Ex-Home Minister Major Rafiq discloses in JS,‘Major Zia was moving to Ctg port to unload arms from Sawat for Pak army on March 25, 1971
Zia declared himself Head of State, Supreme Commander from Kalurghat radio on March 27, says Rafiq
Sangsad Bhaban, Mar 10 (UNB)-Former Home Minister Maj (retd) Rafiqul Islam Wednesday dropped a bombshell in parliament claiming that while he was fighting with the Pakistani army to keep Chittagong city free, then Major Zia was moving to the seaport to unload arms from the Sawat for the Pak occupation army on March 25, 1971.
Participating in the general debate on the President’s New Year address in parliament, Major Rafique said he captured Chittagong City at 11:30pm on March 25, but Zia, who was posted in the 8th Bengal Regiment, did not know about what was happening at the time.
“Zia started from Agrabad towards the port but was obstructed by a road barricade near a petrol pump. I sent a message to Capt Oli to ask Zia not to proceed to the port and be back to the Bengal Regiment. The message was conveyed to him by Khalequzzaman,” he told the lawmakers, amid fresh controversies triggered by the ruling Awami League over Zia being proclaimer of independence at the outset of the 1971 Liberation War.
Rafique, who was posted in the paramilitary East Pakistan Rifles, said armed with EPR he captured all border outposts on March 24. “I had discussion with Zia on March 17, 18 and 24, but Zia did not know what I was doing,” the military officer-turned freedom fighter told the House in his firsthand account of the lead-up to the war of independence of the Bengali nation.
He has written a book named ‘A Tale of a Million’ which was banned by the Zia government. He gave a pen-picture of how Zia read out the message of independence first on March 27 and a revised one on March 28.
Major Rafique said he learnt that Bangabandhu had declared the independence at 12 midnight on March 25. On that night a man named Khandaker came to his Chittagong Railway HQs and requested him to make an announcement through Kalurghat Radio Transmission Center.
Since Rafique did not want to leave his entrenched position in Chittagong City, he asked the man to bring a tape-recorder to record his voice. But that man could not come back since the Pak army started shelling his position.
Rafique sent a message for finding out any officer of the 8th Bengal Regiment and taking him to Kalurghat radio station. Rafique drafted a message for the radio announcement declaring that Bengali officers in army, EPR and police are fighting for independence.
On the morning of March 27, Zia was found out. In the afternoon, Major Zia went to the Kalurghat radio station and “declared himself the Head of State and Supreme Commander”, said Major Rafique.
Hearing Zia’s announcement, Chittagong Awami League leader AK Khan asked him over phone who was Major Zia who declared himself as the head of state. AK Khan said this would lead to mutiny. MR Khan also made the same observation.
On the morning of March 28, Zia read out a revised declaration of the independence on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Mr. Speaker, everything appears before me like cinema,” Major Rafique said in conclusion. “History will judge everyone,” he added.
Participating in the general debate on the President’s New Year address in parliament, Major Rafique said he captured Chittagong City at 11:30pm on March 25, but Zia, who was posted in the 8th Bengal Regiment, did not know about what was happening at the time.
“Zia started from Agrabad towards the port but was obstructed by a road barricade near a petrol pump. I sent a message to Capt Oli to ask Zia not to proceed to the port and be back to the Bengal Regiment. The message was conveyed to him by Khalequzzaman,” he told the lawmakers, amid fresh controversies triggered by the ruling Awami League over Zia being proclaimer of independence at the outset of the 1971 Liberation War.
Rafique, who was posted in the paramilitary East Pakistan Rifles, said armed with EPR he captured all border outposts on March 24. “I had discussion with Zia on March 17, 18 and 24, but Zia did not know what I was doing,” the military officer-turned freedom fighter told the House in his firsthand account of the lead-up to the war of independence of the Bengali nation.
He has written a book named ‘A Tale of a Million’ which was banned by the Zia government. He gave a pen-picture of how Zia read out the message of independence first on March 27 and a revised one on March 28.
Major Rafique said he learnt that Bangabandhu had declared the independence at 12 midnight on March 25. On that night a man named Khandaker came to his Chittagong Railway HQs and requested him to make an announcement through Kalurghat Radio Transmission Center.
Since Rafique did not want to leave his entrenched position in Chittagong City, he asked the man to bring a tape-recorder to record his voice. But that man could not come back since the Pak army started shelling his position.
Rafique sent a message for finding out any officer of the 8th Bengal Regiment and taking him to Kalurghat radio station. Rafique drafted a message for the radio announcement declaring that Bengali officers in army, EPR and police are fighting for independence.
On the morning of March 27, Zia was found out. In the afternoon, Major Zia went to the Kalurghat radio station and “declared himself the Head of State and Supreme Commander”, said Major Rafique.
Hearing Zia’s announcement, Chittagong Awami League leader AK Khan asked him over phone who was Major Zia who declared himself as the head of state. AK Khan said this would lead to mutiny. MR Khan also made the same observation.
On the morning of March 28, Zia read out a revised declaration of the independence on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Mr. Speaker, everything appears before me like cinema,” Major Rafique said in conclusion. “History will judge everyone,” he added.
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