BATTLE OF ASHUGANJ – 1971 BANGLADESH
THE MEGHNA BRIDGE – 9 DECEMBER 1971
Maj Gen Ashok Kalyan Verma, AVSM
(Then CO 18
RAJPUT)
One of the most significant events in the War for the
Liberation of Bangladesh was the blowing up of the Bridge over the Meghna River
on midday of 9 December 1971. Today being the 41st anniversary of the event, I
am writing this piece as a remembrance and a tribute for our boys who were
killed in this action.
It is a well recognized fact that 4 Corps operations
starting from Agartala were spearhead by 57 Division. As the opportunity
presented itself, the Division's task was suddenly modified with the aim of
getting to the Meghna River after the Pakistani brigade at Bhramanbaria fell
back. This led to a pell-mell pursuit by us to get to the vicinity of Ashuganj.
The 1-Km long rail bridge over the Meghna, located just
south of Ashuganj was the focal point towards which we were gravitating. By 8
December it was known from radio intercepts (on 6 Dec) that Gen Niazi had
ordered the Pakistani 14 Division to withdraw its 313 and 27 Brigades for the
close defence of Dhaka. These two brigades were from Maulvi-Bazar (to our
north, closer to Sylhet) and Ashuganj respectively. It was critical for the
Pakistani 27 Brigade to continue to deny direct access to the Meghna Bridge.
Their 313 Brigade from Maulvi Bazar was expected to move by River Steamers on
the Meghna to Ashuganj on its way to Dhaka.
Major General Gonsalves's 57 Division's two brigades
deployed to our north had followed the Pakistani 27 Brigade after it withdrew
unexpectedly from Bhramanbaria on a broad front on 7 December. Their 27 Brigade
were now deployed in a crescent shape east of Ashugandj - denying direct access
to the giant Bridge.
18 Rajput was tasked to get to the River north of
Ashuganj to watch out for any river borne movement from the north. On the
evening of 8 December, Brigadier Mishra of 311 Brigade tasked the unit to enter
Ashuganj using the defilade along the river bank and go for the Eastern end of
the Bridge.
After fighting through the built up portion of Ashuganj,
the battalion got close enough to the Bridge to make the GOC of the Pakistani
Division panic. He hastily order the blowing up of the mega-bridge at both
ends. Meanwhile, Pakistan's 27 Brigade, finding itself bypassed, fell back and
then counter-attacked the threatening Rajputs. Pakistan's 27 Brigade then
withdrew across the River by various craft during the night 9/10 December into
Bhairab Bazar, abandoning Ashuganj to us.
After the successful overcoming of Akhaura on 5 December,
owing to the sudden and unprepared change in 4 Corps plans to develop a thrust
with 57 Division's two available brigades towards the Meghna at Ashuganj, the
force was inadequately prepared with bridging equipment for operating in such
riverine terrain. If the Meghna could be crossed, Dhaka could become the final
objective. However, the flaw was that no bridging equipment had been planned as
the Titas River had two water obstacles which had to be bridged to cross the
vehicles, guns and ammunition to be moved forward to support the rapidly moving
foot bound infantry. At Ashuganj the lack of artillery support at this crucial
juncture was the critical failure. Close air support also went abegging as the
FAC's party received a Pakistani 105 shell which killed the radio-man and
disabled the radio. The FAC was also wounded.
Not withstanding the temporary setback on the ground, Gen
Sagat Singh, GOC 4 Corps, carried out a stunning impromptu heliborne operation
even as the ground battle raged to begin bypassing Pakistan's 14 Division that
was now falling back across the River to Bhairab Bazar. It thus led to the
thrust developing towards Narsingdi and Dhaka. Both Pakistan's 27 and 313
Brigades had failed to get back for the close defence of Dhaka
In hindsight the seemingly reckless and bold attempt on
the eastern end of the Meghna Bridge by 18 Rajput (now 13 Mech Inf) led to this
unexpected but spectacular overall success in the War. It remains a moot point
that but for this event, 57 Division of 4 Corps could not have got to Dhaka the
way it did.
"Uncommon Valour Their Common Virtue"
(28 September Agartala) Sepoy Sis Ram; Sepoy Om Prakash
Singh; Sepoy Harmat Singh; (2-5 December Akhaura) Naik Ram KIshore; Sepoy
Rajbeer Singh; Sepoy Chhotkunu; L/Hav Jagdish Singh; Sepoy Megh Singh Sepoy
Sankatha Upadhya; Sepoy Bhagwan Singh; Sepoy Ram Balak Misra; (9 December
ASHUGANJ) Major TL Sharma; Sub Megh Singh; Sepoy Achhe Lal; L/Hav Tara Chand;
Naik Rajbir Singh; Sepoy Mahabir; L/Nk Jaipal Singh; Sepoy Ram Narain Singh;
Sepoy Ram Niwas; Sepoy Hem Raj; Sepoy Gopi; Sepoy Sahukar; Sepoy Ram Diya;
Sepoy Jagan Nath; Sepoy Umasankar Tiwari; Sepoy Keshari Singh; Sepoy
Janobahadur Singh; Sepoy Ram Billash; Sepoy Harendra Singh; Sepoy Surendra
Singh; Sepoy Japan; Sepoy Harpal Singh; Sepoy Jagpal Singh; (10 December) L/Hav
Netrapal Singh; Sepoy Prahlad Singh; (11 December) Sepoy Vidya Ram; (14
December) L/Nk Jagendra Singh.
We remember their supreme sacrifice in the War for the
Liberation of Bangladesh.
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