ammunitions, equipments. Stores, vehi8cles etc were kept ready there. This battalion borrowed some 150 rifles of 303 type form EBRC, one 106 mm RR and two 3 inch mortars form 20 Baluch without any ammunition for the training purpose only. Which luckily remained with the battalion. The sholashahar market where the battalion got raised was not an ideal place at all to defend it by staying there. Moreover, it was not possible for the battalion to operate conventionally at that very moment without having anything. So the decision was taken to leave the arca for the time being to organize somewhere outside the city and operate unconventionally
At 2 O'clock morning, we left the unit line with all troops and arms-ammunitions available with the unit, crossed the Kalurghat road railway bridge and bade a temporary hide-out in the village. Next morning we got Capt. (now Major) IIarun Ahmed Chowdhury who escaped along what maximum of his IPR troops, arms, ammunitions form 17 wing Captain and joined us. It was God's mercy that we got such a huge number of arm-ammunition and readymade troops Many MCAs, leaders. well wishers met us there. A rough plan was made and in the darkness of the evening we kicked off for the city again.
I took a temporary shelter with my company in a village on the other side of the Kalurghat railway bridge. Entered the city in complete disguise of a street beggar along with one of my sepoy and located the important positions held by the enemy in the city. Some of the high hills and the building s were under enemy's hand where they had been continuously firing from. Many of the high hills and building s were still unoccupied by anyone. Students were driving the hoodless vehicles at the maximum possible speed pointing their shot guns, 22guns outside. They were collecting food etc in Awami league offices and distributing them to many student fighters. Ansars Plices, Mujahids, Ex-defence personnel's etc.
On 29th March 71. I was ordered to take defence on both side3 of the Kalurghat bridge and it was complete by that day. In the afternoon, one of the Pakistani C-130 flew over the bridge giving a doubtful look. We heard at night that some of the commando paratroopers were brought from Comilla and landed at Chittagong airport. At 8 O'clock night a motor launch approached our defence towards the bridge with a very powerful searchlight on. I told my troops not to open fire unless they were ordered. The steamer after having an over all look from a distance for half an hour got a side of the bank of the river and after sometime left the place. We did not know what had happened Whole night the troops remained awake in a suspense. Early in the morning at 0430 hrs we heard some firing sound very close to my defence.
Early in the morning on 30th March 71, a civilian named Mohammed Asal approached me and started shouting 'En' 'En' Major (now Bring) Ziaur Rahman was with me, looked at my face and told to take a pl and face them. Having a big commander with me, I felt much courage to go for the first operation myself. Took a mixed pl of E Bengal an EPR in an army vehicle and started. The civilian guide Mohammed Asaf led us to such a place where the whole pl of mine came straight under en fire. We jumped out of the vehicle and took shelter behind some cover of houses and bushes. After approaching
