1971 Indo-Pak War (Selected Stories) by Rohit Agarwal

Author:Rohit Agarwal [Agarwal, Rohit]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KW Publishers
Published: 2020-05-01T18:30:00+00:00

Battle of Bogra

Lt Gen JBS Yadava, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM

As battles go, the one fought for control of the important town of Bogra stands out amongst the engagements of 1971 war. Contested by both sides with unimaginable ferocity, it was the only battle in the war that was fought in built-up areas. Every inch of ground was grappled over by either side before we managed to wrest victory from the Pakistanis.

Bogra was an important communication centre and District Headquarters, connected to Dacca and other parts of East Pakistan by rail, road and air. It had a big railway yard and a functional airstrip. It also housed the Tactical HQ of 16 Infantry Division (Pak) and 205 Infantry Brigade (Pak) and had also been developed in big logistic base. Here, it is important to explain the geography, layout and composition of the town so that the ferocity and savagery of fighting and the difficulties we faced in overcoming enemy resistance is understood in perspective. Like most big towns in the region, Bogra was comprised of modern housing colonies and also the old township with narrow streets. Slums and shanties were intermingled with new colonies. There was no regular pattern of roads and streets. Some were wide with trees planted on both sides while some were very narrow and winding. Each colony had a mixture of colonial bungalows and houses with large compounds, rows of low small houses as well as clusters of mud houses for poor people. The colonies were interspersed with ponds, groves, parks and playfields. There were also some tall structures like water towers and multi-storey buildings housing offices and institutions.

The task of capturing Bogra was allotted to 20 Infantry Division, of which my battalion 5/11 Gorkha Rifles (GR) was a part. For the battalion this task was a continuant of the battle for Mahasthan that it had just fought. The Battalion provided a firm base for 340 Infantry Brigade’s final assault on Bogra. In the afternoon of December 13, 2/5 GR along with a Squadron of 63 CAV (T-55) advanced along Road Rangpur-Bogra to capture the town from North. 6 GUARDS with 69 Armoured Regiment (PT-76) bypassed it from the East and cut it off from South. They attacked the town from South and South East. 2/5 GR cleared the area North of the railway line by midday December 14 against stiff opposition. 6 GUARDS also made steady progress from the South against determined resistance.

By afternoon it was apparent that additional forces will be required to give impetus to the operations. Thus 4 MADRAS and 5/11GR along with additional artillery were released to join the battle. Accordingly, at 1500 hrs December 14, 5/11 GR were tasked to concentrate in area Jaypurpara, North of Bogra by 2000 hrs. At 0030 hrs December 15, we were ordered to isolate Bogra from the West by first light and clear all enemy resistance West of Road Bogra-Sherpur by last light. The enemy had been surrounded from North, East and South. The only avenue available to him for reinforcements/escape was from Naogaon/Nator in the West/South West.

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