Major (Retd.) ATM Hamidul Hossain Tariq
There is a saying that “might makes right”. But sometime the opposite happens and say that “right makes might” and our right had truly made might in our war of liberation in 1971. we had to fight a bloody war against the brutal West Pakistan forces for long nine months. People from all walks of life and from all caste, creed and religion, whole heartedly participated in this war. During the war when the East Bengal Regiment, Police, EPR, and Freedom Fighters fought with the West Pakistan forces then the common people inside the country who had no military or weapons training also engaged in constant guerilla warfare with West Pakistan forces. These fearless and immensely brave warriors had no training in tactics or weapons. Many have never seen a rifle or grenade in their lives. They pounced on West Pakistan forces with whatever they had like, axes, hammers, bows and arrows or whatever they could get their hands on. As a result, the liberation war of Bangladesh turned into a people’s war. The people of Bangladesh have created a rare history of people’s war on earth. Many of them were my comrades. I wrote down the rare and memorable war tactics of those warriors that I had seen myself.
Thief Solaiman
His name is Solaiman Paramanik. To the village people, the name Solaiman is shortened to ‘Solo’. Solo’s father is a poor farmer. The father’s two beghas lands are their assets. These two beghas manage the family somehow by farming the land. But the father and son have another occupation that is to steal from the householder’s house at night. Both father and son are number one in this work in the whole area. Villagers call him ‘thief Solo’ by putting a thief before his name for stealing from people’s houses. They live in a village of Parbatipur. I met him for the first time in the first week of June 1971. That day was Sunday. I was sitting in the camp. It rained a while ago. Now the clouds have broken and fresh sun has appeared. Very hot and humid. I was lying inside the tent with body and mind fatigue in this unbearable heat. Suddenly there was commotion inside the camp. Someone says, Beat him well. He is a thief. I heard howling and crying. I came out of the tent and saw a 13/14-year-old mixed black teenager surrounded by the Freedom fighters of my group. Everyone stood aside when I came. One said,
Commander, His name is Solo’. He is the number one thief in my village. Today I saw him walking around the camp. He must have intended to steal. Another person agreed with his words and said, “He is right, Commander, I know him too.”
I saw the thief sitting on his back with his two arms turned into a rooster. Seeing me, he hugged my legs and said,
Sir, I am not here to steal. I want to fight the liberation war for the country. So I was wandering around the camp.
Someone shouted,
Don’t believe him sir, is a number one thief.
I looked into his eyes. The language of the eyes says something else, there is a desire, a plea can be read.
I took him to my tent. He narrated that,
On 26 May, a group of Pakistani army men came to their village from Parbatipur. As soon as the Pakistani forces entered the village, the men and women of the village started fleeing wherever they could. First of all, they destroyed 7 houses of the village by fire. An old beggar of the village named Mubarak was sitting in front of the village mosque and begging. A Pakistani soldier kicks away his begging bag and tin can. Then shot him in the chest. The beggar fell to the ground in front of the Mosque. Village widow Maina was raped by the ghouls. Then they tied her with a rope to a tree trunk, poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. Maina’s body started burning. Her screams shook the sky. Solo started crying and said, Maina is my widowed elder sister sir. Then my father was also shot dead. Hearing his words, all of our eyes are getting wet. I asked him to stop, but he kept saying, I didn’t go to the village after that, sir. I also gave up stealing. Only fire burns in the mind. Father’s face and sister’s face float in front of the eyes. I think, if I could, I would burn those dogs.
My mother said, go to the liberation war and write your name. Become a freedom fighter and fight for the country. don’t worry about me we will meet again when the country becomes independent.
Then I left sir. I was walking around the camp. Then the people of my neighborhood recognized me and thought I have come to steal. They caught me and started beating. There is nothing wrong with beating, sir. We are thieves. I have taken many beatings in my life. Now, sir, admitted me to the camp. I swear sir, fight with my life.
I sent Solo to ‘Panikata’ liberation war training center in Darjeeling. Then I came to Bangladesh to conduct an operation. When I returned to the camp after about a month, I saw Solo standing at the gate of the camp with a rifle in his hand. He is now a proud freedom fighter of Bangladesh. He was with me in several consecutive operations inside Bangladesh. He shows incredible courage in battle. He is a formidable warrior in front of the enemy. He marches on the battlefield with incredible speed. Seeing his bravery in battle, those who once called him as a thief, now praise him. Now no one calls him thief anymore. Now he is a younger brother to everyone in the camp. In the month of November according to the battle plan of Indian army, my freedom fighter company was attached to the 6th Guards regiment of the 20 Mountain Division of the Indian Army as a freedom fighter Support company. The 6th Guards regiment was deployed in a defense position at Dangerhat area of Balurghat District of West Dinajpur, India. Pakistan army was deployed on the opposite side at Mohanpur bridge area along the road of Dinajpur and Fulbari. The 6th Guards Regiment planned to Launch an attack on Pakistan defence at Mohanpur Bridge. Before attack a proper reconnaissance has to be done to collect battle intelligence and information. A section of Delta company of 6th Guards regiment under command of Major Dillon and a section of Freedom fighters’ company was assigned for this task. As my younger Freedom Fighter Solo is a local inhabitant of this area and he knows the area very well we have taken him as guide. It is a very difficult and important task in the battlefield but Solo accepted with a smile.
We set off at night. The night is covered with winter fog. When we broke through that fog like a shadow and reached about 1000 yards away from the position of Pakistan army, it was two o’clock in the night. We proceeded a little more cautiously. In front of me I found a forested pond. When we came to the bank of that pond, the torch lights from the defense positions of the Pakistani soldiers started to shine. It was understood that the Pakistani troops are on patrol in their defense positions. There is no question of going forward. Major Dillon, commander of the Delta Company of the 6th Guards Regent, asked everyone to take up positions at the edge of the pond. From the banks of the pond, nothing of the defense positions of the Pakistan army can be seen; Can’t even understand. What to do, we are sitting and thinking.
Major Dillon also used binoculars to watch the defense positions of the Pakistani troops at night. If something is seen. Even at night it can be seen dimly at a distance of a thousand yards. After watching for some time, he said that since the enemy was on the alert it would be wise to go back to camp. Immediately I remembered Solo used to sneak into village house and steal. Can he go quietly to the location of the Pakistani army! I called him, he said,
Sir no problem. Give me permission, I will go and see their position.
Major Dillon interrupted. He said, going to this position now is absolutely suicidal. I said, What’s wrong with giving him a chance? Major Dillon obliged and granted permission. Solo left his rifle with me and took two grenades and headed towards the defense positions. He merged into the darkness of the night. Time is passing slowly. We eagerly await the return of him. Major Dillon said, He will be caught, it is suicidal. Almost an hour passed. There is no news of Solo. Now I am also worried. Did I push the boy to death? Unknown fear twisted in the mind. A voice came from the far side of me in the darkness, ending our silence.
Sir, I’m here.
We were all surprised. We did not even realize when he came back. I realized that he can walk silently like a shadow. The moonlight of the last hour of the night broke through the fog and lit up the surroundings a little. In that light we saw solo holding a radio in one hand and two rifles slung over his shoulder. Seeing me he said,
Sir, when I entered the bunker and saw the radio. I was a thief so I could not handle greed. I stole it. I found two rifles in the bunker and took them too. You understand sir, I was a thief. How many people’s houses have I cut at night? Can’t feel, and this guy ‘Pakistanis will feel my movement?
Then what do you do?
Then I saw eight bunkers there, sentries in three bunkers are awake and on duty and sometimes they flash torches. It seems that the Pakistani soldiers of the bunker went to another bunker to talk. I went inside and opened the pin of the grenade and buried it under the pillow. When they will go to sleep at night, put them on the head , then it will detonate the grenade. Major Dillon sat on the ground with his head in his hands. He started saying, oh my god incredible this is the work of a commando, how could he do that. Miracle?
I was surprised and said, Solo, how could you do this?
Sir, I have ten years of experience to steal! These Pakistanis can’t not catch me.
What else can I say to this brave freedom fighter? In this way, in order to enter the enemy’s bunker, the army has to undergo specialized training. These are, infiltration, stalking, commando training and many more; But not a single soldier is capable of infiltrating in this way. Our Solo have no special training. He is a natural fighter. Their contribution to our freedom is unforgettable?
The writer is a Bir Bikkrom, PSc
