December 13, 1971 was Monday and also the 347th day of the year 1971 in the Gregorian calendar, while the day was the 263rd day of the Bangladesh War of Liberation which began on March 26, 1971.
There were only three days remaining until the final victory of independent Bangladesh.
In early December, the Mukti Bahini operations increased and became more organised. The Mukti Bahini, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, became part of the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces that secured the surrender of Pakistan and the liberation of Dhaka in December.
On December 13, Manikganj, Bogura town and Mirzapur upazila of Tangail were liberated from the clutches of Pakistan occupation forces.
On that day, the advance party of the allied forces reached near Dhaka, only some kilometers away, crossing the Balu and Shitalakkhya rivers. Pakistan forces took firm defense on the eastern bank of Balu River. Khilgaon and Basabo were rigid field defense areas for the Pakistani troops. The allied force changed their tactics to prompt Dhaka’s fall.
Meanwhile, Eastern and Northern advance parties of the allied force reached within 15 miles of Dhaka. Two brigades of the 57th division advanced from the east. Another brigade led by General Gandharv Nagra and the paratroopers in Tangail moved forward from the northern side. On the other hand, the 4th division crossed Madhumati River and reached the bank of Padma River.
General Nagra reached Tangail around 9:00 pm. He met two Brigadiers-- Kler and San Singh-- at Wapda rest house to discuss the next course of action.
The allied force in the northern region started to advance towards Bogura from Gobindaganj. A Pakistani regiment with cannons and tanks waiting in Bogura created a heavy defensive resistance.
In the night, the allied force cordoned off Bogura town. In the early hours, three battalions attacked from the northern, southern and north-eastern part of the town. Pakistani troops surrendered in Brindabonpara area of Bogura town after a frontal battle between the two sides lasting three consecutive days.
Following the three-day battle between the two forces, the Pakistani military commander Brigadier Elahi Bux surrendered to Prem Singh on December 13 at about 3:00 pm as the artillery division of the allied forces entered the town with tanks.
Kahaloo upazila of Bogura was also liberated on the same day when the Pakistan military surrendered to Mujib Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Force) Commander Hossain Ali in Charmatha Rail Gate area at about 7:00 am. Brigadier Tufazzal Hossain and Major Zakir Hossain along with 65 soldiers of the Pakistan army were captured by the freedom fighters.
Nondigram upazila was also freed of Pakistani occupation on the same day. Liberation forces kept up a sustained assault on the Pakistani military and its collaborator Razakar forces for three consecutive days, during which time they took 80 razakars into custody, recovering a large cache of weapons from them.
On that day, Bangladesh’s guerrillas liberated Tangail’s Mirzapur upazila, which the Pakistani military had kept under its occupation since April 3 in 1971. The occupation, during which the Pakistani military killed 31 innocent people of the area, came to an end on the day following a battle between the two forces.
On this day in 1971, Manikganj was liberated from the clutches of Pakistan occupation forces. Freedom fighters first hoisted the National flag atop the Primary Training Institute (PTI) in the bus stand area of the district as people from all walks of life took to the streets to celebrate the happiness of freedom.
On December 13 in 1971, Pakistan occupation forces retreated from Manikganj in the face of fierce attack by the valiant Freedom Fighters near Manora bridge on Dhaka-Aricha Highway.
