THE WASHINGTON POST, DECEMBER 17, 1971
WAR IN EAST ENDS-INDIANS ENTER DACCA
TO MARIGOILDS AND CHEERS
Dacca, December 16-Indian army troops entered Dacca today to the cheers of thousands of Bengalis shouting” Jai Bangla” (Victory for Bengal).
The composite force of Indian troops and East Pakistani guerrillas, commanded by Major-General Gandhar Naagra, assaulted a bridge on Dacca’s outskirts in the early morning and then received word that the Pakistani command here had accepted India’s ultimatum to surrender.
Naagra said he sent a note across town to the Pakistani military headquarters at about 8-30 a.m. local time (10 p.m. Wednesday EST) and received an immediate reply that there would be no further Pakistani resistance. He then entered the city with his men.
He met with Pakistan’s commander here, Lt.-Gen.A.A.K. Niazi, about 10 a.m. “We are old friends”, Naagra said, “from college days”.
The Indian General then went to Dacca airport to await the arrival of the Chief of Staff of India’s Eastern Command, Maj-Gen.. J. F. R. Jacob, who came by helicopter from his Calcutta headquarters.
At the airport, the General, with only three Indian soldiers nearby, stood twirling his rough-wood walking stick, while the Pakistani airport defense units grouped at the far end of the runway to move to their surrender point.
Armed Pakistani soldiers far outnumbered Indians in the streets for several hours, and there was sporadic shooting. Several Indians -and Pakistanis were killed, including an Indian officer shot outside the Intercontinental Hotel.
Mukti Bahini men- Members of East Pakistan’s liberation army mingled with civilians in the happy crowds and fired their rifles in the air.
Naagra sent Brig. H. S. Kler, Commander of the 95th Mountain Brigade, to the Intercontinental Hotel, a neutral zone under Red Cross auspices, to attempt to protect foreigners and the former civilian government of East Pakistan, which has taken refugee there.
Kler’s car was repeatedly mobbed by Bengalis as he moved through the streets. At one point, the crowd tried to yank his driver out of the car and Kler stepped out. only to have Bengalis throw themselves around his neck while one pressed a bunch of marigolds into his hands.
“Thank you, thank you”, the Bengalis yelled at him.
Naagra and Kler fought their way into Dacca from the north after crossing the Pakistani border on the morning of December 4 with slightly more than two briga
They covered 160 miles-partly by bullock drawn cart and foot fighting at every town.
“We were relying on you to get us home for Christmas”, a reporter -told Naagra at the airport. “Well, we have done it”, the General replied.
Naagra said that the road into Dacca down which he came was littered with the bodies of Pakistani soldiers. “It was pathetic”, he said, “we could not bury them. We did not have time.”
“We were cheered all the way”, Naagra continued. “At Mymensingh, all my patches and badges were snatched off by the crowds.”
“I hope everything is peaceful and quiet”, Jacob said. “We have given our guarantee that the soldiers and West Pakistanis will be protected, and we mean to keep it.”
About eight Bengalis rushed through the airport gate into the runway to greet Jacob. “May I shake your hand”, they asked one after another. They have killed us like rats for nine months”, one told Jacob, referring to the Pakistani army.
Turning to a reporter, the Bengali asked: “What country are you from?” “American”, the reporter replied.
Not happy with America
The Bengali spat: “We are not happy with America”, he said, refusing to shake hands.
Bengalis bitterly resent President Nixon’s support for the central Pakistan Government throughout the civil war that led to the Indian-Pakistani war here.
Now (he Bangladesh (Bengal Nation) that they have been hoping for is born. One of Gen. Niagara’s aides carried a Bangladesh flag as the General stood at the airport.
Other Bangladesh flags are being waved in the streets by civilians who stop every passing car to shake hands and shout their happy slogans.
Along the sides of the streets, for the most part ignored by the crowds, soldiers and police of the defeated Pakistani Government file by-still carrying their weaponsbut heading for the collection points where they are to be disarmed.
The surrender and Indian army arrival came suddenly, after some bleak earlymorning hours in which it appeared that plans to surrender had been snagged in West Pakistan and that heavy fighting, plus waves of new air strikes, would cause serious damage and many deaths in Dacca.
India’s halt to air strikes against the city was to run out at 9-30 a.m. local time (10-30 p.m. Wednesday EST), and shortly before 9 a.m.. United Nations and Red Cross officials learned that the Pakistani command had lost its communications and could not send its message of acceptance to New Delhi.
Lost communications
During a hurried meeting at the Pakistani military headquarters, Maj Gen. Farman Ali Khan, who has been acting for Gen. Niazi in the attempts to negotiate a cease-fire, informed U.N. officials of the command’s unconditional acceptance. The message was then sent to Delhi through U.N radio facilities at 9-20 a.m. 10 minutes before the bombing was to resume.
The formal surrender took place at 5 p.m., local time (6 a.m. EST) on the race track in-field, with firing and shouting from surrounding areas…
Each bus-load of Indian soldiers is mobbed with cries of thanks, and Bangladesh flags are being pulled out from the hiding places where they have been kept since last March 25, when the Pakistani army began its brutal campaign to keep control here.
-Lee Lescaze