Thakurgaon town liberated today

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BSS, Rangpur :
The triumphant freedom fighters along with the allied forces valiantly liberated Thakurgaon town from the Pakistan occupation forces giving the local people a taste of ultimate freedom on December 3, 1971.
Talking to BSS, local freedom fighters and elderly citizens said Thakurgaon town remained occupation free till April 14 as the Pakistani occupation forces failed to enter into Thakurgaon following stiff resistance of the freedom fighters.
“But, the occupation forces entered Thakurgaon with heavy armaments on April 15 when the freedom fighters took positions in occupation-free Tentulia frontiers,” said former Deputy Commander of Thakurgaon District Muktijoddha Sangshad Abdul Mannan.
Thakurgaon was under the Sector no-6 during the War of Liberation under command of Sector Commander Squadron Leader M. Khademul Bashar.
“When the ultimate victory started becoming imminent after liberation of Panchagarh on November 29, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces began to retreat from the northern frontiers and set up their camp at the then Thakurgaon EPR camp,” Mannan said.
During the retreat, the occupation forces blew up the ‘Bhulli’ Bridge on November 30 and planted dozens of mines at Salandar area near Thakurgaon to create hindrance to entrance of the freedom fighters and Indian allied forces.
“The freedom fighters and allied forces quickly repaired the ‘Bhulli’ Bridge and tried to enter Thakurgaon town. But, they faced obstruction due to mines placed in the area by the retreating occupation forces,” Mannan added.
Former Ranisonkoil Upazila Muktijoddha Commander Sirajul Islam said two tanks of the allied forces were destroyed due to mine blasts at ‘Bhulli’ area and the mines were soon removed under leadership of Muktijoddha Commander Mahbub Alam.
“Understanding their unambiguous defeat, the Pakistani occupation forces retreated further and set up their base at the 25-Mile point on the Thakurgaon-Dinajpur highway on December 2, 1971 after heavy shelling by the allied forces, Islam said.
Elderly citizens Advocate Syed Alam of Baliadangi, Abdul Mannan of village Bhandara and Mohsin Ali Sarker of Haripur said the triumphant freedom fighters and allied forces coming from Tentulia frontier entered Thakurgaon town on December 3.
Eyewitness Abdul Latif of Thakurgaon town said thousands of the common people of Thakurgaon town and surrounding areas welcomed the freedom fighters and allied forces chanting slogan ‘Joy Bangla’ all-around.
“The freedom fighters and allied forces, after defeating the Pakistani army, and crushing their defenses at Panchagarh, Moidandighee, Boda and Bhulli, also entered Thakurgaon from the northern side,” he said.
Afterwards, other contingents of the freedom fighters coming from Atwari, Ruhea, Akhanagar, Baliadangi and Lahirihat also entered Thakurgaon town from the western side on the day.
“The freedom fighters along with thousands of common people paraded different roads of Thakurgaon town chanting victory slogan of ‘Joy Bangla’ and hoisted the victory flag at Chowrasta Mour of the town,” Latif said.
The Thakurgaon district administration jointly with the district unit of
Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangshad and other organisations will observe the
Thakurgaon Freedom Day-2018 through day-long colourful programmes tomorrow.

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