The text-book battle that freed Khulna on 17 December

16 December 1971. Almost the entirety of Bangladesh was celebrating its triumph following a nine-month bloody war culminating in the surrender of the Pakistani army in Dhaka. But war was still raging in Khulna.

The "Tank Battle of Shiromoni," which pitted the joint forces of Mukti Bahini guerillas and Indian troops against Pakistani forces, officially started on 13 December (initiating from the night of 12 December). 

But more than a week prior, Pakistani soldiers under the command of Brigadier Hayat Khan started preparing for the battle. During this time, they devised a strategy and built camps in the neighbourhoods of Shiromoni, Atra, Gilatala, Teligati, Daulatpur, and Sholgatia in Khulna.

Then, on 6 December, knowing that Indian soldiers were approaching and resolute in preventing their entry into the area, Brigadier Khan and his troops mobilised, spreading across the entire region like a cobweb and positioning themselves in key locations around Khulna. 

However, little did Brigadier Khan know that Mukti Bahini and Indian troops had devised a better strategy that would lead to the Pakistanis' complete annihilation on all fronts.

On 11 December, the Pakistani forces launched an ambush on an Indian battalion in Fultala while it was marching along the Jashore-Khulna route in Fultala. Intense firing ensued from both sides and the joint forces emerged victorious over the Pakistani soldiers through the use of cannons.

At Mikshimil, the Pakistani army was engaged in another fierce battle with the joint forces. Faced with relentless mortar attacks from the joint forces, the Pakistani military was forced into a retreat, resulting in the loss of 12 soldiers from Pakistan's Punjab regiment.

Shiromoni was devastated by bombardment beginning on 13 December. The Pakistani side, however, remained unscathed. Air support was requested and Indian air strikes lasted two days. The Indian troops assumed that the Pakistan army had withdrawn or died as a result of intense shelling, though information from Mukti Bahini sources and a comprehensive analysis of the combat situation revealed a different reality.

On that very day, the Rajput regiment entered the fray. The Indian Engineering Division erected a floating bridge over the Bhairab River. Additional freedom fighters arrived from surrounding regions, positioning themselves in Barakpur, Siddipasha, Lakhohati and Dhulgram.

On 14 December, disregarding the Mukti Bahini's advice, a unit under the command of Major Mahendra Singh and Major Goni advanced towards the cable factory. As soon as the convoy of 28 vehicles entered Badamtala, they were ambushed, leaving 26 of them wrecked. Major Mahendra Singh escaped but 250-300 soldiers lost their lives.

The 107th Brigade was confined to the ground at Shiromoni after failing to react to the fierce air onslaught. That day, eyewitnesses observed the bodies of Indian soldiers being transported in trucks.

By 15 December, the Pakistani army lost its liaison office (home of Nurul Huda, the president of the Shanti Bahini), at least four tanks, the Razakar camp, the post office (armoury) and a few trucks of ammunition.

The fighting persisted at regular intervals throughout the day. With substantial casualties suffered, the Indian forces relinquished control of the main command of the war. It was handed over to Major Manjur (later Brigadier) who commanded the Mukti Bahini. 

Major Manjur pledged not to return until the battle was won as he removed his waist belt and set it down on the table. Some stories claim that he also penned a letter to his spouse. 

Although the joint forces could not demonstrate any further success up to that point, the Pakistani army reduced its position to Shiromoni due to several skirmishes.

On 16 December, Brigadier Hayat Khan was informed that General Niazi, the supreme commander of the Pakistan occupation forces, had surrendered to the joint forces in Dhaka. But Brigadier Khan made the decision not to give up.

Thus, in order to force the Pakistanis to submit, Major Manjur also prepared for a full-scale battle. The idea was to split up into seven groups and attack the Pakistani army's positions from every angle. The atrocities of the war caused Indian officers to keep their distance.

The Mukti Bahini column on Shiromoni's right, led by Major Huda, was assigned the second line of defence. Indian troops on the front line were deployed in defensive positions on the right. The three rear and two left commando columns were brought forward to join the front line.

Upon receiving the signal, the two PT 76 tanks, having infiltrated beneath the main road, swiftly advanced. Following closely behind were 12 commandos, among them Major Manjur. Simultaneously, six more tanks surged through the cane trees on the right, striking the front line of the Pakistani attackers.

However, at one point, this group of Mukti Bahini became disoriented in the fog; Major Huda ordered the second line to attack. Simultaneously, the artillery assault commenced from behind.

There were 25 tanks and hundreds of mortars. Amidst the barrage of hundreds of shells, some freedom fighters entered the defence line of the Pakistani army. The freedom fighters came out from behind their tanks. The driver-gunners ascended to the top of the tank and began firing sten guns in midst of the furious firing. 

Whenever an open hatch was identified, a grenade was hurled inside. To his surprise, Brigadier Khan discovered that the tank force in his front line had stalled, and so the Pakistani army retreated. A liberation commando hurried forward and conveyed, "The Khans are fleeing." 

The column of the Mukti Bahini started moving ahead raising the slogan of 'Joy Bangla'. The remaining joint forces tanks left their defensive stance and began to strike as well. The Pakistani army realised that the front line had cracked when the air strike resumed in the dawn, leaving them defenceless against the renewed aerial assault.

On the morning of 17 December, some unarmed freedom fighters went to Bscic Road to talk to the Pakistani army. An estimated 3,700 Pakistani troops surrendered in the afternoon. 

Major General Dalbir Singh from the Indian forces and commanders of Sector Number 8 and 9 Major Abul Manjur and Major MA Jalil took off the belt and badges of Hayat Khan and got him to sign the papers of surrender.

And just like that, Khulna conquered its independence one day after the rest of the country was liberated.

Even though many within our own country are not aware of this historic battle, the military defence institutes in 35 countries — including Poland and India — later adopted this strategy.