The history of the Independence of Bangladesh has its roots in the colonial and post-colonial periods. Sylhet, like other parts of Bangladesh during the Pakistan days had resented the oppressive rule of the West Pakistanis and resisted their policie4s towards East Pakistan. In the wake of various developments, the Bengalis under the indomitable leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started the Liberation War in March 1971.
Thus the military regime of Yahiya Khan started brutally attacking the unarmed civilians and lunched a genocide in Bangladesh. The Pakistan Army set an example of unprecedented barbarism. They burnt town villages after villages and killed helpless unarmed Bengalis. But the Freedom-loving people marched ahead with their flag of independence against gruesome killings by the Pakistan Army. Alongside indiscriminate killing by the Pakistan Army, the MNAs and MPs of Awami League (AL) were being haunted for arrest. Sheikh Mujibur proclaimed Independence of Bangladesh before his arrest on the night of 25 March. This letter of Proclamation was sent to the leaders of Awami League in.
However, resistance military training and armed conflict had already begun thought the country from 1 March. On 1 March, Yahiya Khan the Military Present of Pakistan, abruptly postponed the ensuing session of the National Assembly. As an immediate reaction, Sylhet Chatra League and Chatra Union brought out processions separately at Sylhet. Although the situation at Sylhet was on 3 March morning a procession brought out by students and common people came under fire from the HQ of the erstwhile EPR (now BDR) at Nayasarak, Sylhet. The rumor spread that a man had died. Immediately after that the D. C’s Office was surrendered by people. A curfew was unexpectedly imposed for 12 hours from 7p.m. The people form all corners came out on the street disregarding the order. At night on 7 March, defying the prohibition order of the Martial Law authority, Sylhet Betar broadcasted the main parts of the Historic Speech of Sheikh Mujib in this special bulletin. On 10th March even Mahila Parishad of Sylhet brought out a procession. At Sylhet Registrar’s Ground on 19 March evening, Kalam Tuly Kontho Songram Porishod arranged a cultural function namedly Durjoy Bangla; Chatra League leaders on 23 March hoisted flag of Independent Bangla. And there after Shoeb Ahmed Chowdhuy and other pulled down Pakistani flag from the D. C’s Office and hoisted in its place, the flag of Bangladesh.
On 25th March, the public thoroughfares of Sylhet experienced sea of human heads with sticks and their hands. At evening a public meeting was held, the biggest ever at Registrar’s Ground at the initiative of Awami League; Dr Abdul Malik and Akther Ahmed, Member of the Provincial Assembly, presided over the meeting. Dr. Nurul Hussain Chanchal, Kazi Siraj Uddin, Shaah Mudabbir Ali, Siraj Uddin, Jamir Uddin, Md. Ashoor Ali, Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Shoeb Ahmed Chowdhury, Rafiqul Haque and Dewan Farid Gazi gave speeches. Soon after the meeting was over all members were made their way to Malni Chara and Lakkatura tea gardens to organize labourers of the tea gardens. Major (Retd.) Mutlib sent a message to them that an imminent army crackdown that night. Upon receipt to the information they returned to the Awami League Office at Surma Mansion and arranged a meeting with the leaders of Awami League, Chatra League and their affiliated organizations, and decided upon their future course of action in case army crackdown took place. The encounter Pakistani forces in and around the town the responsibility as decided in the meeting, was entrusted with Ismat Ahmed Chowdhury, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Shah Mudabbir Ali, Abdul Munib, Dr. Nurul Hussain Chanchal, Akther Ahmed, Luthfur Rahman, Nurul Islam and among student leaders there were Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Shah Azizur Rahman, Sadaruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Soheb Ahmed Chowdhury, Rafiqul Haque, Rais Ali Tareq Ullah, Enamul Haque, Maqsood Ibne Aziz Lama, Muzibur Rahman Chowdhury and many others. As the duties being allotted and they bade farewell to one another, At 10:30 p.m. Having failed to capture them the army took to the task of brutal torturing. On 26 and 27 March Pakistan forces had killed and wounded many people. On 28 March, a party comprising Ansars, Mujaheeds and Youths had head towards Srimongal moved out from Hobigonj town to fight Pakistan army under the leadership of Mustafa Ali MNA, Manik Chowdhury MNA, Colonel Rob MNA, Mustafa Shahid MPA and Major C. R. Dutt. On the other side another team had head towards Sylhet under the leadership of Dewan Obaidur Raja MNA, Abdul Haque MNA, Abdul Rois MPA, Hussani Bakth with a group of Police, Ansar and Freedom Fighters. At night the Pakistan Army attacked EPR camp at Akhalia. On that day Abdur Rahim & Abdul Latif went to Karimgonj to discuss with the concerned authority in India about the supply of arms to the Freedom Fighters. On 3 April Ismat Ahmed Chowdhury, Sirajul Islam, a Awami League leader of Barokhola, Dewan Farid Gazi, Abu, the owner of Sabazpur Tea Garden, Subedar Mafiur Rahman went to India to discuss about supply of arms to Freedom Fighters. There they gave them 10 crates of bullets and grenades, 30 Chinese rifles and 6-7 stenguns. These were the weapons BSF seized from, EPR personnel. On 10th April Tajuddin Ahmed requested all MNAs and MPs to go Kushtia if possible but none from the Greater Sylhet could go there as the overland journey through Bangladesh was impossible at that time and the Government was formed on 17th April. Up to May the Freedom Fighters of Greater Sylhet pincer-attacks upon Pakistan Army. As a result, the Pakistan Army frightened and terrified as they were took refuge in the Airport. The freedom Fighters being compelled in the wake of aerial bombings by Pak-forces and for lack of armaments has to cross over to India where they were reunited. Already lakhs of people from Sunamgonj, Kishoreganj, Mymensingh and other areas has taken shelter at Bholagonj, Balat and Cherapunji of India and a section of people from Sylhet, Maulvibazar and Hobiganj took shelter in Shilong, Dawkai of Meghalaya, Karimgonj and Shilchar. Almost all the people of Sylhet took refuge in those areas. Some people from Hobigonj and Maulvibazar took shelter in Agartala, Dharmanagar and Kailash towns.
In June, Bangladesh was divided into 11 sectors in order to conduct planned resistance against the Pakistani forces. In the process of reorganizing the forces political and student leaders played an important role. Sylhet became Sector 4 which established in May covering approximately 100 miles in the border area of eastern and north-eastern parts of Sylhet district. It was basically a hilly region with Pathoia and Satgaon hills within its limit. Numerous tea gardens also characterize the geographical situation the area. Naturally from the military point of view while this region was ideal for guerilla warfare its inaccessible nature also offered safety and convenience to Freedom Fighters to carry light weapons and other equipments. Major Chittaranjan Dutta was made the Commander of the Sector. Captain A. Rob was also involved with the activities of the sector from the vary beginning. Subsequently Captain Enam, Flight Lieutenant Kader and many other officers joined the Sector. The entire liberation army was divided into two main categories- The regular armed forces and people’s army. The first included the Bengal Regiment, EPR, Police, Ansar and Mujahids while the people’s army was comprised of common people i.e. peasants, workers, student, teachers and others together they formed the Mukti Bahini.
In order to conduct a planned warfare Sector commander Major Chittaranjan Dutta divided the area under his jurisdiction into a number sub-sectors:
1. Jamalpur sub-sector: led by Mahbubur Rob Sadi of people’s Army.
2. Boropunji sub-sector: Captain A. Rob was in command. Lieutenant Niranjan Bhattacharya, an officer of the first batch of Bangladesh Armed forces formed in October 1971, also joined this Sector.
3. Amalsid sub-sector: Lieutenant Zahir war in charge of this area. Latter this sub-sector jointly worked with the troops of Z forces.
4. Kukital sub-sector: led by Flight Lieutenant Kader.
5. Kailash Shahor sub-sector: led by Lieutenant Waqiuzzaman
6. Komolpur sub-sector: led by Captain Enam
As per the information provided by Major Chittaranjan Dutta, the number of personnel in the people’s and regular army stood approximately at 900 and 400 respectively in Sector 4. In the beginning, the sector headquarter was situated at Karimgonj which was later shifted to Masimpur. Soon it became apparent that it would be extremely difficult to conduct warfare throughout the district with the organizational structure of a single sector; therefore, another sector that is Sector 5 was constituted in May. In fact, the making of another sector was necessary because of the geographical location of Sylhet. Probably in no other district of Bangladesh two sectors were formed during the Liberation War. Area for Sector 5 was determined from Durgapur of Sylhet to the eastern border of Tamabli (Dawki). Major Shawkat Ali was appointed the Commander of the new sector. He divided his sector area under six sub-sectors:
1. Muktapur sub-sector: led by Subedar Nazir Hossain; FF Faruk was his associate.
2. Tamabil (Dawki) sub-sector: led by Subedar Major B. R. chowdhury.
3. Shela sub-sector: This sub-sector was under the command of Captain Helal. Later Lt. Rahbubur Rahman.
4. Bholagonj sub-sector: led by Taher Uddin Akhanji. Lt. S.A Khaled was also associated with this sub-sector.
5. Balat sub-sector: initially led by Subedar Ghani and later by Captain Slalhuddin and FF Enamul Haq Chowdhury.
6. Borochora sub-sector: led by Captain Muslim Uddin.
The headquarter of Sector 5 was situated at Banshtala. Md. Mostafa, Manager of a tea garden was appointed the Sector adjutant. According to Mr. Shawkat Ali, the number of personnel in the people’s army and regular forces in the sector stood approximately at 9,000 and 1,000 respectively. It is necessary to mention here that officers in Sector 4 and 5 were occasionally transferred from one to another on realistic and technical grounds.
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