Steady advance towards Dacca continues
By Amitava Das Gupta, Indian troops marching on Dacca maintained a steady advance from all directions on Tuesday and continued to pound heavily the military targets inside the city and outside. The Indian troops, as last reports came in on Tuesday, were within 10 to 15 kilometers from Dacca.
A part of the Pakistani garrison, led by Brigadier Khander Khan surrendered to the Indian troops some four kilometers west of the Pakistani ordnance factory at Joydevpur in the suburbs of Dacca. The Pakistani troops, evidently withdrawing from Mymensingh and trying to proceed to Dacca were trapped by the advancing columns of Indian troops and they had no option but to surrender.
A significant development on Tuesday was the very fast advance by Indian troops in their march towards Chittagong, the main port of Bangladesh. By Tuesday night, Indian troops were at Kumira, some five miles from the port town. The advancing Indian columns received considerable support from the Indian Navy, whose aircraft heavily bombed the port and attacked the harbour with rockets.
Insofar as the situation around Dacca is concerned the Pakistani occupation forces have started taking new positions in civilian areas. A part of Dacca University has been converted into a garrison for the Pakistani troops. Troops have also been deployed in the residential areas obviously to escape air attacks by IAF.
It may be recalled that the Chief of the Indian Army, Gen. Manekshaw had expressed the hope that the Pakistani occupation forces would leave residential areas from their plan of offering resistance. Acts such as this would only embitter relations between Bangladesh and West Pakistan. The general’s message contained in printed leaflets was airdropped all over Dacca.
Various reports received so far indicate that the strength of the Pakistani occupation forces in and around Accra has been considerably augmented during the last several days. Even some days ago, their strength was not more than six to seven thousand. But it has gone up to about 20,000. This increase has possibly been the result of fleeing Pakistani troops from different sectors managing to get into Dacca.
Although the situation is fast getting out of his hands Gen. Niazi has ordered his troops to flee to the last, even if it means total destruction of Dacca. In other words, Niazi is following the policy displayed immediately after the crackdown of destroying the city, including civilian areas. It is feared that he might not even spare the neutral zone of the International Red Cross organization where the civilian employees and the Governor Dr. Malek who quit their posts early on Tuesday, have taken shelter.
Agencies add:
Bogra headquarters of Pakistan’s 16th Brigade, has been liberated.
The Indian leading elements at Narsingdi on the road to Dacca, has been last reported about six to eight miles from the outskirts of the capital of Bangladesh.
Two other columns coming down from Sylhet and Tangail are converging on Tungi, 20 to 23 km from Dacca.
Indian paratroopers have by Tuesday linked up with the main columns advancing to Dacca from two different directions.
Moving on the Tangail axis, the combined forces of the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini liberated Kaliakair.
Replying to a number of questions on the Indian artillery attacks in the Dacca area, a spokesman of the Eastern Command said : “We are using our artillery only against army or military targets and not on the civilian areas or population”
The maximum range of the Indian guns, he said in answer to a question, was about 30,000 yards. “But we could be nearer (than the range).” “He said he could not elaborate further on the point”
Asked about the possibility of hand-to-hand fighting in Dacca, the spokesman replied: “We are prepared for this also”.
Correspondents in Dacca said Gen. Niazi’s staff was in “a state of total depression”. They also said Indian planes resumed bombing of Dacca Cantonment after a day’s tull.
Apart from Dacca the occupation forces were still resisting surrender in the cantonments of Dinajpur, Syedpur, Rangpur, Mainamati and Khulna.
The enemy is reported to be holding the Khulna Cantonment in strength supported by armor and artillery.
The enemy lost two tanks in the Khulna sector on Tuesday.
In the Indian advance to Bogra a stiff fight flared up in which the enemy lost two tanks and one. The town was liberated on Tuesday morning after a brief battle. A large number of vehicles belonging to two caravans were captured. The vehicles included those of the General Officer Commanding of the Pakistani Division. Maj. Gen. Nazim Hussain Shah and his chief of staff and three others bearing UNICEF mornings. This division (116th) has been in control of the entire northern region of Bangladesh.
The General Officer Commanding managed to escape but a hunt was on to get him.
West of Bogra, Indian columns liberated Jainurhat and Khetial on the route to the strategic railway junction of Sanatabar due north of Natore.
Khansama in Dinajpur district also fell to the Indian troops. Twenty-five Pakistani troops were killed in the battle at Khansama where one officer and one JCO surrendered to the Indian Army.
Replying to further questions, the Eastern Command spokesman Gen. Manakshaw’s message to the command of the Dacca garrison to surrender “We hope, however, that action has been taken to make it possible for all civilians to make out to safe distances.” . He also hoped the occupation forces would not offer resistance in areas inhabited by civilians. “We are, however distressed to know that a part of the Dacca military garrison has occupied the university area.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 15.12.1971