What happened on Tuesday, October 19, 1971
At 10:57 am, a car bomb exploded in front of Habib Bank and EPIDC building in Motijheel, Dhaka, killing 7 people, injuring 12 and destroying 9 vehicles. At the behest of Sector 2 Sector Commander Khaled Musharraf, guerrilla Mahbub Ahmed Shaheed had left a car with a time bomb in the parking lot in front of Habib Bank’s head office and move away after setting the bomb with a half-hour timer. The car exploded with a terrifying noise on the 27th minute of the timer. (This is the first use of a car bomb in the Liberation War).
A group of 50 freedom fighters led by Habibur Rahman launched a surprise attack on the Pak army position at the Nikli in Sunamganj subdivision. In the face of this intense attack, the Pak army left Nikli and fled to Sunamganj. One freedom fighter was injured in this battle. The freedom fighters seized twenty-five 303 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition from the Pak army.
4 Pak soldiers were killed in a surprise attack by the freedom fighters in Sector 2 at Kamalpur.
In Sector 2, a Mukti Bahini guerrilla group attacked a group of Pak policemen stationed at Malochin Bazar. 19 Pak policemen were killed and 3 others were injured in the attack.
2 Pak soldiers were injured in a mine blast at Pallathal Tea Garden in Sylhet.
In Chittagong, under the leadership of Major Hafizuddin, the B Company raided a tea factory in Champara and destroyed it. The raid shattered the morale of the Pakistani troops and gave hope and excitement to the people. Dr. Mujibur Rahman treated the wounded guerrillas.
At this time, Second Lieutenant Anisur Rahman and Second Lieutenant Wakar Hasan joined the first battalion of ‘Z’ force after receiving their new commissions.
In Laxmipur, the Mukti Bahini launched a fierce attack on the Pak army position with rocket launchers. Two Pak bunkers were destroyed and two Pak soldiers were killed and one wounded.
At Comilla, freedom fighters led by Lt. Imamuzzaman simultaneously attacked the Pak army positions at Badisa and Dighi in Govindamanikya. Two bunkers were destroyed and six Pak soldiers were killed at Dighi. The Mukti Bahini attack on Badisa base was entirely successful. 20 Pak soldiers were killed and 12 wounded in Badisa. After two hours of fighting, the freedom fighters returned to their bases safely.
In the Gojadanga sub-sector of Sector 8, the Mukti Bahini attacked the Pak army at Mohammadpur. In this attack, 6 soldiers, including a major of the Pak army, were killed. The freedom fighters returned to their bases safely without any losses.
The freedom fighters attacked the Pak army stationed in the Amarkhana area of Dinajpur. 8 Pak soldiers were killed and several others were injured in the attack.
In an interview with France’s ‘La Monde’ newspaper in Rawalpindi, Yahya Khan said, “We do not want war, but we will take revenge if attacked. If our neighboring country had not indulged the miscreants (freedom fighters), the country would have returned to normalcy by April.”
Lt. General Niazi visited the Razakars training at the Razakar Training Center in Pabna. “Human death is inevitable,” he told the Razakars. “But if you Razakars die fighting against the enemy, you will undoubtedly receive the merciful blessings of Allah.”
An official statement from Pakistan said that Air Chief Marshal A. Rahim, the chief of the Pakistan Air Force, had lodged a complaint with the Indian Air Force chief alleging Indian airstrikes. “From now onwards, we will retaliate,” he said in the protest note.
In a statement, Maulana Maududi, Ameer (head) of Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami, called on the rich to help the victims of violence at the hands of miscreants (freedom fighters) in East Pakistan.
According to a BBC report, UN Secretary-General U Thant has issued a warning about the situation in the Indian subcontinent. He said that the fundamental problems of East Pakistan would not be solved without a political solution. He called on the world to help.
Translated by Mohammad Towhidul Islam
Editorial contribution by Arghya Raihan
Researched, compiled & Edited by Sagar Lohani
Bangalianaa/SL
পড়ুন
ইতিহাসের নৃশংসতম গণহত্যা
দ্বিতীয় মহাকাব্য: প্রধানমন্ত্রী তাজউদ্দীন আহমদের প্রথম বেতার ভাষণ
পড়ুন এখানে
Other days of Roaring 1971:
অগ্নিঝরা একাত্তরের দিনগুলো, বাংলায় পড়ুন:
| মার্চ ১৯৭১ | এপ্রিল ১৯৭১ | মে ১৯৭১ | জুন ১৯৭১ | জুলাই ১৯৭১ |
| আগস্ট ১৯৭১ | সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৭১ | অক্টোবর ১৯৭১ | নভেম্বর ১৯৭১ | ডিসেম্বর ১৯৭১ |
