Indomitable March: Pak atrocity continues

On March 28, 1971, American Consul General in Dhaka, Archer K Blood, sent a telegram to Islamabad and Washington captioned "selective genocide". He reported that they were "mute and horrified by a reign of terror by the Pakistan military" in East Pakistan. Pointing towards various pieces of evidence, Blood suggested that Awami League supporters and Hindus were being systematically targeted by the martial law administrators.

A situation report sent by the American Consulate in Dhaka on the same day informed that despite Radio Pakistan's announcements, life had not returned to normal in Dhaka. Earlier, Tikka Khan had said in Dhaka that "complete peace has been restored and life is returning to normal in East Pakistan".

Apparently, large-scale looting, pillaging, and murder on the part of non-Bangalee people against Bangalees were taking place, with the Army standing by watching, it wrote.

It was further reported that the curfew was re-imposed at noon but lifted shortly thereafter. Army checkpoints were being set up at several intersections in the city. The tightening of the curfew seemed designed to facilitate Pak military search and destroy operations. There was a continuous flow of people streaming out of the city, carrying meagre possessions.

Pakistan Observer and Morning News appeared today for the first time since March 25. Except for the mastheads, both papers in their one-page format carried the same content – on the front, the text of President Yahya's March 26 broadcast and the text of Zone B Martial Law Orders 117 to 134, and on the back, a full-page ad of the National Shipping Corporation. Censorship was obviously in effect, commented the Situation Report. [Archer K. Blood, The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh, UPL: 2006, pp. 200-01]

CONCERN IN INDIA

The situation in Bangladesh was causing mounting concern in India. The Indian Army Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Manekshaw, rushed to Delhi for consultations at the Cabinet level. India's own crisis-ridden State of West Bengal, bordering Bangladesh, was still chronically unstable and under President's rule, directed from Delhi. There were fears that the 'wave of Bengal nationalism' sweeping through the eastern half of the former State of Bengal might have serious repercussions on the Indian side. [Daily Telegraph

(London), March 29, 1971]

However, on the previous day, the Indian Government decided to provide relief—shelter, food, and medical aid—to the Bangladeshi refugees who had begun to trickle in soon after the crackdown. The cost would be borne by the central government. The governments of Indian states bordering Bangladesh were instructed to operate the relief program, and a branch of the secretariat of the Ministry of Rehabilitation was set up in Kolkata to oversee these efforts. [Srinath Raghavan, 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh, Permanent Black, 2013, pg. 75]

Largely attended public meetings in support of the freedom struggle in Bangladesh were held today in Kolkata, Delhi, and elsewhere in India.

Speakers, representing almost all shades and factions, unanimously demanded that the Government of India should recognize the provisional government of Bangladesh, the establishment of which was announced by the Swadhin Bangla Betar. [Hindusthan Standard, March 29, 1971]

DAMPARA RESISTANCE

In Dampara Police Lines, Chattogram, Bangalee police personnel put up a brave resistance. However, they couldn't hold on for long as they were not trained in the art of warfare. They suffered heavy casualties and abandoned their posts when they were about to be overrun by the Pakistan Army.

By dawn on March 28, the Pak Army managed to secure the main road from the cantonment to the naval base at Tiger Pass. Bangalee troops had to fall back to their main defence at Halishahar. From the direction of the Port, the Pak Army attempted several times during the day to clear the Agrabad road and link up with the Naval base at Tiger Pass. However, Bangalee forces' stiff resistance foiled all their attempts. [Rafiqul Islam, A Tale of Millions, 1974, pg. 92]

The Swadhin Bangla Betar today requested the peace-loving countries of the world to recognize Swadhin Bangladesh and sought physical assistance of all types to liberate the democratic-minded people of the new country.