Gen. Aurora explains overall plan
The Pakistani Army was believed to be in brigade strength in the Sylhet sector. In the same sector, after liberating Akhaura, the Indian troops gained control of Brahmanbaria and had now gone to Ashuganj. This had really brought the Indians nearest to the Meghna. Further south, in the Comilla sector, the Indian troops, moving from Feni Liberated Zoraganj.
The General said that there seemed to be a move by the Pakistanis to get out of this area and go to Dhaka and Chittagang. They were, however, shut up in rivercraft at Sirajganj, Goalundo, Narayanganj, Chandpur and Daudkandi. These were the ferry concentration points. They were also trying to clear out of Chalna for going to Barisal and Chittagong. Accordingly, the Indian Air Force struck, and hit a number of barges and steamers, which were either sunk or damaged. From Khulna they were going south. It thus appeared that the Pakistanis were really trying to escape from the advancing columns of the Indian Army throughout the Eastern sector, and reach places like Barisal or Chittagong.
Explaining further the General said that the overall plan of the Indian Army was to get behind the enemy and strike them. In a large number of places, the enemy had cleared out leaving behind a large number of stores, including vehicles. The technique was to split the enemy and finish them.
The General said that his greatest problem was a logistical problem; for, it was a question of supporting the forces in a wide area. He had to make certain that it would be possible to sustain his troops before they went into action. Similarly, “I decided to bypass the enemy, instead of going along highways, I was able to bypass most of the centers of resistance,” he added.
Replying to a question by a foreign correspondent, Gen. Aurora said that the regular forces of East Bengal Regiment were fighting along with the Indian Army under his overall command.
Asked by a reporter why the Pakistani forces were running away from so many places, the General said: “Because we managed to get behind them.” Moreover he pointed out the Indian forces had greater mobility and with the supremacy of the Air Force, “we can really battle them up,” Even then, the Pakistanis were fighting well wherever possible.
In respect to liberated areas he had given strict instructions that there should be no summary punishment of anybody. There had been an odd case here and there but hardly any case of summary punishment had been reported.
Agencies add:
Meanwhile, the last fighter aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force in Bangladesh has been shot down somewhere in Bangladesh.
Disclosing this, Gen. Aurora, said there was no longer any fighter plane left in Bangladesh out of the PAP strength of 23.
“My opposite number in the IAF says that the last fighter aircraft of the PAF has been shot down today,” the General added.
A fairly large steamer with 400 to 500 Pak troops aboard was first attacked by tanks and later struck by the Air Force. The vessel was seen ablaze and Pakistani casualties were heavy.
The Indian troops also liberated Ashuganj in their advance from Bharmanbaria to Bhairabbazar on the other side of Meghna in eastern Bangladesh.
About 6000 tonnes 2000 tonnes (2000 truck loads) of ammunition have been left behind at Jessore by the Pakistanis.
A spokesman of the Eastern Command said Pakistani troops also left behind about 500 truck loads of ammunition at Jheneda and 100 truck loads of ammunition at Magura in the same district.
A large number of different varieties of arms and army vehicles have also been captured at Jessore and other places.
The Pakistani troops had fled from Jessore cantonment in such a hurry that the map room was almost intact.
Gen. Aurora said the Indian troops advancing from the north along the bank of the Brahmaputra had surrounded Jamalpur, about 50 km from the district town of Mymensingh. Another small column of troops was advancing towards Mymensingh from Haduaghat on the border with Meghalaya.
Fighting was still going on in the Sylhet area in north-eastern Bangladesh where a brigade of the Pakistani Army had been bottled up with all their communications and ways of escape cut off by the Indian troops.
The General said that the Indian troops in a north-ward thrust from Jhenida and reached the river Madhumati and exchange of machine gun mortar fire was going with the Pakistani troops across the river.
He said that the troops had also liberated Zoratganj in a southward advance from Feni.
In a thrust on Kushtia the troops had reached the Hardinge bridge over the Padma.
The General said that Pakistani troops at Mainamati cantonment near the liberated Comilla were still surrounded by Indian troops.
Our Siliguri Staff Correspondent reports: The Indian Army has captured Palashbari and Sadullapur in Rangpur district two important Pak military posts, With the occupation of these two posts the Pakistani Army in Bogra, Rangpur and Dinajpur in North Bengal has been completely isolated from the main troops and remains helpless.
An officer of the Indian Army told newsmen at Siliguri that the routes for Pak soldiers to escape to Dacca were sealed. As the railway track to the west of Gaibandha has been blown up, railway service between Gaibandha and Rangpur has been crippled. The escape route to Dacca by crossing the Jamuna is also under the control of the Indian Army.
Meanwhile, Major General Nazir Hussain of the Pak Army, two Brigadiers and a Lt. Colonel had a narrow escape when they came within firing range of the Indian troops.
Major General Hussain and his colleagues were reportedly on their way to Rangpur from Bogra for some consultation with Pak Army officers. They were apparently unaware of the fact that Pirgunj had already been occupied by the Indian troops when they were passing through Pirganj Indian soldiers attacked them. The Major General beat a hasty retreat by diverting the course of the teen and thus saved himself But a Lt. Colonel of the Pak Army was killed.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 10.12.1971