Guerilla Fight right into Dacca city
NEW DELHI, MAY 21- Pakistan has impliedly admitted reporters reaching India that Bangladesh freedom-fighters have carried their guerilla fight right into Dacca city itself, report agencies.
Radio Pakistan this morning broadcast a warning by Martial Law authorities threatening “exemplary punishment” to the fighters whom the radio described as “saboteurs”.
The warning said that any one caught using country-made hand grenades in Dacca city would be subject to such punishment.
Today’s warning by the Pakistani authorities said that the hand-grenade incidents in Dacca were intended to create panic and a feeling of insecurity among peace-loving citizens.
Authorities have offered rewards for those giving information to the arrest of these “saboteurs”.
The broadcast also said that 10 persons have so far been arrested in connection with grenade incidents in Dacca city.
Reports reaching Indian border town have said that commando groups of the Liberation Army to surprise strikes early this week attacked the Governor’s House in Dacca, the Secretariat and the Muslim Commercial Bank at the New Market.
Mukti Fouj commandos killed 34 Pakistani troops near Joypurhat in Bogra district of Bangladesh at night on April 19.
Teliapara, one of the strongholds of the liberation forces in Sylhet sector, fell yesterday to the Pakistani Army; after a 15-day-old epic battle in which the Pakistani troops suffered severe mauling, losing at least 350 of them.
A commander of the liberation forces told a PTI staff correspondent somewhere in Sylhet sector that 15 Mukti Fouj soldiers lost their lives in the grim and protracted battle of Teliapara.
The martial law administration has decided to form a barrier force known as Pakistan Rifles (PR) Completely manned by West Pakistani and non-Bengali Muslims to replace the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) according to a Mukti Fouj intelligence source.
The Pakistani Army disbanded the EPR in March. Hundreds of its men have been shot dead and many more are under military custody. Those who escaped army elitches have joined the Liberation Army.
Our Staff Correspondent adds from Siliguri the guerilla Squads of Liberation Forces in a surprise raid late on Monday night blew up a 150 feet long vital road bridge between Rangpur and Saidpur in the northern zone of Bangladesh. The bridge was over the River Chikli, about ve miles from Saidpur.
Following the blowing up of this bridge the chief supply line of Pak troops between Rangpur cantonment and saidpur and also Dinajpur has been seriously affected, according to a responsible Awami League source here, Liberation Force guerrillas are now active in the Rangpur sector and have stopped Pak troop’s advance at several places in northern zone.
Earlier Mukti Fouj guerrillas had blown up a Pak Army train at a place between Lalmonirhat and Mahesh Khoche railway stations on May 10. The Army train carrying arms, ammunation and mines consisted of two engines and three bogies. The train while approaching a small bridge derailed and was blown up by the mines it was carrying. Mukti Fouj guerrillas had earlier removed fish plates from the railway track on the bridge.
The Awami League source said another development of the past few days has been collective resistance being organized against the enemy in the village areas.
Our Correspondent at Dinhata staff that reports from across the border says that the Pakistani Army is giving guerilla warfare to non-Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh.
About 500 non-Bengali youth who assembled from different places of Bangladesh are being trained at Lalmonirhat.
Our Darjeeling Correspondent adds: Over 5,000 evacuees from Bangladesh have crossed over to Kharibari and Phansidewa areas of Darjeeling district. So far only one organized camp has been opened by the local administration at Chaterhat in the Phansidewa thana area.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 22.05.1971