RANGPUR,– The triumphant freedom fighters along with Indian allied forces gallantly liberated Thakurgaon town from the Pakistani occupation forces bringing the taste of ultimate freedom to local people on December 3, 1971.
According to local freedom fighters and elderly citizens of Thakurgaon, the occupation forces failed to enter Thakurgaon town till April 14, 1971, following stiff resistance of freedom fighters.
“The occupation forces entered Thakurgaon with heavy armaments on April 15 when freedom fighters took positions in nearby occupation-free Tentulia frontiers,” said former Thakurgaon District Muktijoddha Commander freedom fighter Md. Badruddoza Badar.
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 occupation forces began to retreat from northern frontiers and set up their camp at the then Thakurgaon EPR camp,” he said.
While retreating, the occupation forces blew up the ‘Bhulli’ Bridge on November 30 and planted dozens of underground mines at Salandar area near Thakurgaon town to create hindrance to entrance of 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 severe obstructions due to underground mines placed in the area by the retreating occupation forces,” Badar added.
Former Thakurgaon District Deputy Muktijoddha Commander Abdul Mannan said two tanks of the allied forces were destroyed due to mine blasts at ‘Bhulli’ area and the other mines were soon removed under leadership of Muktijoddha Commander Mahbub Alam.
“Understanding their definite defeat, the Pakistani occupation forces retreated further and set up their base at the 25-Mile point on the Thakurgaon-Dinajpur road on December 2, 1971 after heavy shelling by the allied forces,” Mannan said.
Elderly citizens Advocate Syed Alam of Baliadangi and Mohsin Ali Sarker of Haripur said the triumphant freedom fighters and allied forces coming from Tentulia frontier in Panchagarh entered the soil of liberated Thakurgaon town on December 3.
Eyewitness Abdul Latif of Thakurgaon said thousands of people of Thakurgaon town and surrounding areas welcomed the freedom fighters and allied forces chanting sky-cracking slogan of ‘Joy Bangla’ turning Thakurgaon into a place of jubilation.
“The freedom fighters and allied forces, after defeating the Pakistani army, and crushing their defenses at Panchagarh, Moidandighee, Boda and Bhulli, also entered Thakurgaon town from the northern side,” Latif said.
Former Ranisonkoil Upazila Muktijoddha Commander Sirajul Islam said many other contingents of freedom fighters coming from Atwari, Ruhea, Akhanagar, Baliadangi and Lahirihat also entered Thakurgaon town from the western side on the day.
“Hundreds of freedom fighters along with thousands of common people paraded different roads of Thakurgaon town chanting victorious slogan of ‘Joy Bangla’ and hoisted the victory flag at Chowrasta Mour of the town,” Islam said.
Thakurgaon District Muktijoddha Sangshad with district administration and other organisations will celebrate the Thakurgaon Freedom Day-2020 through limited programmes tomorrow in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
