Liberation War

Towards the end of that night DC of Noakhali received a message through VHF which was as follows : "Pakistani occupation soldiers have attacked Rajarbagh Police Head Quarter and Pilkhana E P R Head Quarter. They are killing thousands of innocent Bengalees in the streets of Dhaka. Every Bengalee will resist the Pakistani soldiers at all cost with whatever he has. I appeal in the name of the people of Bangladesh to the people of the world to come to their rescue."

On 26 March, Mr. Manzurul Karim, the then DC, Noakhali, called all political leaders and elites of the town in a discussion meeting. In that meeting he placed the direction of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the persons assembled there. By this time a control room was opened in the Maijdi Town Hall. A call was made to the local administration to help the freedom fighters. Responding to this call, the civil and police administration extended their whole-hearted co-operation. Though almost all towns of Bangladesh together with Dhaka city fell under the grip of Pak. occupation army, the whole of greater Noakhali was still free. The flag of independent Bangladesh remained hoisted here upto 22 April and its administration was under the command of Central Sangram Parisad. 

The first occurrence took place at Baghmara, north of Laksam, on 26 March. On 10 April '71, freedom fighters killed 26 and injured 60 occupation soldiers in a confrontation. Under the guidance of Naek Siraj 15 to 20 Pak. soldiers were killed on 20 April at Natherpetua, on 21 April at Sonaimuri Rail station outer signal and on 1 May at Bagadia. In those battles, two freedom fighters (both named Ismail) embraced martyrdom. On 9 May, battle again started at Bagadia under the leadership of Subeder Waliullah. In that battle, Subeder Waliullah got bullet injury on his forehead. On 10 May, fighting occurred with the Pak Army in the East of Bangla Bazar. On 11 May, Subeder Waliullah, Naek Abul Hossain and Habildar Matin of Lakshmipur jointly attacked the Pak. army at Mirganj killing some of them. Others fled away. At that moment, the freedom fighters took a promise to liberate the motherland from enemy occupation. They rushed to India to have sufficient military training and arms. Several military training camps were opened at Ekinpur, Chhottakhola and Udaypur of India. Nokhali was brought under number 2 Sector together with Belonia and was divided into five Zones. Major Khaled Mosharraf ( April- September ) and Major A T M Haider ( Sep.-Dec. ) were the Commanders of Sector-2. This Force was known as 'K-force'. Number 1 Sector spread from Chittagong to Feni river. The Commanders of this Sector were Major Ziaur Rahman ( later President, April-June ) and Major Rafiqul Islam ( June-December ). This Force was known as 'Z-Force'. By this time, Commander of BLF of greater Noakhali Mahmudur Rahman Belayet ( later M. P.) and Deputy Commander Momin Ullah ( now Chairman, Noakhali District Awami League ) organized BLF properly and launched a fierce attack on enemy forces. In the first stage, under the command of Abdur Rezzaque along with Mostafa Kamal and Nizam Uddin Faruque, a group of BLF soldiers participated in some battles at Sadar East, Companiganj and Sonagazi with success. In these battles, Saleh Ahmed ( after whom Choumuhani College has been re-named ), Abdur Rab, Babu, Mohd. Faruq, Mohd. Ismail, Abu Naser and many others embraced martyrdom. At that time, Wahidur Rahman Wadud, then Social Welfare Secretary of DUCSU, and Obaidul Quader ( later State Minister ) were appointed BLF Commander in Sudharam and Companiganj Thana respectively. They jointly commanded the battles at Kabirhat, Chaprashirhat, Basurhat and Tal Mohammader hat. After the martyrdom of BLF Commander Wahidur Rahman in the battle of Tal Mohammader hat, Enam Ahsan and Fazlul Haq Badal were given the charge of BLF in Sadar East and Sadar West respectively. 

Late Abdul Maleque Ukil is a bright star not only of Noakhali, but also of the whole country. Another illustrious son of greater Noakhali, A. S. M. Abdur Rab, the first to hoist the flag of independence, was the Deputy Commander of BLF. Barrister Moudud Ahmad played a special role in the liberation war by discharging various important jobs under the Mujibnagar Govt. of Bangladesh. Besides, many other worthy sons of Noakhali took part in the liberation war within or outside the district. Among them, Shahid Ruhul Amin Bir Shrestha of Begumganj, Sultan Ahmed Bir Bikram, Dr. Shah Alam Bir Bikram, Naek Nuruzzaman Bir Bikram and Capt. ( retd.) Abul Hashem Bir Bikram of Sadar, Subedar Major ( retd. ) Farid Meah and Habilder Ruhul Amin of Chatkhil deserve special mentioning. At last Pak. invaders and their collaborators retreated by leaving their last camp at the P T  I after a severe attack by F F and B LF.