Aasha Khosa

Major Gen (retd) Immanul Zaman is looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka, for it revives his memories of his days when he, as a Lieutenant in the Pakistan Army had escaped death at the hands of his seniors and ended up fighting alongside the Indian Army to liberate his country.

“Ours’ is a very strong friendship,” says Zaman, about Modi’s two-day visit.

The wartime experience of many Bangladeshis like him defines the relationship between the two countries. Going down the memory lane, Maj Gen Zaman recalls a spine-chilling incident of his life.

On March 23, 1971, a year after he was commissioned in the Pakistani army one day his superior asked him to go inside a room. “He told me that there was some trouble in the country and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (political leaders) had been arrested,” Zaman told Awaz-the Voice on phone from Dhaka.

He followed the orders and soon found himself along with Capt Siddique, Capt Nurul Islam and Major Haseeb locked inside the room in Comilla Army camp, located between Dhaka and Chittagong. It was not coincident that all four of them were Bengalis. “We realised we had been arrested for being Bengalis,” Maj Gen Zaman said. The Bengalis in the Pakistan Army were suspects in the eyes of the the top brass as they feared a revolt from them.

“We remained inside the room for four-five days,” Zaman said. On March 30, an Army officer entered the room and shot at them. He was shot in his forehead and arms and collapsed. When someone came to check on him, he held his breath and feigned death. He remained in the same position till midnight. Pakistan remains in denial of suh war crimes even 50 yars after its eastern wing fought and won its independence half a century ago.

At midnight he escaped from the window and managed to escape to a village taking advantage of darkness. His other three colleagues had died. “The villagers offered me shelter for three-four days and then suggested I contact the Indian border post, since India was helping Bengalis.”

Zaman approached a BSF border post where he was greeted by Captain Arya. He was shifted to G B Hospital Agartala for treatment. 

Maj Gen (retd) Immanul Zaman with his family

In the meanwhile, his General-OfficerCommanding recalled him to join Mukti Bahini, the liberation army comprising Bengali Army and others as a resistance force against the Pakistani army that had unleashed a campaign to kill Bengalis and rape women. According to estimates, 2 to 3 lakh Bengalis were killed in genocide ordered by Pakistani ruler General Yahya Khan.

In October, the Indian Army moved into Chittagong where he was posted as a member of the Mukti Bahini. “I met General V K Singh who was then a junior officer there.” We fought along with the Indian army. Chittagong fell on December 16. “I was at Kauppila when the news about Pakistan Army’s defeat came in; everyone was rejoicing.”

Maj Gen Zaman says he could see Pakistani prisoners of war in the Army barracks and remembers how they were worried for their safety and their return home

His country has come a long way since then. Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was a great leader who rebuilt bridges demolished by the Pakistani Army in Bangladesh. “He arrived in Dhaka on January 10, 1972, nationalised the assets like mills and businesses left by Pakistanis and he symbolised the unity of all the Bengalis.”

While Bangabandhu laid a strong foundation for the country, Zaman is all praise for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for bringing in political and economic stability to the country. Bangladesh is poised to become the next Asian tiger as its’ economy is growing at a fast pace. Recently the country was removed from the Least Developed Country slot and included in the Developing country’s list.

“This all has happened because of the mission and vision of the Prime Minister,” says Zaman, who lived as a retired army man and has no political affiliation whatsoever.

He credits Sheikh Hasina with looking at issues with a scientific mind. “Sha has digitalised the nation that in turn improved resource management and most importantly ended acute power shortages that the country faced,” Zaman says. Besides she introduced democracy at the grassroots levels by introducing elections for Municipal corporations and village Panchayats.

On Modi’s visit Maj Gen Zaman says, Bangladeshis have strong bonds with India. “I, as a soldier remember how efficient and professional the Indian army was; they just finished the war in 13 days while we had been posing the resistance for so many months.”

To most of the people in Bangladesh, India is a land of immense resources and rich culture. A common man in Bangladesh loves Indian songs, music and movies. He is looking forward to the two countries signing more joint ventures and MOUs during Modi’s visit to Dhaka beginning on March 26.

He said the elements opposed to the thick ties between India and Bangladesh have negligible presence in his country and most people view India as a “great friend.”