Rangpur Cantonment Gherao marks glittering heroism of Bangalees

The supreme sacrifice of some 600 heroic Bangalees while attempting to overrun Rangpur Cantonment on March 28, 1971 remains as a glittering heroism example of Bangalees. A brave participant in that attempt and valiant freedom fighter Majibar Rahman Master told the national news agency that the Bangalees showed the unique bravery only three days after the Pakistani army’s crackdown on innocent Bangalees on March 25, 1971. “More than 30,000 Bangalees responding to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attempted to control the cantonment on that day,” Rahman, now 83, said. According to the famous book ‘Juddhe Juddhe Swadhinota’ written by Major Nasir Uddin, a large group of people irrespective of caste, creed and religion rushed towards Nishbetganj on the Ghagot riverbank in Rangpur city.  “The freedom-lover Bangalee Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, Oraon, Santal and other ethnic communities equipped with lethal and sharp weapons, spears, arrows and bows attempted to capture the cantonment,” the book wrote.
It was about 4 to 5 pm when thousands of independence-seeker Bangalees had been assembling from the south and southwestern areas to overrun the cantonment at any cost.
At one stage, Awami League (AL) leader Sheikh Amjad Hossain chaired an unplanned meeting addressed by CPB leader Comrade Sayer Uddin and AL leader Majibar Rahman Master when thousands assembled at Nishbetganj to march towards the cantonment “The 23rd Brigade Headquarters of the Pakistani Army was then stationed at Rangpur cantonment and the 3rd Bengal Regiment, 26th Regiment and 23rd Cavalry Regiment and its associate forces and 29th Tank Bahini were under its command,” the book wrote.

War criminal Brigadier General Abdullah Malik was the then Brigade Commander and the cantonment was equipped with modern automatic heavy arms, artillery, tanks and ammunition with huge Pakistani forces and non-Bengali Beharis. The Pakistani army from 10 military jeeps with machine guns soon started automatic gunfire on the independence-seeker Bangalees that continued for about five minutes killing some 600 Bangalees and injuring hundreds more. “The vast green grass fields on the Ghagot riverbanks witnessed the flow of blood of martyred Bangalees,” the book mentioned. The fearful massacres were committed by the Pakistani occupation army led by war criminals Brigadier General Abdullah Malik, Colonel Sagir and other Pakistani Army Officers and their collaborator non-Bengali Behari soldiers and officers. Under the command of Colonel Sagir, most of the bodies were collected and burnt and many bodies and burnt remains were put into the mass grave at Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi in the city.

“The incidence was witnessed by Bangalee Officers Major Nasir Uddin, Lieutenant Badiuzzaman and Lieutenant Hashem, and at one stage, Colonel Sagir became very angry on them for their silence after the whole genocide was completed,” the book quoted. Former Rangpur district unit Commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad valiant freedom fighter Mosaddek Hossain Bablu said the message of dazzling Bangalee heroism and supreme sacrifice reached quickly to the whole northern region.  “The political and student leaders immediately began organising the War of Liberation following the Nishbetganj massacre that ignited a fire in the mind of every Bangalee,” Bablu said.

Captain Nawajesh set up the Headquarters of the EPR Bahini at Kurigram and started organising resistance against the occupation forces and soon killed 15 Pakistani Army men, including Major Ezaz, at Teesta Bridge frontal battle in Rangpur. “The unique heroism and supreme sacrifice of the brave people ignited real heroism in every Bangalee when they started to join the Mukti Bahini en-masse in neighbouring India till achieving the Independence on December 16, 1971,” he said.  In remembrance of supreme sacrifice of the heroic Bangalees, Bangladesh Army has built Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi Smriti Soudha ‘Rakta Gaurab’ where the grateful people pay rich tribute to the martyrs on March 28 every year. The district administration and other organisations have taken up programs including placing wreaths at the Nishbetganj Baddhyabhumi Smriti Soudha ‘Rakta Gaurab’ tomorrow to pay rich tribute to the martyrs. Different organisations will bring out rallies bearing indigenous weapons used while attacking the cantonment followed by gathering of the heroic freedom fighters and commoners at Nishbetganj tomorrow.