The triumphant freedom fighters with Indian allied forces gallantly continued liberating the country’s one after another districts from the Pakistani occupation forces, bringing the taste of ultimate victory to people on December 10, 1971.
On the other hand, sensing certain defeat, Pakistani forces and their local collaborators including Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Razakar forces continued murdering people, raping women and torching houses.
Meanwhile, except the capital Dhaka, country’s most of the districts were liberated from the occupation of Pakistani Army.
On this day in 1971, the freedom fighters and Indian allied forces liberated Mymensingh and Jamalpur districts.
On December 10 in 1971, Al-Badr abducted Sirajuddin Hossain, the then Executive Editor of the daily Ittefaq, and Syed Nazmul Haque, then Chief Reporter of PPI from their houses and later murdered them brutally.
Apart from these, on this day in 1971, just six days before the nation’s final victory, Bir Shreshtha Ruhul Amin, one of the seven gallantry award winning greatest heroes of the Liberation War embraced martyrdom on the bank of Rupsha River where he had reached after swimming around quarter kilometer of the River from the Ship.
Earlier, BNS Palash captured Mongla Port from the Pakistani occupation forces after a fierce gun battle.
The Naval Ship Palash was advancing towards Khulna to conquer the industrial city from the Pakistani forces.
As the Ship reached near the Shipyard area, a fighter plane hurled bombs targeting the BNS Palash. Mohibullah, Bir Bikrom, a staff of the ship was killed on the spot and the rest naval staff jumped into the River Rupsha.
Ruhul Amin managed to escape the bomb attack but he was killed by the Razakar Bahini.
On the next day, Ruhul Amin along with Mohibullah was buried at Bagmara village under East Rupsha area of Khulna district.
Different political parties, socio-cultural organisations, District Muktijoddah Sangsad and local administration are set to celebrate the ‘Free Day’ maintaining health guidelines today.
In Jamalpur, on this day in 1971, freedom fighters with the help of allied forces defeated Pakistan Army and liberated the district.
On this day in 1971, fearing the defeat, Lt General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi set to plot an escape but BBC leaked his plan.
To conceal his weakness, he went to Hotel Intercontinental and said, “Where are the international journalists? I want them to know that I will never leave my army behind.”
Fighter jets of the allied force bombed the radio station in Dhaka.
They also continued launching rocket attack on Kurmitola airbase to dominate the area.
Chattrogram and Chalna port became immobile due to the air attacks.
A few ships, embarked with Pakistan troops, were caught red handed.
One of those ships was trying to escape with hoisting a neutral state’s flag. It was heading to Singapore.
Pakistan’s permanent representative in the UN Aga Shahi told the then UN Secretary General U’Thant to ask India for withdrawing their soldiers.
China’s Temporary Foreign Minister Chipo Fei said that India’s activities proved their expansionist and imperialist form.
Read more: Anne de’s courageous photographs capture the ragged glory of 1971
Allied force gained success in the northern parts of Bangladesh.
They detached Dinajpur, Rangpur and Syedpur from each other. Rangpur and Dinajpur were completely freed.
Pakistan Army left Jamalpur garrison and advanced towards Dhaka.
They faced the allied force near Dhaka when a bloody skirmish broke out. Pakistan sustained around 1,500 casualties. The rest of the troops surrendered before allied forces.
Indian PM Indira Gandhi said in New Delhi that India neither did accept not denied the UN’s urge. They are keeping the proposal under consideration.
The situation would have been better when Bangladesh would have its own government and 10 million Bangladeshi refugees in India would get back home.
