The Liberation War of Bangladesh Everyday: April 20, 1971

Liberation War Daily: April 20, 1971

This event called 'Muktiyuddha Pratidin' deals with some notable events that took place in the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.

Bir Shrestha Munshi Abdur Rauf saved the lives of many comrades by sacrificing his life on this day in Mahalchhari of Khagrachhari. Kaptai Lake was then an important waterway on the border of Mahalchhari Upazila of Khagrachhari and Naniyarchar Upazila of Rangamati. This is the way to Ramgarh via Kaptai-Rangamati-Mahalchhari-Khagrachhari-Jaliapara. A contingent of 8th East Bengal Regiment and EPR led by Captain Mir Khawkuzzaman Chowdhury (later Lieutenant Colonel) under the direction of Major Mir Shawkat Ali (later Bir Uttam, Lieutenant General and Ambassador) to control the waterway. Became very eager to take control of themselves. At noon on 20 April, a large group of them came in steamers and speedboats and launched a fierce attack on the defensive positions of the freedom fighters. The freedom fighters were dispersed by heavy shelling from the steamer. EPR's Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rauf continued to fire machine guns in the face of the Pakistani army with immense courage. The freedom fighters including Khalequzzaman moved to a safe place and escaped certain death. The Pakistani army also suffered heavy losses. Munshi Abdur Rauf was martyred while fighting valiantly. After independence, the government of Bangladesh awarded him the title of 'Bir Shrestha', the highest heroic honor of the war of liberation. There are misleading information about the date and place of Munshi Abdur Rauf's martyrdom in many places. In various public and private places, the date is somewhere around 8, somewhere on April 17. The Mujibnagar government's citations about Munshi Abdur Rauf in 1971 have recently come to light. Munshi Abdur Rauf was martyred on April 20 in a memorandum signed by Prime Minister of Mujibnagar government Tajuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff of the Liberation War MAG Osmani, Mir Shawkat Ali and Chowdhury Khalequzzaman. Although the spelling of the name was Munshi Abdur Rob. After a few years, the mistake was corrected. Chowdhury Khalequzzaman wrote in his memoirs, 'On 20 (April) we took up position in a hilly place called Baghmara in Mahalchhari .... We see military and civilian people in uniform. I was ready to resist them immediately. ... the place was not at all conducive to war. ... Munshi Abdur Rob (Rauf) was fighting valiantly with my position ten yards away. ... It was later learned that his firing caused great damage to the enemy. … Our Lance Naik Munshi Abdur Rob was seriously injured as a result of their mortar shelling. ... Munshi Abdur Rob ... was killed. ... I write his citations. ’Mozaffar NAP’s support to the Bangladesh government: In a statement from the Free Zone, National Awami Party (NAP) President Prof Mozaffar Ahmed expressed full support for the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh formed under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also called on the world's democratic states to recognize Bangladesh as the only legitimate constitutional government. An international organization called Friends of Bangladesh released a pamphlet titled "It is possible to save East Pakistan". Senator John and Pastor, members of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of the United States, wrote a letter opposing the inhumane treatment of Bengalis. Military court orders Tajuddin, Syed Nazrul: Mannan, Tofail Ahmed and The People's Editor Abidur Rahman were ordered to appear in Military Court No. 1 in Dhaka on April 26 at 8 am. The party launched a fierce attack on the freedom fighters in Mirsarai. From morning to evening both sides suffered heavy losses in the battle. At night the freedom fighters moved to Mastan Nagar. At midnight, Pakistani forces attacked Mastan Nagar with tanks. In the morning, the freedom fighters went to Hinglu and took up position. The freedom fighters also fought fiercely with the Pakistani army at Hili in North Bengal. The freedom fighters suffered heavy losses in the war. At one stage they left the position and crossed the border to India.

Source: War of Independence of Bangladesh: Sector Based History, Sectors 1 and 6; Memories of military life: 1984–1981, Chowdhury Khalequzzaman, UPL; Daily Pakistan, 21 April 1971.