Mukti Bahini, RAW and Our Clueless Foreign Office

Evidence has emerged that Indian Army and Mukti Bahini assaulted, maimed, raped and killed thousands of Bengalis in East Pakistan in events leading upto the 1971 war between India and Pakistan.

Official archival records reveal that atleast 102 Mukti Bahini militants massacred more than 76557 innocent people, including women and children in events leading upto the 1971 war.

Yet, Pakistan’s Foreign Office has not been able to come up with a clear plan to take up the matter internationally, what to talk of even staging mock public trials of collaborators of Mukti Bahini and Indian forces in Pakistan as being done against Pakistan Army officers in Bangladesh.

Accounts given by former senior Indian army officials and senior operatives of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) detail the elaborate plans which were in put in place to blame the atrocities in East Pakistan on Pakistan Army.

B.Raman, an officer who served RAW for 26 years, in his memoirs “THE KAOBOYS OF R&AW,” mentions how the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, was a born “psywarrior” and ordered establishment of R&AW’s Psychological Warfare (PSYWAR) Division to put Pakistan in the dock internationally for the human rights situation in East Pakistan.

Major General (retd) Sukhwant Singh in review of “Indian Wars Since Independence” acknowledges the role of full and formal involvement of Indian Army since April 30, 1971 in raising the Mukti Bahini as a guerilla force to wage warfare of the Vietcong type.

Before, April 30, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) was training and supplying weapons to Mukti Bahini to target Bengalis and installations to raise public sentiments against Pakistan Army troops stationed in East Pakistan.

“Every six weeks, 2000 guerillas were trained by RAW, capable of taking on the enemy in hit and run encounters, thereby seriously disrupting Pakistani force in many places,” writes Asoka Raina in his book “Inside Raw-The Story of India’s Secret Service.”

The books by the senior intelligence and armed forces officials who were at the helm of affairs at that time reveal that contacts were established with “pro-Mujib” faction way back in 1962-63 in Agartala.

Pakistan arrested Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman in Agartala Conspiracy Case but had to release him due to domestic political compulsions and international pressure managed by Indian foreign office.

“A provisional Bangladesh Government in exile was formed at Calcutta at Theater Road on April 14, 1971 and the name of the capital was given as Mujib Nagar,” writes RK Yadav, a former RAW officer in his book, “Mission Raw.”

Former Indian Army Chief, General VK Singh, in his book, “Courage and Conviction” details how Indian Army officials were fighting alongside Mukti Bahini even much before the break out of war between India and Pakistan.

As Bangladesh starts mock trial of Pakistani officers, it is worth questioning if the trail of individuals of Mukti Bahini would also be staged who were responsible for gross human rights violations.

To begin with, following are some of the names culled from extensive research who were involved in atrocities on people in East Pakistan but blame of their actions was put on Pakistan Army:

Mr. Mujibur Rehman s/o Mishrutulla Mondol, Village Armotta, PS Adamdighi, Distt Bogra (15 August 1971)

• Organizing Santahar Awami League miscreants and inciting them to rape women followed by their naked parade before being shot dead. Many people were burnt alive and over 15000 (Fifteen Thousand) dead bodies were left open in the streets

Mr. M.A. Gafur s/o Late Jonab Ali, Dharmasave Cross Road, Khulna Town, Khulna

• Organizing para military training camp in Khulna
• Planning and assisting murders and arsons in Crescent Jute Mills Khalispar and Star Jute Mills Chandimahal in which approximately 5000 innocents were killed and a large numbers of houses were destroyed in the incidents

Mr. Mustafizur Rehman Siddiqi s/o Haji Mohammad Hussain Chaudhary, Village south Rahmantnagar, PS Sitakund, District Chittagong

• Organising a slaughter house in the office of Awami League where men, women and children were systematically massacred. In many cases, blood was drained through syringes ostensibly for the blood bank of the new country to be formed.
• Organizing bands of the defunct Awami Leauge volunteers who went on the rampage looting and massacring and setting fire to entire colonies in the main town as well as in the outlying areas in which thousands of innocents were put to death

Motahar Hossain Talukdar s/o Nazimuddin Talukdar, Liaqat Ali Road, Sirajganj, Pabna (12 August, 1971)

• Indulging in looting of district treasury Pabna to the tune of 35,700,000 (Rs35.7 Million) rupees.
• Taking away two railway engines with passenger bogies with filled with looted food grains from Ishradi to India.
MPA Elect Mozaffar Hossain s/o Haji Rahamatullah, PK village Betgari, PO and PS Shibganj, District Bogra (2 September, 1971)

• Taking part in looting the State Bank of Pakistan, Bogra and taking away an amount of Rs. 67 Million.
• Organizing mass arrests of thousands of innocents and subsequently looting their property.
• Looting Bogra Police Station armory and arming the miscreants with the looted weapons.
• Killing 17 Pakistan Army officials and 12 others at Bogra.

Mr. Mohammad Azizur Rehman Advocate s/o Late Akimuddin, resident of Mohammadpur Union Council No II, PS Tahakurgaon, Dinajpur

• Organized killing, looting, burning of houses of innocent in which 3000 people were killed in Thakurgoan. Young girls were abducted, raped and those pregnant bayoneted, still born babies were torn to pieces, corpses dragged naked along the streets.
• Instigating the absconders of East Pakistan Rifles to rebel and kill all of the West Pakistani Officers and men.

Mr. Shah Mehtab Ahmed Advocate s/o Late Haji Serajuddin Shah, Village Uttar Palashbari, PS Chirr-Bandar, District Dinajpur

• Organizing resistance against Pakistan Army in the constituency.
• Killing over 2000 innocent people including old men, women and children.
• Instigating absconders of East Pakistan Rifles and Awami Leauge volunteers for unleashing mass rapes followed by killing of raped victims.

Mr. Quamuruzzaman s/o Shamsuddin Ahmed, Village Kanchannogar, PO & PS Jhenidah, Jessore

• Organizing looting of National Bank of Pakistan Jhenidah branch and taking away Rs 22.915 million to India.
• Organizing looting of Jhenidah and surrounding area police station armories and arming hooligans with the looted weapons.
• Organizing killing of innocent people residing in Jhenidah area.

Mr. Atwar Rahman Talukdar s/o Haji Jesiruddin Talukdar, Village Mathurapur, PO Jabaripurhat, PS Badalgachi, Rajshahi

• Looting bank at Naogaon and taking away 60 lakh rupees to India.
• Taking leading part in killing of peaceful citizens in Naogaon in which 35 families were butchered

Mr. Abdul Hamid s/o Tayabuddin Haji, Village Kamlapur, PO Nikh Dhampara, District Mymensigh

• Organizing violent mobs armed with rifles, swords, spears, daggers and Ramdaoes, attacking and killing male members of Shankipara and other colonies in and around Mymensigh town in which hundreds of innocent people were killed.
• Forcing the district jail open and allowing convicted criminals to escape and inciting them to commit loot and arson the city of Mymensigh.

Mr. Khundker Abdul Hafeez s/o Abdul Wadud Kundker, Village Mohishkhola, PO and PS Narail, District Jessore

• Organizing brutal killing of 65 innocent people who were rounded up from all over PS Narail
• Bringing 500 women from Jessore and getting them massacred after they were raped under his direct supervision.

MPA Elect Imajuddin Pramanik s/o Hajrat Ullah Parmanik, Village PO Chaksaila, District Rajshahi

• Looting and killing 900 innocent people of his area.
• Organizing resistance against law enforcing agencies in PS Mauda.

MPA Elect Dr. Moinuddin Ahmed s/o Dr. Kalimuddin Ahmed, Village Monakasha Sadartole, District Rajshahi (2 September, 1971)

• Taking part along with Mr. AAM Meshbahul Haq (Bachchu Doctor) MPA Elect PE 44 in looting National Bank of Pakistan at Nawabganj and taking the looted to India.
• Taking leading part in raiding village Kansat, PS Shibganj, assaulting the villagers indulging in looting and taking away their valuables.
• Collaborating with the rebel of East Pakistan Rifles in killing Army personnel and 790 non-locals in Nawabganj.

MPA Elect S M Yousaf s/o Late Kasimuddin Ahmed Shah, Village Mokleshpur, PS Biral, District Ahmed Dinajpur (2 September, 1971)

• Organising killing of 300 non local at Dinajpur town and surrounding area
• Inciting Police, East Pakistan Rifles personnel, Ansar and Mujahids to revolt against the government

Mr. Nurul Huq s/o Abdul Majid, Village Hajipur, PS Begumgong, Noakhali (27 August, 1971)

• Organizing looting of government godowns in Feni, looting of National Bank of Pakistan and taking away looted money to India.
• Interfering with the move of the Army on 25th March 1971 by blowing bridges on Comilla-Chittagong Road.
• Forcibly taking over 30 buses, 50 trucks and one jeep and taking them away to India where he was running a transport service exploiting this looted property.

Mr. Mohammad Hanif s/o Late Maulvi Ibrahim, Village Kalikapur, PS Begumganj, District Noakhali

• Blowing bridges and culverts in Noakhali district which resulted in hampering of food supplies and other necessities of life.
• Organising resistance to Army operations in restoring peace in the area of Belonia.

MPA Elect Mr. Siddique Hussain, s/o Khayer-uddin, Mouza Bakhtarpur, PS Kotwali, Rangpur

• Organising and participating in looting and burning of 40 shops and houses on 3 March 1971 at Rangpur.
• Organising Sangram Parishad in the villages with a view of participating in anti-state activities
• Organising and leading an attack on Rangpur Cantonment on 28th March 1971

MPA Elect Abdul Hakim s/o Mafujuddin Sheikh, Hasanabad, District Rangpur

• Organized rebel groups in his area fighting against Pakistan Army.
• Organising the killings of 2000 plus innocent people including women and children at Kurigram and Lalmohirhat.

MPA Elect Quamaruddin Ahmed s/o Late Haji Md Ibrahim, Nutanasti, PS Panchagarh, District Dinajpur

• Organized a rebel force by seducing Police, East Pakistan Rifles personnel and Ansars of his constituencies and with them fought against the Army.
• Organized and conducted the killing of 700 non locals of his area.

MPA Elect Dr Zikrul Haq s/o Dir Ziarutullah Ahmed, Natun Babupara, PO and PS Saidpur, District Rangpur

• Organized and abetted killings of 500 non-locals and set fire to their houses.