Benapole Correspondent :
December 3rd was Benapole Freedom Day. On this day, with the support of the Allied forces, the Pakistan army and their allies retreated from Benapole area in the face of strong resistance by the freedom fighters.
Different social, cultural and political organisations observed the Day by arrangeing different programmes.
They sheltered in Amrakhali headquarter and the next day to the regional headquarters in Navaron. Earlier, on December 2, two and a half kilometers northwest from Benapole Bazar, Raghunathpur village was free from Pakistan forces and their accomplices.
The shelter took place at the Battalion headquarters of Narayanpur ground, about 3 km east.
On the afternoon of December 2, the Pakistan army outpost at Narayanpur was destroyed in two front-facing battles and gunshots. In the face of over whelming resistance from the freedom fighters with the help of the Allies, the Pakistan army fled from Raghunathpur Epiar camp in the middle of the night.
On the news of the fled of the Pakistan army, the army and civilian officers, including the Allied forces lead by Captain Mr Roy come to Mankia village, directly adjacent to Raghunathpur, from Bangaon, India.
At the behest of their commanders, two freedom fighters went to Narayanpur Battalion with four grenades.
Yusuf Ali, a villagers called the hungry freedom fighters to his house and gave them rice and a cup of milkto feed them. As they left the house after eating, the Pakistan army surrounded them. They jumped to the river Kodla. The Pakistan army started firing to target the freedom fighters.
The news goes to the commander of the Allied forces stationed in Manikia village, with two platoon soldiers. They come to the spot and fired to the pakistan army and they dead on the spot.
Other pakistan army men left Putkhali, Shikri Batala, Benapole Customs House area and took shelter in the middle of the night at the Amrakhali Company Headquarters on Jashore- Benapole Road.
This way the port city of Benapole was liberated. People came out of their house to get the news. With the help of the Allied forces, the operation continued with double courage. Sharsha and Navarran were released on December 3 .
BSS from Rangpur adds: The freedom fighters along with allied forces bravely liberated Thakurgaon town on December 3, 1971 after liberating Panchagarh town on December 29 from the clutches of the Pakistan occupation forces.
Thakurgaon District Administration and District Unit of BMS and other organisations observed the Thakurgaon Freedom Day-2019 through colourful programmes yesterday .
Former Deputy Commander of Thakurgaon District Command of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad (BMS) Abdul Mannan said Thakurgaon remained free up to April 14, 1971 as the Pakistani occupation forces could not enter the town.
“But, on April 15, 1971 the occupation forces entered Thakurgaon with heavy armaments when the freedom fighters took positions in occupation-free Tentulia frontier areas,” he said.
Former Commander of Ranisonkoil upazila unit of BMS Sirajul Islam said Thakurgaon was under Sector no- 6 during the War of Liberation under command of Sector Commander Squadron Leader M Khademul Bashar.
“When victory was becoming evident, the Pakistani occupation forces began to retreat. On November 29, Panchagarh Thana was liberated when the occupation forces set up their camp at the then Thakurgaon EPR camp,” he said.
During the retreat, the occupation forces blew up Bhulli Bridge on November 30 and laid many underground mines at Salandar area near Thakurgaon town to create hindrance to entrance of the freedom fighters and allied forces.
