"During 19th to 25th March the battalion had a formal change of command from Lt. Col Masood, a Bengali officer, to Lt Col Rakib, though a Bengali by birth, he remained a dubious character for three days upto 28 March and ultimately managed to escape and report back to Pak army as a loyal officer."

I would have ignored the remarks if the same had been written by a lay man. But since this writer claims to have been closely associated with 2nd East Bengal during Liberation War, is full of praise for the heroes of the battalion, -- and also I presume, that he is aware of mores of Army discipline, -- I like to put to him some questions, for which I expect him to find time to go in depth to answer, and express his opinion.

First, the point of clarification is that I was thrust upon and was introduced to the Battalion by Brig M R Majumder, the then Centre Cornd. EBRC on the afternoon of 25 March, 1971. That all throughout my career I had been an officer of the Punjab Regiment of Pakistan Army and was Commanding Officer of 32 Punjab, then located in Dhaka till the morning of 25th March, 1971. The second point is that, to take decision to disobey order or revolt in the army is not easy. Success makes you a hero and failure makes you a traitor. Situation in the last week of March 1971, was unpredictable.

Now the questions for which he should seek answers are: --

1) After observing the nature of Army action in Tongi area in the evening of 27th March, 1971, who called a short conference attended by Maj Shafiullah then 2IC, Maj Moin then a Company Commander, Capt. Aziz then Adjutant and Subedar Nurul Haq then acting Subedar Major and outlined plan for the move of the battalion to Mymensingh?

2) On whose orders Major Shafiullah left Joydevpur at about 10.30am of 28th March, 1971 with the mortar platoon and a scrapped up rifle platoon to Tangail en route to Mymensingh?

3) The writer must have been acquainted with the term "O" Group. Who gave orders to "O" Group, i.e. the officers and to the JCOs at 20.00 hrs on 28th March, '71 and set the time to commence movements and Capt Aziz, according to earlier instructions, left with a section of machine guns and recoil rifles to establish road block at Joydevpur-Dhaka road crossing, so that Pakistani troops who had already positioned themselves in Tongi area in the previous night do not interfere during the move of the battalion?

4) This battalion was spread out on five different locations -- Mymensingh, Tangail, Rajendrapur Ammunition Depot, Gazipur Ordnance Factory and Joydevpur Rajbari. Does the writer want to say that in their movement the CO had no knowledge?

5) Can the writer name any Bengali officer, particularly an officer of East Bengal Regiment, who was of my seniority at that time, planned any revolt, while his family was staying in the cantonment? My family was then residing in a hutted accommodation opposite to the residence of Maj Gen Khadim Husain Raja, (now Prime Minister's residents). Shafiullah's family was then in Comilla.

Post Script:

1. Due to unexpected occurrence I had become a hostage to the lone non-Bengali surviving officer of the Battalion (Capt. Naqvi). Perforce for immediate survival I had to play on the theme of innocence, which Capt. Naqvi accepted. Later I had the ordeals of being under custody in POW cage, interrogation etc and probably got benefit of doubt.

2. Much later i.e. only a few years ago, I happened to read the book, "Witness to Surrender" by Brig. Siddiq Salek. The operation order of the "Operation Searchlight" code name of Army crackdown in 1971 is incorporated in the book. It is apparent from there that they had decided to remove me from 32 Punjab and install Lt Col Taj in that place. The incident of 19 March, '71 gave a pretext for them to remove Lt Col Masood and put me there to create an uncertain position in 2nd East Bengal, and after clearing Dhaka City area, they would go to disarm the battalion.

In all probability they were planning to launch operation against 2nd Bengal on 29th March, '71. This I assume, because as a part of revolt and moving out of the area, the battalion ensured disconnection of electricity in the entire area. Joydevpur-Gazipur experienced a dark night. On the following day afternoon (29 March, '71) when I was already in custody and being subjected to preliminary questioning by Brig. Arbab, Brig Karimullah, who was then Commandant of Ordnance Factory appeared on the scene and cursed out saying, "Last night there was no light in the area." On this Brig Arbab winked and said that they had switched off connection from Tongi. Though at the time, being in psychologically distressed condition -- not knowing what fate awaits me in future -- in my heart I thanked Allah knowing that the battalion was now safe.

I seek no credit, I am clear in my conscience, I thank Allah that 2nd East Bengal did not suffer any damage which I was in-charge, and that was the only Battalion which moved out lock stock and barrel before being attacked by the Pak Army.