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Thakurgaon was liberated on this day in 1971


Published : 02 Dec 2020 09:44 PM

Today, December 3, is Thakurgaon Freedom Day-2020. On this day in 1971, Thakurgaon subdivision was liberated from the Pakistani occupation force for the first time. 

Freedom fighters and pelople of all walks of life entered Thakurgaon town that morning flying the flag of Bangladesh and the joy of victory began.

Freedom fighter Abdul Mannan said that the final battle was waged from the liberated area cantered on Tetulia in Panchagarh district. After April 15, killings, rapes, torture, looting and arson started in Thakurgaon area. The occupying force captured many people and tortured them at Thakurgaon camp. After killing people they buried their bodies in a mass grave on the west side of the Tangan Bridge in Thakurgaon town. 

Freedom fighter Bablu said that on April 17, the Pak aggressors and their accomplices shot dead 2,600 men, women and children on the banks of the Pathraj river. More than 400 widows are still alive with the horrible wounds of losing their husbands that day.

The second massacre was carried out on the banks of Khuniyadighi in Ranishankail upazila. With the help of local Razakars known as Maldaiya, the Pak army used to capture innocent people of Haripur and Ranishankail upazilas and take them to the banks of the pond. There they used to nail iron nails on people's hands and feet with a shimul tree and brutally torture them.

Then ordinary people were lined up and shot like birds. At one time the water of the pond turned red with human blood. That is why this pond later became known as Khuniyadighi, said freedom fighter Bablu Hossain.

Upazila Freedom Fighter Commander Subodh Chandra Roy said the battle between the Mukti Bahini and the Pakistani forces in Thakurgaon started in early July. The trained guerrillas attacked the base of the invading forces and inflicted heavy losses. They blew up several bridges and culverts. They attacked the houses and bases of the Razakars. From the 3rd week of November, the freedom fighters launched a massive operation.

Freedom fighter Montu Das said that the Pak army killed many freedom fighters and supporters of the liberation war by throwing them in the tiger cage. On 12th November, Salahuddin, a heroic freedom fighter from Thakurgaon, had to give his life for the country in a tiger cage. 

District Freedom Fighter Commander Badruddoza Badar said that the capture of Panchagarh by the Mukti Bahini in a joint operation actually broke the morale of the Pak army. After that a joint attack of the Indian Allied Forces and the Mukti Bahini started in the Thakurgaon area.

The Pak army blew up the Bhulla bridge on November 30, so that the Allies could not capture Thakurgaon. They planted mines everywhere in the Salander area, especially on sugarcane fields. The Allies repaired the Bhulla Bridge and arranged for tank crossings.

Although the Bhulla bridge was crossed on 1 December, the Allies could not enter Thakurgaon due to the presence of mines everywhere. At that time 2 tanks were destroyed by the enemy. The Allied forces, led by FF Commander Mahabub Alam, removed the mine and advanced towards Thakurgaon. After heavy shelling all night on December 2, the enemy forces retreated and Thakurgaon was liberated on the morning of December 3. 

Then freedom fighters and people of all walks of life entered the city of Thakurgaon with a procession and flew the flag of independent Bangladesh. 10,000 men and women had to die to snatch the victory. 2,000 mothers and sisters became victims of brutal torture.

Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner KM Kamruzzaman Selim said, freedom fighters liberated Thakurgaon on December 3 through their struggle. The district was liberated 13 days before the independence of the whole country.

Thakurgaon District Muktijoddha Sangshad with district administration and other organisations will celebrate the Thakurgaon Freedom Day-2020 through limited programmes due to the coronavirus pandemic.