The gates of hell cast open

March 25, 1971

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a press statement issued today called for a general strike throughout Bangladesh on March 27 against the army's action in certain places in East Pakistan including Saidpur, Rangpur and Joydebpur.

He also expressed concern over the regrettable delay in resolving the crisis politically and termed it as "unfortunate". He said if a "political solution is desired" by President Yahya Khan and his advisers they should "realise that it was for them to take matters immediately, to a conclusion, and that to delay this would expose the country and its people to grave hazards".

Referring to attempts to divide Bangalees and Mohajirs, Bangabandhu said, "What is more reprehensible is that certain elements have been deployed by the anti-people forces to foment tension between locals and 'non-locals'."

He added, "I have repeatedly reaffirmed that all those who live in Bangladesh, regardless of their place of origin or the language they speak, are our people, and they should consider themselves as such and take full part in the struggle for emancipation of Bangladesh. Their life, property and honour are our sacred trust."

The statement ended with the call, "Our movement shall go forward. The directives issued on 14th March 1971, shall continue in force, subject to the clarification issued from time to time."

THE DEADLIEST NIGHT

11:00am, March 25. Major General Khadim Hussain's green telephone rang. Lt Gen Tikka Khan was on the line.

He said, "Khadim, it is tonight."

General Khadim passed the word to his staff who rang up all the outstation garrisons to inform of the H-hour. The fateful hour was set at 1:00am, 26 March. It was calculated that by then President Yahya Khan would have reached Karachi. Yahya quietly left Bangladesh in the evening.

The action started ahead of schedule. Major Siddiq Salik, the public relations officer of Pakistan army in East Pakistan, and AAK Niazi commented that before the Bangalees could create strong resistance, the Pakistan forces, in order to reach various places of Dhaka, changed the schedule of the operation.

The Pakistani soldiers came out of the cantonment at 11:30pm, launched indiscriminate attack on the demonstrating Bangalees in Farmgate, and thus initiated Operation Searchlight.

The gates of hell were cast open. Bangladesh witnessed the deadliest night.

At 1:00am on March 26, troops from the 22nd Beluch Regiment headed out as ordered and attacked Pilkhana EPR. As soon as Pilkhana was attacked, the entire Dhaka, including Rajarbagh, Dhaka University and Shankhari Bazar, came under attack. Throughout the night, this massacre continued: women were raped, houses burned and looted and countless people killed.

In the first of many notorious war crimes, soldiers attacked Dhaka University, lining up and executing students and professors.

By midnight of March 25, Dhaka was literally burning; especially the Hindu dominated eastern part of the city. The Army's technique was to set houses afire and then gun down people as they left their homes. The troops engaged in looting of the homes and shaking down of people trying to flee Dhaka.

The offices of the dailies like the Ittefaq, Sangbad and the Peoples were set on fire.

On the same night, many people were killed and injured in Chittagong by the firing of the army.

After midnight, one group of Pakistani occupation forces came across a barricade in Shukrabaad, near Bangabandhu's residence. Breaking barriers, they reached his house and kept firing shots until they captured him at 1:30am on March 26 and took him to the Dhaka Cantonment.

Just before his arrest, Bangabandhu sent a message about attacks on EPR and police barracks in Dhaka, and declared the independence of Bangladesh. This message was broadcast from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro on 26 March 1971, and was widely reported in newspapers around the world.

Referring to Bangabandhu's message, Siddiq Salik recounts, "When the first shot had been fired, the voice of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came faintly through on a wavelength close to that of the official Pakistan radio. In what must have been, and sounded like, a pre-recorded message, the Sheikh proclaimed East Pakistan to be the People's Republic of Bangladesh."

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at [email protected]