Meghna Heli Bridge, codenamed Operation Cactus Lilly, was an aerial
operation
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
of the
Indian Air Force during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decem ...
, commencing India's involvement in
Bangladesh Liberation War. It took place on 9 December, when the
Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted the IV Corps of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
and
Mukti Bahini
The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...
fighters from
Brahmanbaria
Brahmanbaria ( bn, ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া, Brāhmaṇabāṛiẏā) is a city of Bangladesh and the capital of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila as well as Brahmanbaria District. It is the second largest city after Cumilla i ...
to Raipura in
Narsingdi
Narsingdi /Narsingdi Sadar ( bn, নরসিংদী) is a city and headquarters of Narsingdi District in the division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Dhaka-Sylhet highway connects Narsingdi with the capital and other major cities. The district is ...
over the River
Meghna
The Meghna River ( bn, মেঘনা নদী) is one of the major rivers in Bangladesh, one of the three that form the Ganges Delta, the largest delta on earth, which fans out to the Bay of Bengal. A part of the Surma-Meghna River System, ...
, bypassing the destroyed Meghna Bridge and Pakistani defences in
Ashuganj Ashuganj or Ashugonj ( bn, আশুগঞ্জ) is a town in the Brahmanbaria District of Chittagong Division of Bangladesh in the Meghna River delta. Its altitude is 10 meters (36 feet).
The city is known for the Port of Ashuganj and for its pow ...
.
Operation
When the war broke out, ''IV corps'' went into action in the
Agartala sector. At the start of the Dhaka Campaign, Dhaka was set as an objective for ''II Corps'' and ''IV Corps '' had been tasked to capture the fortress of
Comilla
Comilla (; bn, কুমিল্লা, Kumillā, ), officially spelled Cumilla, is the fifth largest city of Bangladesh and second largest in Chittagong division. It is the administrative centre of the Comilla District. The name Comilla was ...
. By 8 December, troops of the ''57 Mountain Division'' and the ''IV Corps'' had already achieved their initial objectives of occupying the territory leading up to the
Meghna
The Meghna River ( bn, মেঘনা নদী) is one of the major rivers in Bangladesh, one of the three that form the Ganges Delta, the largest delta on earth, which fans out to the Bay of Bengal. A part of the Surma-Meghna River System, ...
. The only way across the river was over the Ashuganj Bridge, which very soon became a fortress where a Pakistani division had consolidated itself. The strategic importance of breaking down resistance at Ashuganj soon became apparent to
Lt Gen Sagat Singh, leading the IV Corps, who realised that his troops could, with a push, threaten Dhaka. Once a significant force had been built up, there was no recognisable enemy force between the helidropped force and Dhaka. Ashuganj Bridge was the only bridge that spanned the huge Meghna River which at its narrowest point was more than 4,000 yards wide. With his troops at Ashuganj, Singh however, realised his formation would be joining in the race to
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...
. As would later turn out, ''II Corps'' was
held at Kushtia by Pakistani defences and did not make it to Dhaka.
However, Aerial photos also showed that the bridge had been destroyed and it would require the Army Engineers to construct a new bridge over the sprawling Meghna for Indian troops to advance. Anticipating high casualties in the attempt to take the bridge by force, Singh, along with Maj Gen
B F Gonsalves, leading the 57 Mtn Div, made the decision to airlift the troops.
Brilliant in its conception, the idea was fraught with risks and dangers. The move had to go un-opposed, or at the worse, face minimal opposition from Pakistani troops north of Raipura. The Indian troops that were helidropped did not have artillery or armoured support. On the 9th, troops began to be airlifted to Raipura, south of the Ashuganj Bridge. Once this position was consolidated, the troops were to be airlifted to Narsingdi. From Narsingdi the road to Dhaka would lie bare for IV Corps to take. To provide support for the heliborne troops, PT-76 Tanks were told to ford the Meghna River.
The
IAF's operation was led by
Group Captain Chandan Singh and utilised
Mi-4 helicopters that had already been involved in the
Sylhet air-lift on the night of 7 December. Through the night of 9 December, the IAF air-lifted the entire 311 Brigade. The first troops, numbering around six hundred were landed through the night of the 9th, immediately making contact with Pakistani troops north of Raipura. They however held their positions, with the IAF flying in reinforcements. Over the next 36 hours, over 110 sorties were flown. The Mi-4, which normally carried 14 troops, carried as many as 23 on board. The troops were initially airlifted to Raipura, south of the Ashuganj Bridge. At the same time as this operation was on, 73rd Brigade moved across Meghna on boats and riverine crafts.
After consolidating their positions at Raipura, the troops were helilifted to Narsingdi. After securing Narshingdi, Indian forces captured Daudkandi and Baidder Bazar on 14 and 15 December respectively, both with helicopter assault. From Narshingdi, the metalled road to Dhaka lay undefended for IV Corps to take.
Aftermath
The Pakistani Army had left the roads to Dhaka undefended moving their defences at the bridge-heads and defensive strong-points, expecting to hold the Indian Army at these positions long enough till the
UN and international pressure halted the Indian advance. The Meghna Helibridge along with the
Tangail Airdrop
The Tangail Airdrop was a successful battalion-size Para Commandos (India) operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the Parachute Regiment (India)#Units, 2nd Battalion (Special Operations) (2 PARA) of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment (I ...
on 11 December ensured that these positions were by-passed, capturing the approaches to Dhaka. Moreover, the Pakistani garrison at Ashuganj was effectively put under
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
, facing the Indian Army at Brahmanbaria and at Raipura. The Tangail Airdrop a day later denied the Pakistani 93 Brigade the sanctuary of Dhaka. Dhaka now could only be defended by troops within the city.
Popular culture
Hindustan Ki Kasam a
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
war movie
War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war f ...
directed by
Chetan Anand and released in 1973 was based on the incidents of ''Operation Cactus Lilly''.
See also
*
Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March 1971 and ended on 16 December 1971. Some of the major events of the war are listed in the timeline below.
Timeline
Interactive Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Before the war
*1 March ...
*
Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Prior to Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, India had no plans for large scale military action in East Pakistan. Since the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the primary objective of the Indian Army Eastern Command was the defence of the Indian northern and ...
*
Mitro Bahini order of battle
The Indian Army had no standby force ready in 1971 with the specific task of attacking East Pakistan, one of the many reasons why India did not immediately intervene after Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight in March 1971. Indian Army's Ea ...
*
Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971
On 25 March 1971, the Pakistani military, supported by paramilitary units, launched the military operation to pacify the insurgent-held areas of East Pakistan, which led to a prolonged conflict with the Bengali Mukti Bahini. Although conventio ...
*
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army was a corps-sized military formation headed by a lieutenant-general, who was designated the Eastern Command Commander. After the partition of India by United Kingdom, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was ...
*
1971 Bangladesh genocide
*
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was the codename for a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the opera ...
*
Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
Since the Partition of British India in 1947 and subsequent creation of the dominions of India and Pakistan, the two countries have been involved in a number of wars, conflicts, and military standoffs. A long-running dispute over Kashmir and ...
References
{{Narsingdi District
Brahmanbaria District
Narsingdi District
Battles of Indo-Pakistani wars
Battles of the Bangladesh Liberation War
History of the Indian Air Force
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
December 1971 events in Asia