them, the Indian division means an end to the terror and appalling cruelty of the Pakistan Army gun law imposed firing the Bangladesh rebellion earlier this year. At every window, the green-and-yellow flag of the new rebel state was waving. After a fierce three day battle outside the town. Pakistani troops had led in the dark, through the last remaining chink in the wall of Indian armor. At dawn, hundreds of Bangladesh guerrillas swarmed over makeshift barricades and into the town. They swept into the jail and freed 650 prisoners, Among them were two relief workers jailed for illegally entering East Pakistan on a charity mission-21 -year-old Gordon slaven, from Hampstead, and 27 year-old American Mrs. Ellen Connet. Mission Military observers were astonished that Jessore was given up so easily. But it seemed that Pakistan President Yahya Khan had ordered a general retreat in the Eastern province, for a determined stand around the capital, Dacca. Yesterday the ring of stell around Dacca tightened still more. According to the Indians, they were only 22 miles from Dacca. Claimed But Radio Pakistan insisted that Comma-like Jessore and Sylhet, also claimed by the Indians-was still firmly in Pakistan Army hands in the west, Pakistani troops were said to have launched a fierce new attack against Indian positions. A Pakistani spokesman at Islamabad said: "Our troops continue to dominate Indian forces in the Chamb area." An Indian spokesman admitted: "Our troops are hard pressed."