1971: Story of friendship in need and in deed by Maj Gen (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bir Protik The Second World War began in September 1939, with the offensive against Belgium and France by Germany. Although part of Europe, England or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was separated by the waters of the English Channel. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill anticipated that Germany will have to launch offensive against Britain also; but in variably it had to begin with air offensive. The German Air Force had more planes than the British Air Force.. So, Churchill ordered an elaborate plan for the defense of British Isles should the German offensive begin. The offensive came as a deed, the peak period being between 24 August and 06 September 1940. The combat between the Air force of the two countries with support from the ground became to be known as 'Battle of Britain'. The sincerity, patriotism, sacrifice of the soldiers of the British Air Force is indeed nearly unparalleled in the history of air-warfare. On 20 August 1940 the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill while speaking about the Battle of Britain, in the House of Commons, London, paid tribute to the pilots and airmen in the following world : "never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few". I am neither a minister in any cabinet nor a Field Marshal or four star General in any Army, I am a humble freedom fighter who rose to two-star Generalship in the humble but proud army of a nascent but potentially rich country. I was born on 4 October 1949 and commissioned in the Pakistan Army on 6 September 1970. Therefore on the day of declaration of independence of Bangladesh on the 26th March 1971, I was 21 years 5 months and 22 days old and had only 6 months and 20 days of service. But, now when I am writing this column having the benefit of hindsight and benefit of retrospective evaluation, I can safely commemorate the contribution of India in the Liberation of Bangladesh, not independence, by saying: 'possibly no other nation or country in the history of the world has done so much in so many ways in so compact a time as India has done for Bangladesh between 26 March 1971 to 16 December 1971 that is why, the long title of this column should have been 1971: story of friendship between India and Bangladesh at the time of most crucial need of Bangladesh and delivered in reality'. The people of East Pakistan as we were before becoming people of Bangladesh, have had difficult times before March 1971, as well as have had bad times after December 1971. Irrespective of the trials and tribulations, the most difficult time was the 9 months of the war of liberation. Liberation was achieved, we have survived 38 long years, and we must continue to survive. Our times of need have not ended; they do appear infrequently though. Friends and friendship is always a necessity, but realistic friend and friendship in-deed (or actions) is rare. Indian diplomat and a former Foreign Secretary J.N Dixit was not only a witness but a participant in the processes leading to the Liberation of Bangladesh. He was director of the special division created in the External Affairs Ministry to deal with the political dimensions of the East Pakistan crisis in 1971. Later he became the first Indian Head of Mission in Dhaka. He wrote a book titled 'Liberation and Beyond: Indo-Bangladesh Relations'. This particular title is a meaningful indicator for the thoughtful ones. I pay my respects and tribute to the martyrs of the Bangladesh War of Liberation who were sons of the soil. I also pay my respect and tribute to those foreigners, neither Bangladeshi nor Indian, like the British, American, German, Australian, Japanese, French and the like, who also shed their sweat and tilled their brain for our liberation, who may have been decorated or not. I salute the 7 Bir Srestho (or Shaheed), the 68 Bir Uttom, 175 Bir Bikrom and 426 Bir Protik who were decorated. I pray the departed soul of the Martyrs or Shaheeds: 2022 from Bangladesh Army, 5 from Navy 51 from Air Force 817 from BDR, and 1639 from Bangladesh Police and the remaining unknown number which go to make the 30 lac or 3 million Shaheed. I salute the unknown, unnamed and undecorated heroes also without whom the ballad of our liberation war will remain incomplete. (note: should there be any error in the figures, I apologize and will be happy to be corrected). Although I am picking the name only as token, I pay my respect and tribute to the soldier of Indian Armed Forces who gave their life as well as those who shed sweat and blood on the soil of Bangladesh during December 1971 for our liberation. The name is Lance Naik Albert Ekka of 14 Guards who was awarded Param Vir Chakra. 14 Guards is an infantry battalion which took part in the Battle of Gangasagar in December 1971. Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry award in the Indian Army as is the Victoria Cross for Britain, or the Nishan-i-Haidar for Pakistan, or Bri Srestho for Bangladesh. The cataclysmic events of 1971 on the soil of Bangladesh have been described variously by various actors on the stage or observers form various angles of observations. Plenty has been written by eye-witness. Since I could not spare time to run around various libraries or delve into one or the other website, so I relied on my personal library only to refer to some books which will reflect the variety in perception, evaluation or description. Although there is a large number of books of Bangladeshi military and non-military authors with me, yet for the sake of space only I cannot mention them or quote from them. My salute to all the authors. To those Bangladeshis of present generation, my appeal is they must know 1971 and the sacrifices. To those who are elder to them, my appeal is, please reinforce what you know and dispel any unwanted insinuation. I am making reference to some books and quoting odd sentence from one or two. These quotations are food for thought for the serious thinkers without me adding any remarks catalytically. (A) Hasan Zaheer was a member of the civil service of Pakistan who served in the-then East Pakistan in various capacities. He was serving in Dhaka at the time of the surrender of Pakistan on 16 December 1971 also. He later became a secretary to the Government of Pakistan. He wrote a book published in 1998 by University Press Limited, Dhaka titled 'The Separation of East Pakistan: The Rise and Realization of Bengali Muslim Nationalism'. (B) Richard Sisson and Leo E. Rose wrote a book titled 'War and Secession: Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh' published from Oxford University Press, Pakistan in 1992. In reviewing this book, Thomas P Thornton of the School of International Studies, Johns Hopkins University said: 'This study makes a major contribution to our understanding of a series of events that are not only important in their South Asian context but also have major implications for the study of superpower relations and for international conflict more generally'. (C) Archer K Blood was the American Consul General in the former East Pakistan in 1971. Following his term in Dhaka, Archer K Blood served the State Department and US Army War College ending with being the Charge d' Affairs in US Mission in New Delhi. He wrote a book titled 'The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh' published by University Press Limited, Dhaka in 2002. In the words of the publisher: "The book reflects deep commitment to freedom on the part of the author and reads like and epitaph for the martyrs of struggle of the Bengali people…. Blood had to wait until December 1998 for the State Department to declassify the documents, telegrams and other messages related to this period before he could use them." (D) Siddiq Salik was a lecturer and journalist before joining Pakistan Army as Public Relations Officer. In 1971 he was a Major in the Army; he served in Dhaka between January 1970 and 20th December 1971 which gave him the unique privilege to observe the high level political drama in Dhaka. With two years of life as a prisoner of war in India, he had opportunity to reflect and analyze. He wrote a book titled 'Witness to Surrender' published by Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan in 1977 which provides a narrative where events are more important than personalities. (E) Commissioned in 1954, Hakeem Arshad Qureshi was a Lieutenant Colonel commanding 26 FF (an infantry battalion) in Saidpur-Rangpur-Dinajpur during 1971 earning the gallantry award a Sitara-i-Jurat. He retired from the Army in 1990 as a Major General. He wrote a book titled 'The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier's Narrative' published by Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan in 2002. To me, as a military officer as much as to many others like Lieutenant General Muhammad Iqbal of the Pakistan Army and a former Governor of the province of Punjab, the most important chapter in the book is the last chapter, chapter 25 'concluding observations' where there is much self criticism. (F) Major General Tajammal Hussain Malik wrote a book titled 'The Story of My Struggle' published by Jang publishers, Lahore, Pakistan in 1991. In 1971 he was commanding 205 Brigade in Hilli-Bogra. In December 1971 he was taken a prisoner of war. Only a portion of the book deals with 1971. (G) Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi was commander, Eastern command of the Pakistan Army from end April to 16 December 1971. He wrote a book titled 'The Betrayal of East Pakistan' published by Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan in 1998. The book is a very vivid account of the events in 1971 coming from the horse's mouth. In page xxv of the book in the preface he writes "The final plan for the dismemberment of Pakistan was hatched between General Yahya and Bhutto at Larkana, Bhutto's home town. The plan, which came to be known as the M. M. Ahmed plan, aimed at abandoning East Pakistan without a successor government, which meant: by losing the war….." In page 46 he writes "General Tikka, instead of carrying out the tasks given to him, i.e., to disarm armed Bengali units and persons and to take into custody the Bengali leaders, resorted to the killing of civilians and a scorched-earth policy. His orders to his troops were: I want the land and not the people….." A very pertinent question is: what does the author refer to, by the words betrayal of East Pakistan? Does he mean to say East Pakistan betrayed Pakistan or does he mean to say the Government of Pakistan and the high command of the Pakistan Army betrayed the Eastern part of Pakistan by not living up to their commitments before and during 1971? My personal feeling is General Niazi and his book has concentrated on the second possibility. (H) I mentioned earlier that for shortage of space I am not mentioning Bangladeshi authors although plenty of their books are with me and the feelings of the authors in my heart. Nonetheless, I have to mention the name of one book titled 'Secret Affidavit of Yahya Khan on 1971', edited by Abu Rushd and published by Bangladesh Defence Journal Publishing (email infobdj@yahoo.com), in February 2009. General Yahya Khan former President of Pakistan was the petitioner in writ petition number 1649 of 1978 in the Lahore High Court of Pakistan. The General made an affidavit therein. In the said affidavit in paragraph 9 (pages 39-40 of the book) the following is stated "That this threat of Mr. Bhutto that whosoever will go to Dacca his legs will be broken could put at stake the national solidarity. This aggravated the situation in East Pakistan and was a violation of the legal framework order. This threat from Mr. Bhutto's side provided a cause of revolt in East Pakistan. This was no less dangerous than the six points and clearly meant separation of the two wings of the country. The deponent times and again used to warn him and it was a matter of habit with him that he listened patiently but never bothered to act upon any advice. The speech delivered by Mr. Bhutto in Iqbal Park was tremendously perilous to the integrity of Pakistan. Rather, it was more suicidal to the integrity of Pakistan than the six points formula ……. but Mr. Z. A. Bhutto was a clever and venomous toad. Mr. Bhutto was slave to his lust for power so much so that he proposed the concept of two prime ministers in one country which the deponent strongly condemned. In answer to Mr. Bhutto's threatening speech of IDDHER HAM UDDAR TUM at Karachi, Sheikh Mujib on 12.3.1971 also delivered a public speech wherein he reiterated the unity and solidarity of Pakistan. It is the opinion of the deponent that Mujib was patriotic at that time unlike Mr. Bhutto. Had Mr. Bhutto not been elected to the Assembly he would not have been able to make such unpatriotic speeches and statements which ultimately contributed to the breakage of Pakistan." (I) Lieutenant General Gul Hassan Khan wrote a book titled 'MEMOIRS OF LT. GEN. GUL HASSAN KHAN (The Last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army)', published by Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan in 1993. He had served as the director of military operations for more than four years when General Musa was the C-in-C of Pakistan Army. Later he became the Chief of General Staff at the General Headquarters of Pakistan Army and was occupying the same chair while the Eastern command surrender. General Gul Hassan devotes a minor but fruitful portion of the book to their war in East Pakistan in 1971. (J) Ranabir Samaddar authored Azad Institute Paper 6 titled 'On Problems of Writing A Comprehensive History of the Bangladesh Liberation War', published by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta, India, 1997. I quote from page 19 of the book "Among the different arguments for retrying writing the history of 1971, this need to present the civil role in its proper shape certainly deserves attention. Much of the sense of discomfort over the received history of 1971 is due to the precarious way the political and the military are perched in that history and the uncertain balance between them. And it is true, countering a militarist reading is a step towards de-centering 1971 towards recovery of its political history. Yet such a recovery of the political history is also beset with problems born from its own dialectic. The political history of 1971 tells us how the political progress of the nationalist leadership did not go beyond the demands of autonomy in 1970-71 and it was the military measures of the Pakistani junta followed by Indian military intervention and the guerrilla activities of bands of patriots that suddenly resolved the issue. This history also tells how the nationalist state which was born in 1971-72 started quickly assuming militarist forms by eliminating radical groups which themselves were thriving on a kind of militarism, by proposing one-party rule, by rehabilitating military officers of erstwhile united Pakistan irrespective of their record, finally by allowing a military take-over on the logic of nationalism and the very logic on which 1971 had stood." (K) PN Kathpalia was the commander of 71 Mountain Brigade which operated in North-Western part of Bangladesh in December 1971. He retired as a Lieutenant General in October 1985. He wrote a book titled 'Mission with a Difference: The Exploits of 71 Mountain Brigade', published by Lancer International, New Delhi in 1986. In chapter one pages 11 to 22 he describes the Genesis of the Conflict. In page 21 he talks of when and how Pakistan Government imposed a military solution which encouraged Bengali defections from the Pakistan Army and the Government. At one point he writes "The Awami League could pursue the only course available to it – partisan and guerilla warfare, with the hope that the people of Bangladesh would keep moving towards the professed aim of freedom and all actions in support of this aim would keep world attention riveted on the region with the ultimate hope of getting some support for the cause internationally." (L) Major General Sukhwant Singh was commissioned as an artillery officer in the British-Indian Army in 1944. He was deputy director of military operations at Army Headquarter, New Delhi, during the war of liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. He authored a three volume monumental study called 'India's Wars Since independence'. Volume one of this study is 'The Liberation of Bangladesh' published after his death by Vikas Publishing House PVT Ltd in 1981. In page 32 of the book in chapter 'The Mukti Bahini Takes Shape', he says "The biggest worry of the Indian Government in regard to the revolt was the threat it posed to India's own security. Extremist elements had already been active in West Bengal and had created a law and order problem in the previous two years. The Army had been called in to assist the civil authorities in quelling them. In the other eastern states too subversive elements had been active for some years. If the leadership of the movement in East Pakistan fell into the hand of extremists, a very dangerous situation could have arisen for India. Hence the need to support the moderate element among the Bangladeshis, represented by the vast majority that had voted for Mujib in the December 1970 polls. The Indian aim was to get the refugees to go back, and this could be achieved only with the installation of an elected government in Dacca." (M) Lieutenant General JFR Jacob wrote a book titled 'Surrender at Dacca: Birth of a Nation' published by University Press Limited, Dhaka in 1997. He was Chief of Staff of Indian Army's Eastern Command Headquarter between May 1969 and June 1972. During Bangladesh War of Liberation he was still the Chief of Staff while Lieutenant General J. S. Aurora was the Commander, (a note for non-military readers: this designation means Jacob was the senior most staff officer). In page 38 of the book he writes "On 29 April Eastern Command was officially given the responsibility of assisting Bangladesh forces in their liberation struggle, and the BSF located on the border were placed under the command of the Eastern Army." In page 42 of the book he writes "The decision made at the end of March 1971 to help the Mukti Bahini was confirmed publicly later by the Minister of External Affairs. On 29 July, in a statement to the Parliament, he said 'This Parliament had unanimously adopted a resolution pledging sympathy and support, and we are pursuing that resolution in the best possible manner and we are doing everything possible to lend support to the freedom fighters'." On the eve of our independence day we are not feeling comfortable at heart. The events of 25-26 February 2009 in Pilkhana have rendered the hearts sad and fragile. The column ends here with the age old saying: Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty. We were not vigilant in February 2009! A decorated freedom fighter of Bangladesh War of Liberation 1971, the writer is a renowned columnist and a commentator on the electronic media. He is a graduate of the Royal Staff Collage UK, the US Army War College and holds Master Degree in Defense Studies. He has authored and edited a number of books and is currently a PhD researcher in the University of Dhaka. mgsmibrahim@yahoo.com
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