For several years, the Liberation War Museum has been publishing a collection of eyewitness accounts titled “Witnesses of the Liberation War”, compiled by school students. The initiative aims to inspire the younger generation with the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War. Students, responding to the museum’s call, interview relatives and acquaintances who experienced the war and submit their written testimonies. In this way, the project becomes a two-way exchange: the museum preserves history, and students contribute new historical material. From these submissions.

I had left my studies to manage my family farm. I wasn’t affiliated with any political party. I joined the Liberation War solely to fight for my country’s independence.

Our freedom fighter camp was in Chhapra, Krishnanagar. The group was divided into two units: one led by Montu, the other by Commander Hafiz. On 7 November, we left the camp for an operation in Munshiganj. Since Hafiz was unwell, Billa took command of our group that day.

Previous attempts to eliminate two collaborators, Siddique Mia and Abul Mia, in Munshiganj had failed. They were brutal in their village and wouldn’t allow any freedom fighters to enter.

Our group had 24 members that day. After leaving the camp, we reached Gorchapra village. After discussing the plan, we decided to conduct the operation during daylight, unlike previous nighttime operations.

In the afternoon, rain started. We wrapped our rifles in plastic and ran toward Temath, Munshiganj market. Montu’s group would attack from one side, and we from the other. Montu’s team struck the Pakistani army post near the railway high school. The collaborators ran toward us, and we fired. They abandoned their weapons and fled. Later we learned that Siddique had been killed.

Next, we approached Abul Mia’s house. He had taken shelter in a brick building. We asked him to surrender, but he fired through a crack in the door. Montu narrowly escaped. He threw a pin-grenade into the house through a window, which exploded after a few moments, fatally wounding Abul Mia. Fortunately, five children inside the house were unharmed.

That evening, we stayed in various houses in Poltadanga village. Around 11 PM, we heard that the enemy had fled, leaving weapons behind, though we couldn’t collect any.

To familiarize ourselves with the area, locals guided us across the Nati Danga ferry by sinking a boat. I was very unwell that day and hadn’t eaten in the morning.

The deaths of Siddique and Abul, along with our attack on the Pakistani post, enraged the Pakistani forces. On 10 November, Montu warned that the army was approaching Anupnagar. We decided to strike and retreat rather than flee immediately, fearing the villagers would no longer shelter us.

Only 18 of us took part in the operation, as six were unwell. Montu carefully set grenades near the ferry. The Pakistani soldiers panicked, some took cover in nearby sugarcane fields, others entered the village. They fired from across the river as we returned fire and fell back.

During the retreat, I didn’t even notice when I was shot in the leg. Later, I saw blood flowing down my leg. As I tried to aim and fire from a slightly higher position, a vein burst, and I lost consciousness. When I came to, Billa told me, “Don’t worry, crawl and retreat.”

I tore a piece of my sheet, tied it around my wound with a bayonet, and continued moving. Reports later confirmed that 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the firefight, forcing the rest to retreat.

Eventually, I was carried to Bandarbhita village near the river. I regained consciousness to see my wound being bandaged. Tha day, I was the only one injured.