Z Force (Bangladesh)
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Z Force, also known as Tura Brigade, was the first military brigade of
Bangladesh Forces 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 ...
formed during the
Liberation War of Bangladesh The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali n ...
in 1971 under Major
Ziaur Rahman Lt. General Ziaur Rahman (19 January 1936 – 30 May 1981), was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in Chittagong in an army coup d' ...
along with the consent of the revolutionary government of Bangladesh in exile. The brigade was formed with the 1st, 3rd and 8th Battalion of East Bengal Regiment on 7 July 1971. It is the first ever complete brigade formed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.


Background

Bangladeshi military officers of various cantonments revolted against the Pakistani Army and started fighting against them with limited ammunition on the night of 25 March 1971 after the crackdown by Pakistani Army. But soon the military officers of Bangladesh Forces realised that such non-planned attack or resistance will not be able to create huge casualties of the foes. So they decided to form some sectors from which they can fight properly. The guerrillas sent from the India during May–June to various sectors were ill-equipped and not properly trained and hence were unsuccessful in almost every operations. Most of the guerrillas were caught or shot dead by Pakistani Army. The lack of communication between the Sector Commanders and the Indian Military Officers also created major casualties to the guerrillas sent by the Indian officers to Bangladesh. Wherever the guerrillas were caught or killed, Pakistani Army in search of the other members of them used to start arson in many villages and killed numerous innocent people to take revenge. In this situation, senior military officers assumed that the war will continue for a long time and decided to form some brigades to fight with the Pakistani Army more effectively, especially in the frontiers.


Inception

After the sector commanders' meeting held at 8, Theater Road of
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
, the first brigade of Bangladesh Forces was formed. Major
Ziaur Rahman Lt. General Ziaur Rahman (19 January 1936 – 30 May 1981), was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in Chittagong in an army coup d' ...
, who was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel during the
Liberation War of Bangladesh The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali n ...
was the senior most officer amongst the officers present there and he was given the command of the force. Though the brigade was formed after the meeting, the decision to form the force was decided earlier. Chief of Bangladesh Forces MAG Osmani himself told Major Moinul Hossain about the decision on 13 June 1971. But according to the gazette of the Government of Bangladesh the force is known to be formed on 7 July 1971. The headquarters of the brigade was at Teldhala of Tura in India.


Formation and training

The 'Z Force' established their camp in the remote Tura area of Meghalaya. But with massive spirit and interest for the freedom, people of various ages and occupations gathered under the brigade. 'Z Force' had to organise themselves properly. It was formed with 1st, 3rd and 8th battalion of
East Bengal Regiment The East Bengal Regiment ( bn, ইস্ট বেঙ্গল রেজিমেন্ট) is an infantry regiment ( regimental system type) and the largest military formation of the Bangladesh Army. History The East Bengal Regiment was for ...
. Of them the 1st Battalion of East Bengal Regiment, who revolted in
Jessore Cantonment Jashore Cantonment is a cantonment located in the southern part of Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a popu ...
under Major Hafiz was unable to escape safely and after fighting a crucial battle only fifty of the Bengali officers and soldiers were able to reach the border. The 8th Battalion of East Bengal Regiment was a newly formed battalion with limited power. The 3rd Battalion of East Bengal Regiment also faced casualties. In this situation, the military headquarters of Bangladesh Forces ordered Major
Hafizuddin Ahmed Bir Bikrom Hafizuddin Ahmed is a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician, a retired Bangladesh Army major, and a 6-term Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Bhola-3 constituency. He fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War and was awarded the ...
and Major Sahriful Haq Dalim to recruit 600 youths in 1st Battalion of East Bengal Regiment and another collect 500 youths and join 'Z Force' in Tura. Major Hafizuddin Ahmed recruited 600 youths from the youth camps from Khulna-Kushtia border area. The total number of the members in 1st Battalion of East Bengal Regiment was 800 while joining the 'Z Force'. Another 500 members collected by Major Shariful Haq Dalim amplified the strength of 3rd Battalion of East Bengal Regiment. Major Moinul Hossain Chowdhury, who acted as the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of East Bengal Regiment was asked to format the battalion. The command and the charge to organise the 3rd Battalion of East Bengal Regiment was given to Major Shafayet Zamil and the responsibility of 8th Battalion of East Bengal Regiment was given to Major AJM Aminul Haque. After a training session of six weeks, "Z Force" turned into a valiant brigade of Bangladesh Forces.


Organogram of the brigade

* Brigade Commander – Major
Ziaur Rahman Lt. General Ziaur Rahman (19 January 1936 – 30 May 1981), was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in Chittagong in an army coup d' ...
* Brigade Major – Captain
Oli Ahmed Colonel (Retd) Oli Ahmad, Bir Bikrom, is a Bangladeshi former minister & member of Parliament. He is a valiant freedom fighter and former Army officer. He is president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Bangladesh. Biography Ahmad was the firs ...
* D-Q Officer – Captain Sadeque * Signal Officer – Captain Abdul Halim * Brigade Medical Officer- Dr. H K M Abdul Hye


1st East Bengal Regiment

* Commanding Officer – Major
Moinul Hossain Chowdhury Moinul Hossain Chowdhury (died 10 October 2010) was a Bangladesh Army officer who served as the adjutant general of Bangladesh army and former advisor of the caretaker government. Military career Moinul Hossain Chowdhury fought in the Banglades ...
(June–August) and Major Mohammad Ziauddin (August–December) * Second-in-Command – Captain Bazlul Ghani Patwari * Adjutant – Flight Lieutenant Liaqat Ali Khan * A Company Commander – Captain Mahbubur Rahman * B Company Commander – Captain
Hafizuddin Ahmed Bir Bikrom Hafizuddin Ahmed is a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician, a retired Bangladesh Army major, and a 6-term Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Bhola-3 constituency. He fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War and was awarded the ...
* 1st C Company Commander – Lieutenant Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury * 2nd C Company Commander – Lieutenant S. H. B. Noor Chowdhury * D Company Commander – Captain
Salauddin Mumtaz Salauddin Mumtaz ( bn, সালাহউদ্দিন মমতাজ; 1945 – 31 July 1971) was a military officer who fought for the Bangladeshi side in the 1971 Bangladeshi War of Independence. He is honorifically designated ''Shahid'' ...
(July–August) and Bazlul Gani Patwary (September–December) * A Company Officer – Lieutenant Wakar Hasan * B Company Officer – Lieutenant Anisur Rahman * Medical Officer – Lieutenant Mujibur Rahman Fakir


3rd East Bengal Regiment

* Commanding Officer – Major Shafaat Jamil * Second-in-Command – Captain Mohsin * A Company Commander – Captain Anwar Hossain * B Company Commander – Captain Akbar Hossain * C Company Commander – Captain Mohsinuddin Ahmed * D Company Commander – Lieutenant S. I. B. Nurunnabi Khan * M. F. Company Commander – Lieutenant Manjur Ahmed * Company Officer – Lieutenant Fazle Hossain * Medical Officer – Wasiuddin


8th East Bengal Regiment

* Commanding Officer – Major A. J. M. Aminul Haque * Second-in-Command – Captain Kahlequzzaman Chowdhury * A Company Commander – Captain
Amin Ahmed Chowdhury Amin Ahmed Chowdhury was a Bangladeshi army officer and diplomat. Early life Chowdhury was born in South Anandpur village of Fulghazi in Feni. He joined Pakistan Army in 1964 and was commissioned in 1966. When the Liberation War of Bangladesh st ...
* B Company Commander – Captain Sadeque Hossain * C Company Commander – Lieutenant Modasser Hossain Khan * D Company Commander – Lieutenant Mahbubul Alam * Company Officer – Lieutenant Imdadul Haq * Company Officer – Lieutenant Oliul Islam * Company Officer – Lieutenant Munibur Rahman * Company Officer – Lieutenant K. M. Abu Baker


2nd Field Artillery Battery

* Officer in Charge – Major Khandakar Abdur Rashid * Officer – Captain Rashed Chowdhury * Officer – Lieutenant Sazzad Ali Zahir


Major operations


Kamalpur Border Outpost Attack

On 31 July 1971,
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 ...
under the command of Major Ziaur Rahman fought against the Pakistani troops stationed in Kamalpur. Since the Kamalpur post was close to the border, it was decided that Mukti Bahini with the support of regular Indian army troops would attempt to capture the post. The Pakistani post was first subjected to artillery bombardment. The Mukti Bahini troops under the cover of supporting fire from
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- ...
almost reached to the mouth of Pakistani
bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. ...
s. However, once the supporting fire was stopped by Indian army, the Mukti Bahini troops were mowed down by machine-gun fire. The attack was called off because of heavy casualties. Captain Salahuddin Momtaz of Mukti Bahini was killed in this battle. Later from 14 November to 4 December 1971, in order to capture Kamalpur, a second battle of Kamalpur took place. The Kamalpur was subsequently captured on 4 December 1971 by combined strength of Bangladesh and Indian army.


Nakshi Border Outpost Attack

Nakshi Border Outpost was situated in the
Sherpur District Sherpur district ( bn, শেরপুর জেলা, ''Sherpur Jela'' also ''Sherpur Zila'') is a district in Northern Bangladesh. It is a part of Mymensingh Division. Sherpur district was a sub-division of Jamalpur District before 1984. It was ...
, where the Pakistan Army formed a strong position. The border outpost became a target of "Z" Force because of its geographical importance. Soon Captain Amin Ahmed Chowdhury, the Commander of Alpha Company and Lieutenant Modasser Hossain Khan, the Commander of Charlie Company was sent to defeat the Pakistanis of that camp. The two companies with great speed ran into the area and were able to enter into the fifty yards region. With great show of courage, they attacked the position of Pakistani Army. The Pakistanis fled from the camp and took shelter in a forest which was nearby. But soon they attacked the freedom fighters with mortar shell with field mines also interrupting the operation of the 'Z Force' companies. In this battle Captain Amin Ahmed got injured from to machine gun bullets. Major Aminul Haque saved him, risking his life.


Battle at Ghashipur

On 10 September the Delta Company of 1st Battalion of
East Bengal Regiment The East Bengal Regiment ( bn, ইস্ট বেঙ্গল রেজিমেন্ট) is an infantry regiment ( regimental system type) and the largest military formation of the Bangladesh Army. History The East Bengal Regiment was for ...
formed a strong defence at the Ghashipur. Ghashipur was a location near the Kamalpur Border Outpost. Ghashipur was considered as a lifeline of the strong position of Pakistan Army in Kamalpur. Pakistani Army was anxious about their safety in Kamalpur due to the strong position of the 'Z Force' in Ghashipur. To remain safe from the sudden attack of freedom fighters Pakistan Army launched an attack on the Ghashipur Defense of 'Z Force'. The attempt of cleansing the freedom fighters from Ghashipur went up in smoke. Pakistan Army had to flee at the end of the battle after suffering huge casualties. Lance Nayek Yousuf and Subedar Mozammel of the regiment was martyred in the battle.


Other battles

The Z Force also conducted some other significant operations including the battles of Bahadurabad, Dewanganj, Tengratila, Chilmari, Roumari, Hazipara, Chotokhal, Gowainghat, Gobindaganj, Shalutikor Airport, Dhalai Tea Garden, Sylhet, Jakiganj, Fultala, Borolekha etc.Major Rafiqul Islam PSC, ''এগারোটি সেক্টরের বিজয় কাহিনী (Egaroti Sectorer Bijoy Kahini)''; SBN-978-984-8939-27-7, Shorobritto Prokashon, October-2011, pg-117


Defence of liberated zone

One of the prime objectives of Z Force was to cover the liberated zones in Northern Bangladesh during the
Liberation War of Bangladesh The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali n ...
. As a part of this operations Z Force liberated many areas and set up defence to save those areas from
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
from August 1971.


Establishment of administration in Roumari

Roumari, an area from Kurigram was liberated in late August. After being acquired by the Z Force, Ziaur Rahman directed Lieutenant S. I. B. Nurunnabi Khan of 3rd East Bengal Regiment, to establish an administration on behalf of the
Provisional Government of Bangladesh The Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, popularly known as the Mujibnagar Government, was established following the Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence, declaration of independence of East Pakistan as Banglades ...
. Shafaat Jamil was asked to set up formidable defence to save the area from further invasion of Pakistan Army. Lieutenant Nabi after getting the order, formed a committee of eminent citizens of that area to establish an administration and make it properly functional. He formed some offices and other establishments including a hospital in Roumari within 27 August. Ziaur Rahman inaugurated the first ever administration system in a liberated area of independent Bangladesh on 27 August 1971.
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
Network made a documentary that included the liberated zone of Roumari which was entitled as ''A country made for disaster''.


See also

* S Force (Bangladesh) *
K Force (Bangladesh) K Force was a military brigade of Bangladesh Forces in 1971 headed by Major Khaled Mosharraf as per the direction of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in exile. The brigade was a part of regular army under the Bangladesh Armed Forces formed ...


Bibliography

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References

{{Ziaur Rahman Bangladesh Liberation War Ziaur Rahman