guard the Kalurghat Radio Station. Next day on 27th March Zia went of the air and declared himself the President and gave a call for freedom fight. This confused the Awami Leaguers and the public Mr. A. K. Khan who heard the news said that it will be interpreted as an Army coup and there will be no support nationally or internationally. He made out a new draft in English. Major Zia realized the mistake and read out the new draft saying Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the president and the call was on his behalf.
Full scale fight started. Army tank was brought out but people created road blocks, put fire on the tarmac forcing the army to abandon the tank and retreat into the Cantonment. Inside the Cantonment Beluch Regiment killed Col. M. R. Chowdhury and nearly two third of Bengalees Officers and Jawans. Some of the men and Officers escaped with their arms through the hills. The Eighth Bengali Regiment which was stationed at CDA market was ordered to leave for Karachi. Major Ziaur Rahman along with other Bengali Officers conferred and killed the non-Bengali Colonel and joined the liberation forces. The Awami League organized an attack of the Cantonment under the leadership of Major Zia. EPR police and Awami League volunteers along with about 400 mercenary forces of Arakan Raja totaled about 2,000. The attack did not take place.
On 27th March Pakistan Government sent a big column from Comilla to join the beseized army in Chittagong Cantonment. We received the information through the telephone system of the Railway Stations. With the help of Noakhali Awami League we immediately built up road blocks all the way, the biggest one being at Shuvapur bridge where we blew up part of the bridge. However, the column proceeded slowly removing the road blocks. The deserting EBR forces and EPR volunteered to intercept and ambush the column at Kumira. Under the leadership of Capt. Bhuiyan & Capt. Rafiq we arranged for food and other necessities. The ambush did take place forcing column to abandon all the vehicles and the survivors running into the hills for safety. They lost a senior Officer of the Pak Army. Our forces then proceeded north and came in control of the road up to Feni River.
The liberation forces took position in different parts of the city preventing the enemies progressing from Chiuagong Airport and Comilla side. They were fighting for every inch of the land. Then the Navy and Air force joined in. the Navy shelled from the sea and PAF started strafing and bombing our strongholds and bazaars. Our boys started retreating through the hill tracts towards the border of lidia but Fighting all the way.
I was approached by Major Zia to collect ammunitions from India without which they could not continue the fight. With the help of some Hindu friends who knew the border well I managed to cross the border at Sabrum on 30th March along with Mr Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury, Mr. Ataur Rahman Khan and Mr. Abdullah AlHaroon. We were received well by the Indian border Police, was given food and then taken to Agartala to their chief. I was asked various questions and pointed out certain positions on the map of their chief. I was asked various questions and pointed out certain positions on the map of Chittagong. I identified them as being our troop concentrations. Then he told me that the intercepted Pak Army instructions to bomb these places. Later we came to know that these places were bombed on that day. On my request for ammunitions they arranged some supplies but said I must contact the Government at Delhi and get their clearance.
