পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (সপ্তম খণ্ড).pdf/৪৬

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র : সপ্তম খণ্ড
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Bengali victims-men, women and children-in the club building and hacked them to death. I visited the scene of this gruesome tragedy a few days later and saw bloodspotted floors and walls. Women's clothes and the children's toys lay soaked in a congealing pool of blood. In the adjoining building, I saw bed sheets and mattresses stiffened with dried blood.

 While this happened the Pakistan Army was still attempting a link-up of the three columns. The link-up was effected on 29 march and the happy news was radioed to Dacca, where tense officers in the operations room heaved a sigh of relief. But it was too late for the victims at the Isphahani Mills slaughter-house.

 The only success in Chittagong so far had been the unloading of 9,000 tons of ammunition from the ship which had been gheraoed, by the Awami League volunteers since mid-March. Brigadier M.H. Ansari, who had flown from Dacca, had mustered all available resources-an infantry platoon, a few mortars and two tanksformed a task force. The Navy had lent the support of a destroyer and a few gunboats. He had achieved this success with marvelous skill. Later an additional battalion was also flown from Dacca to Chittagong.

 Although the situation with regard to the availability of resources had improved, the main battle for Chittagong had yet to be fought. The radio Transmitters, East Pakistan Rifles Sector IIcadquarters and the Reserve Police Lines in the District Courts area (the concentration point for the policemen, ex-servicemen and armed volunteers) remained to be cleared before the general flushing out the area could be undertaken.

 General Mitha was the first to have a go at the transmitter building. He sent a commando detachment to blow it up. His troops approached the target from the flank, following the river-route. They soon came under fire while still in country boats. Sixteen of them were killed. Mitha's second attempt too proved abortive and highly expensive.

 Major-General Khadim then sent a column of 20 Baluch under LicutenantColonel Fatimi. Once again, Fatimi managed to involve himself in some sort of engagement with the rebels on the way and never reached the transmitters. Finally, two 1-86s (Sabres) from Dacca had to knock them out. I visited the sight a few days later and found the building well fortified with pillboxes and foxholes-all interconnected with a fine network of trenches. The building was intact.

 The other principal target was the Last Pakistan Rifles Headquarters where 1.000 armed rebels were well entrenched. Located on high ground, they had artfully laid their defenses along the embankment with holes and slits to facilitate small arms fire. Our troops knew the odds and prepared massive attack to neutralize them. The attacking troops, approximately in battalion strength, had the support of a naval destroyer, two gunboats, two tanks and a heavy mortar battery. The baule raged for three hours before the defiant rebels could be subdued. This happened on 31 Marchthe sixth day of operation SEARCHLIGHT.