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Happy you could say, 'Thank you1

Leader of Bogra battle, honoured by Bangladesh, speaks to^tar

Akram Hosen
When the Pakistani occupation forces officially surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, a Pak brigade in Bogra refused to give in and fought for two more days.
It was in fact in Bogra where the Liberation War saw the fiercest of
FROM PAGE 16 battles. Known as the Battle of Bogra, the combat came to a head between November 23 and December 18 that year. Fighting with Bangladeshi freedom fighters was Major General Lachman Singh Lehi, who led a mountain division of the Indian army.
For his outstanding contribution to the independence of Bangladesh, Lehi was conferred the honour of "Friends of Liberation War” in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Talking to The Daily Star at the Sonargaon Pan Pacific Hotel the following day, the 92-year-oId veteran gave an account of how his soldiers and the freedom fighters had captured Pakistani Brigadier Tajammul Hussain Malik, who was leading the Pakistani side at Bogra.
“I was always a step ahead of the Pakistani army,” Lehi began, "because I had the Mukti Bahini on my side. The boys may not have had the best of weapons or training but they knew the area like the back of their hands and could point out the whereabouts of the Pakistanis."
Besides blowing up bridges and planting landmines on roads to limit their options of communications, the Bangladeshi freedom fighters acted as guides to the Indian army at that time, he added.
"The serious fighting began near the end of November. And by midDecember, Bogra was surrounded on all sides by us and the Muktis. Despite having little hope of winning, one of Brigadier Malik's units
was still fighting in the region.
"Since we were using tanks, the Pakistanis reckoned that we would not be able to reach them, as there was only one road to their post which was covered by their soldiers. “
At the suggestion of the freedom fighters, however, Lehi planned to get through to the Pakistani post from behind and launch an attack. He remembers that he was incredulous at first when the freedom fighters told him they could build a road for theirtankstouse.
He recalled, "Much to my disbelief, the |Mukti Bahini] boys rounded up thousands of villagers and began to work on a track, making it into a usable road overnight."
Lehi's idea was to stop the Pakistani troops' food rations and cut off all their connections with others, he said, adding that he had wanted them to attack the joint forces and get killed, as those in a defensive position have an advantage over the attackers.
“As we reached the Pakistani post and shot three of their bunkers down with our tanks, they were completely flabbergasted," he observed.
The retired major general later learnt that the duty officer of the unit thought his men were seeing things when he was told that Lehi's men and the freedom fighters were coming from behind.
"How can they come [this way]? Not even a buffalo could use that track," the duty officer was quoted as saying.
However, the Indian Army
also had a surprise waiting for them on that day. Brigadier Malik was coming to Bogra from Rangpur in the evening.
The soldiers were digging up the road used by the Pakistanis in the evening to make sure that the Pakistani forces were divided and the brigadier could not go to the headquarters.
When Lehi stood there looking after the work, two jeeps were heading to Bogra from Rangpur, he was informed. "As the jeeps approached, one of the tanks fired and toppled the jeeps. The brigadier fell down on the field behind some bushes from his jeep," he said.
Malik was found later in the night with severe injuries. He spent two nights at an Indian army hospital and refused to surrender. However, on December 18, Major General Nazar Hussain Shah flew from Natore to Bogra to have Malik's brigade surrender officially.
Malik was later promoted to major general in the Pakistan army.
Summing up the interview, Lehi noted, “We wanted your country to be independent. We were hoping that your country and our country would be very great friends in time."
About the "Friends of Liberation War" award, he said, “I am happy that your country has finally realised that it must say 'well done' to me. Perhaps you realised that it does not cost much to acknowledge the contribution of a friend."