THE STATESMAN, AUGUST 12, 1971
PAK ARMY RETREATS STRATEGIC:
SAY BANGLADESH COMMANDERS
By Our Special Representative
A few Bangladesh Liberation Army sector commanders who recently met to review the war situation are believed to have held the view that the Pakistan Army’s retreats in many areas in the face of Mukti Bahini’s commando and guerrilla operations should not give rise to any complacency. The commanders felt that many of these retreats might be for tactical reasons.
It is now apparent that the Pakistan Army largely made up of men from West Pakistan finds itself completely dismayed in the mud and slush of East Bengal. It is also not used to fighting in the heavy monsoon conditions that prevail in Bangladesh now. The Army’s present tactics may be to conserve its weapons and energy for the post- monsoon season when it hopes to strike hard.
In a note to their Liberation Army headquarters the commanders have said that the Mukti Bahini’s monsoon thrust should be stepped up as quickly as possible so that “lodgment areas” could be spread wider in the wake of the Pakistan Army’s retreat. The commanders maintain that the Liberation Army has “infrastructure wise” everything to continue its sweep over the Pakistan Army during the monsoon.
Some recent defections of Bengali gunners and other soldiers from the Pakistan Army units in the western sector have strengthened the Liberation Army. These defectors have trekked their way from the west to report for duty at the Liberation Army headquarters. The commanders suggest that a full regiment of gunners is now available for the Liberation Army and it should be properly used.
But the commanders fear that if the monsoon which will last till the middle of October, is allowed to be wasted, the war in Bangladesh will be a prolonged affair much to the difficulties of the people both in East and West Bengal. The commanders feel that during the three monsoon months much more could have been achieved had the weapons available to the Liberation Army been replenished.
All commanders in the Liberation Army have been Pakistan Army veterans with full training both in conventional warfare and also in specialized fighting techniques which the United State organized at home and in some NATO countries. Their association with the Pakistan Army for many years have made them familiar with whatever the Army can do in meeting the Liberation Army attacks.
According to the commanders the per unit fire power of the Pakistan Army is considerably superior to that of the Liberation Army or even of the Indian Army.
The Pakistan Army is equipped with all automatic weapons supplied by the Americans and the Chinese. Its arms stock is constantly being replenished by the Chinese and some other Western Powers.
The commanders case is spelt out in clear terms. They need more arms for the guerillas and also for the commanders. The training of guerrillas has been going on in full swing in different camps spread along the border areas in the whole of Bangladesh. Many of these trained people cannot be fully utilized for shortage of arms supply.
Some guerrilla units have entrenched themselves deep in the countryside of Bangladesh and opened training centers there. The response of the local people for facilities of training in these centers has been overwhelming it is stated. Training has been continuing for some time and there have developed strong rear units all over the country, according to a report.
Liberation Army gains in the monsoons will depend largely on the immediate deployment of all the units both in the forward areas and also in the real. The commanders maintain that efforts should immediately be made for arms procurement from all available sources. Recently, the commanders had a meeting with the Bangladesh Cabinet and they explained the war situation emphasizing the need for more arms. The need was not so much for sophisticated weapons, as for conventional hardware. They said that the guerrillas should not be expected to face the well armed enemy with lathis and daggers.
The guerrilla war in Bangladesh should not be equated with similar struggles elsewhere, because the Bangladesh liberation war started with an initial advantage first, the entire people were with the struggle, and secondly, a fully trained army formed the hard core of the Mukti Bahini. The army had its infantry, gunner and signal units, and other units for different types of warfare, administration of supplies and medical care.
Some commanders told this reporter that they had been able to drive home their point. They expected that the Bangladesh Government would do its best to procure arms and that the remaining phase of the monsoon would be better utilized. With whatever arms were available so far, the Mukti Bahini’s achievements would have made any other army in a similar situation proud, they said.