Saibal Gupta Kolkata, December 14, 1971 : .Prashanta Kumar, an Indian Army officer, reached Dhaka with some Mukti Bahini soldiers and a few Mukti Bahini personnel at 4 AM on December 16, 1971.
He was the first Indian Army soldier to arrive in the capital.The journey to Dhaka was difficult and risky.It began in April 1971.
“I was an Officer of the 50 Parachute Brigade, Agra.We were given orders to go to West Bengal in February 1971 because of the election.At its height, the Naxal (Maoist), movement was in full swing and information was available that rebels could attempt to disrupt elections.”We were assigned the responsibility of neutralising the ultra-Left force in the state,” Ghosh said later in an interview with IANS.
The situation between East Pakistan and West Pakistan began to change suddenly around the middle of March.
We could feel a conflict and our relations with them started to deteriorate.He said that he had told him to take me to Bangladesh via Meghalaya, where he would need to be an informant.
It was in November when I crossed into Bangladesh via Tura (city, Meghalaya).In a T-shirt, lungi, and a jute bag, I arrived in Bangladesh.
Peter was my name and I came to Bangladesh in search for good stories.A little boy from the village helped me.Ghosh stated that it was clear to me that I would be arrested by the Indian government if caught.”
“I received a letter, and was instructed to go meet Kader Siddique.He is a Mukti Bahini leader.My identity was revealed in the letter.The letter contained my identity.I went south into East Pakistan to Tangail.This was an important strategic location because Dhaka is only 40 kilometers to the north.To the south, there was a route that leads to Jamalpur or Mymensingh where the Pakistani army had a strong command.” he stated.
“My job was to create roadblocks with the help of Mukti Bahini and plan secret attacks on the Pakistani Army to create a sense of fear.I was engaged in my job.On the 10th of December, I was informed the Indian Army would launch an airborne assault and I will have to facilitate their para-dropping in Tangail.Immediately I got engaged in the job.
“The next day the paratroopers dropped deep inside the territory and took control of Pungli bridge which was on north of Tangail.The bridge was strategically important because it was a gateway to Dhaka.I was instructed to delay the movement of the Pakistani Army that was coming from Mymensingh en route to Dhaka.
We obstructed the Pakistani troops and delayed their movement for more than one hour.This helped the Indian force to settle and take on the Pakistani Army with all its might.The Pakistani force was dispersed and our way to Dhaka was cleared,” Ghosh said.
“On the 15th of December, we were at Mirpur, the outskirts of Dhaka and at 4 a.m.on the next day, we entered Dhaka.We went to Roman Racecourse where General Jacob (Eastern Command Chief of Staff Lt Gen J.F.R.Jacob) flew in to draft the surrender of the Pakistani Army.Pakistan’s Lt Gen (Amir Abdullah Khan) Niazi was told to hand over his pistol during the surrender process and it was also told that the surrender process will be held in public where everyone will be present.He was forced to accept it,” he added.
“At 4 p.m.(Eastern Command chief, Lt Gen J.S.) Aurora came by helicopter to complete the surrender process.The surrender took place in front of the international press and Niazi and Arora signed the treaty.
The famous photograph shows the signing being done.We were also there watching the history in the making,” he said.
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