[ad_1]
Dhaka, 17th December (PTI) The historic makeshift stage consisting of a table and two chairs was used by the last Pakistani military commander, AAK Niazi, when he signed the instrument of surrender on 16th December 1971, The stage has been preserved in the National Museum here, as a major liberation war relic, according to media reports.
Although a makeshift stage for the signing of the instrument of surrender was shown, believed to be the world’s first public surrender ceremony, it is still unknown how the stage was hastily erected and by whom it was performed until Brigadier General Sant Singh, an Indian veteran, told the country’s official Bangladeshi Sambad Santha (BSS) news agency in 2012 that he was the one who arranged the historic ceremony
The 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, started with the help of India, broke out after a sudden crackdown on former East Pakistan at midnight on March 25, 1971, and ended on December 16.
That same year, Pakistan conceded defeat and surrendered unconditionally in Dhaka to a coalition of freedom fighters and Indian soldiers.
Three million people were officially killed during the nine-month war.
“The makeshift stage, believed to be the world’s first public surrender ceremony of its kind, took place on a makeshift stage consisting mainly of a table and two chairs, now preserved at the National Museum as a major exhibition of the 1971 war. remains,” the BSS report said on Thursday.
Singh revealed this interesting piece of information to the BSS on the sidelines of a ceremony in Dhaka, although in the context of historical events, it was not a great concern for him or anyone else.
The veteran general, affectionately known as “Brigadier General Babaji” by freedom fighters in 1971 for his attire — the typical Sikh turban and beard — and genial demeanor, met with several other detainees in Dhaka. Awarded “Friends of Liberation War Honor” to foreigners together.
Singh, who was 94 at the time, recalled that when Pakistani commanders agreed to surrender at the Dhaka camp for talks with Major General JFR Jacob, chief of general staff of India’s Eastern Command, he was asked to arrange an event at the racecourse.
“I thought a table and two chairs were needed to sign the ‘Surrender’, so I went around General Niazi’s office looking for a suitable table and chairs,” Singh said.
He added: “[Then]I saw the table, grabbed it and the two chairs and rushed to Racecourse Square.
However, the ninety-something general smiled at the reporter and made a slightly surprised gesture because, of all things important, why he was being asked about “a table and two chairs”.
Singh said he didn’t have enough time to choose a suitable corner at the racetrack to set up a simple makeshift stage and secure it.
Years later, Maj. Gen. Shafiullah, K-Force commander during the Liberation War and the first army commander in liberated Bangladesh, told this BSS reporter in a conversation that he had actually been asked to set the stage at the racecourse.
But when then-Major Shafiullah arrived on the scene, “I saw that the task had been done by someone else.”
“Until today (that day) I don’t know who did it,” he said, before the reporter told him Singh’s story, and Shafiullah smiled happily.
Singh, a two-time recipient of India’s highest award for bravery, the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), said he carried out another important task immediately after the surrender ceremony, interrogating Nyazi on an intelligence request.
“For military necessity or security reasons, we needed to interrogate him for a long time that night … to find out where his troops were, what their previous plans were, etc.,” Singh said.
Later, he said, Niazi was taken to his residence by the Indian army and “I also went to his house (at the camp)”.
“I sent 30 Indian soldiers to guard the house … we feared that he might escape because several senior Pakistani military officers had fled the country by helicopter through Myanmar the night before,” he said.
The Bangladeshi citation honouring Singh states that when he was Commander of the Indian Army’s FJ sector in 1971, the Bangladeshi freedom fighters affectionately called him “Babaji”, which he trained for the war.
“After the capture of Mymensingh, he marched towards Dhaka via Modpur and reached Dhaka on December 16 before the surrender of the Pakistani army. He always led his troops from the front,” the citation read.
However, Singh told BSS that the most memorable moment for him was the liberation of Dhaka, “which is the biggest achievement of my career”.
The award recognized his bravery and decisiveness during the liberation of Dhaka.
Singh picked up his second MVC after taking Mymen Singh and Madhupur in Bangladesh, when he led just one infantry battalion against two foes.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
[ad_2]
Source link