Gen Jacob's wit made Pak army surrender

The Liberation War of Bangladesh might have dragged on if former chief of Indian army's Eastern Command Lt Gen (retd) JFR Jacob did not make the Pakistani occupation force surrender, by using his ready wit, a sector commander said yesterday.

Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah said Jacob's contribution to the country's liberation would be remembered by generations to come in Bangladesh.

General Officer Commanding of Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army Lt Gen AAK Niazi was not willing to surrender at first; he had to be convinced, he told a memorial discussion on Jacob, organised by Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.

SCF General Secretary Harun Habib said the instrument of surrender was primarily drafted by Jacob. “In fact General Jacob decided where, when and how the Pakistani army would surrender to the joint command of Bangladesh and India.”

Jacob was the last living top Indian military official who played a key role in the country's liberation, he added. He died on January 13 of pneumonia at the age of 92 in New Delhi.

Two other Indian officials Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora died in 2008 and 2005 respectively.

Harun Habib said beyond his professional duty in the Indian army, Jacob liked Bangladesh and its people; he was a true humanist.