Corel Bazaar at 06:50, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T06:50:02Z

New page

{{Short description|Part of the Bangladesh Liberation War}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{About|the modern battle of Sylhet|medieval conquest of Sylhet|Conquest of Sylhet}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| image =
| caption = Helicopters used by the Indian Air Force during the Battle of Sylhet.
| conflict = Siege of Sylhet
| partof = [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] and [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
| date = December 7–16, 1971
| place = [[Sylhet]], [[Bangladesh]]
| result = Bangladeshi-Indian victory
*Surrender of Pakistani forces at Sylhet
*Sylhet captured by Indian forces<ref name="DI" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Cardozo |first=Ian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JAwxEAAAQBAJ&q=sylhet |title=1971: Stories of Grit and Glory from the Indo-Pak War |date=21 June 2021 |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-5492-028-8 }}</ref>
| combatant1 = {{ubl|[[Image:Flag of India.svg|25px|border]] [[India]]|[[File:Flag of Bangladesh (1971).svg|25px|border]] [[Provisional Government of Bangladesh|Bangladesh]]}}
| combatant2 = [[Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg|25px|border]] [[Pakistan]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Indian Army.svg}} Maj. Gen. [[K. V. Krishna Rao|Krishna Rao]] {{flagicon image|Flag of Indian Army.svg}} Brig. Gen. C. A. Bunty Quinn {{flagicon image|Flag of Indian Army.svg}} Brig. Gen. Raja C. V. Apte {{flagicon image|Flag of Indian Army.svg}} Brig. Gen. M. B. Wadke {{flagicon image|Flag of Indian Army.svg}} Brig. Gen. [[Kulwant Singh (general)|Kulwant Singh]] {{flagicon image|Air Force Ensign of India.svg}} Gp Capt [[Chandan Singh (Air Vice Marshal)|Chandan Singh]] {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mukti Bahini-DeFacto.svg}} Lt. Col. [[Ziaur Rahman]] {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mukti Bahini-DeFacto.svg}} Maj. [[Chitta Ranjan Dutta]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} Maj. Gen. Abdul Majid Qauzi {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} Brig. Gen. M. Salimullah Chohan {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} Brig. Gen. Iftikhar Rana {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} Brig. Gen. Saadullah Amin
| strength1 = '''India''' {{flag icon|India|army}} 20,000 troops and 10 [[howitzer]]s {{flag icon|India|air force}} 6 [[Antonov An-12|transport craft]]s and 14 [[Mil Mi-4|helicopter]]s '''Bangladesh''' {{flag icon|Provisional Government of Bangladesh|military}} 7,000 troops and 5 [[M114 155 mm howitzer|howitzers]] {{flag icon|Provisional Government of Bangladesh}} 8,000 [[Partisan (military)|partisans]] (including repatriated [[East Pakistan Rifles]] and [[Bangladesh Ansar|Ansar]] troops)
| strength2 = {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} 14,000 troops and 15 howitzers {{flagicon|Pakistan}} 5,000 armed [[Razakars (Pakistan)|Razakars]]
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| image_size = 290
}}
{{Campaignbox Bangladesh Liberation War}}

The '''Battle of Sylhet'''{{efn|{{langx|bn|সিলেটের যুদ্ধ}}}}{{efn|{{langx|hi|सिलहट का युद्ध}}}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarkar |first=Col Bhaskar |date=8 December 2020 |title=Battle of Sylhet 1971 War |url=https://www.indiandefencereview.com/battle-of-sylhet-1971-war/ |access-date=28 February 2024 |website=Indian Defence Review |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pradhan |first=S. D. |title=Deception during 1971 War: Case of a brigade that was not there |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/ChanakyaCode/deception-during-1971-war-case-of-a-brigade-that-was-not-there/?source=app&frmapp=yes |access-date=25 November 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Army Day 2022: Brigadier Rattan Kaul recounts his time during the Battle of Sylhet |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/army-day-2022-brigadier-rattan-kaul-recounts-his-time-during-the-battle-of-sylhet |access-date=25 November 2023 |website=[[Free Press Journal]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 July 2016 |title=When BBC error helped India in 1971 war |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/when-bbc-error-helped-india-in-1971-war/story-3eVYagB0TfT8t31c2OJpOP.html |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] }}</ref><ref name="bharat-rakshak.com">{{Cite web |title=Battle of Sylhet - Bharat Rakshak - Indian Army & Land Forces |url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/history/1971war/431-battle-of-sylhet.html |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=}}</ref> was a major battle fought between the advancing [[Indian Army]], [[Mukti Bahini|Bangladesh Forces]] and the defending [[Pakistan Army]] at [[Sylhet]] during the [[Bangladesh War of Independence|Bangladesh Liberation War]]. The battle took place from 7 December to 15 December.<ref name=DI>[http://www.defenceindia.com/defenceind/battle_sylhet.html Battle Of Sylhet. Defence India] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810211600/http://www.defenceindia.com/defenceind/battle_sylhet.html |date=August 10, 2007 }}</ref> It was a succession of the [[Battle of Gazipur]] in [[Kulaura]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team |first=The Kootneeti |date=8 October 2021 |title=Air operations: 1971 — The war which shaped the subcontinent [Event] |url=https://thekootneeti.in/2021/10/18/air-operations-1971-the-war-which-shaped-the-subcontinent-event/ |access-date=1 December 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=The National |title=The National Archives - Homepage |url=https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/the-independence-of-bangladesh-in-1971/ |access-date=2 December 2023 |website=The National Archives |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Background==
During [[Operation Searchlight]], [[Sylhet]] was captured by the [[Pakistan Army|Pakistan army]] without resistance on 26 March 1971. However, the military failed to neutralize the rebel [[Bangladeshis]] around [[Moulvibazar District|Moulvibazar]], [[Sunamganj]] and Shamshernagar due to deficiency of just one battalion the 31st [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|Punjab Regiment]] and the revolt of [[East Pakistan Rifles]] and [[Bangladesh Ansar|Ansar]] troops around [[Sylhet Division|Sylhet District]]. During the monsoon offensive the [[Mukti Bahini|Bangladeshi]] troops under command of major [[Chitta Ranjan Dutta]] able to re-capture Sylhet town on August 1971 nevertheless the achievement was truncated as the upcoming Pakistani troops of the 313rd infantry brigade under brigadier general Iftikhar Rana countered the Bangladeshis and took over Sylhet at beginning of September 1971. Major Dutta retreated to [[East Jaintia Hills district]] of India. By October that year, the Adhoc 202nd infantry brigade was orchestrated in [[Jalalabad Cantonment|Jalalabad]] camp in command of brigadier general Salimullah Chohan under the 14th infantry division in [[Brahmanbaria]]. By November the battles between the Bangladeshis and Pakistanis remain inconclusive as the [[Z Force (Bangladesh)|Z Force]] of Bangladesh forces under lieutenant colonel [[Ziaur Rahman]] remain formidable at outskirts of the city especially at Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and [[Habiganj]].

In India the [[Third Indira Gandhi ministry]] insisted their military to intervene the affairs at East Pakistan. Then chief of army staff [[General (India)|general]] [[Sam Manekshaw]] took [[autonomy]] from the Indian government and cited the army will engage when it is prepared. Manekshaw suggested that the army is incapable of intervening during the monsoon as the terrain of [[East India]] is mostly unsustainable. Notwithstanding, the military provided ordnance, medical aid and training to Bangladeshi forces from July 1971. On 3 December 1971, Manekshaw's compatriot and commander of [[Eastern Command (India)|Indian Eastern Command]] [[Lieutenant general (India)|lieutenant general]] [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]] commenced operations at [[East Pakistan]] in response of [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1971]]. Aurora designated [[Major general (India)|major general]] [[K. V. Krishna Rao]], the general officer commanding of [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Mountain division]] as officer in charge of eastern theatre spanning Sylhet and [[Tripura]]. On 7 December Rao orchestrated an operation aiding commander of Bangladeshi Z forces lieutenant colonel Ziaur Rahman and liberate Sylhet from Pakistan.

On 21 November 1971, [[4th Gorkha Rifles|4th]] and [[5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)|5th Gorkha Rifles]] crossed the [[Surma River]] and charged the Pakistan positions in [[Sunamganj District]]. After heavy fighting, they captured Atgram along with a large amount of arms and ammunition.<ref name="Praval1987p464">{{cite book |last1=Praval |first1=K. C. |title=Indian army after independence |publisher=Lancer International |year=1987 |isbn=81-7062-014-7 |location=New Delhi |page=464}}</ref> Pakistani troops had set up defences at the bank of the [[Kushiyara River]] in [[Zakiganj]]. Indian troops consisted of 9 guards and two companies of 87th Border Security Force. After a fierce battle, Zakiganj was captured by Indian military. The activities and actions of Bangladeshi force and the Gorkha rifles made Pakistanis believe that the attack would come from the north and east. Rao came up with a different plan to attack from the south. He assembled two regular brigades for the advance from the south and stationed the 4th and 5th Gorkha battalion on Sunamganj with the Z forces of Bangladesh.

On 4 December 1971, the [[Rajput Regiment|6th Rajput]] regiment along with 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian 59th Infantry brigade commenced to capture [[Kulaura Upazila]] held by Pakistanis. Kulaura eventually fell to 4th, 5th Gorkha Rifles [[Battle of Gazipur|after a long confrontation]]. Following this, 6th Rajput battalion of apprehended the [[Baloch Regiment|22nd Baloch]] Regiment of the Pakistan army in Tenchu ganj. The 81st Mountain Brigade started operations on the same day. They commenced to capture the airfield and Chhatarpur tea factory. The [[Mahar Regiment|10 Mahars]] battalion took over Chattarpur tea factory by after a stiff fight.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Army Day 2022: Brigadier Rattan Kaul recounts his time during the Battle of Sylhet |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/army-day-2022-brigadier-rattan-kaul-recounts-his-time-during-the-battle-of-sylhet |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=[[Free Press Journal]]}}</ref> The [[Kumaon Regiment|4th Kumaon]], assisted by two companies of [[Punjab Regiment (India)|3rd Punjab]], captured the airfield on 6 December, after a two-day battle. The airfield was heavily mined and cratered. The 81st Mountain Brigade was now tasked to capture Moulvi Bazar, which was subjected to heavy artillery shelling by Bangladeshi force's 2nd field artillery battery and air attacks of the [[Indian Air Force]]. The Pakistani troops had to withdraw from Moulvibazar on 8 and 9 December and Bangladeshi-Indian forces successfully captured [[Moulvibazar]] on 9 December 1971 and secured the bridge crossing on the [[Manu River (Tripura)|Manu River]] a [[Transboundary river|transboundary]] stream the following day.

==Deployments==
===Bangladesh===
The [[Z Force (Bangladesh)|Z Force]] was responsible for emancipating Sylhet. This included
* [[1st East Bengal Regiment]] - [[Jaintiapur Upazila|Jaintiapur]]
* 8th East Bengal Regiment - [[Sunamganj]]
* 2nd Field Artillery Battery - [[Sreemangal Upazila|Sreemangal]]
[[List of sectors in the Bangladesh Liberation War|Sector IV]] was responsible for emancipating Sylhet comprising [[East Pakistan Rifles]], [[Bangladesh Ansar|Ansar]] and civilian troops. The sector headquarters was at [[Habiganj]].

===India===
The [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Mountain Division]] was responsible for the operations in Sylhet. This included:-
* [[5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)|5th Gorkha Rifles]] - [[Sunamganj]] (Adhoc)<ref name="Praval1987p464" />
* [[4th Gorkha Rifles]] - Sumanganj (Adhoc)
* 59th Mountain Brigade - [[Dharmanagar]]
* 81st Mountain Brigade - [[Kailashahar]]

===Pakistan===
The [[II Corps (Pakistan)|14th Infantry Division]] was responsible for the defence of Sylhet. This included
* 202nd Infantry Brigade - [[Sylhet]], [[Karimganj Upazila|Karimnaganj]], [[Kulaura Upazila|Kulaura]]
* 313rd Infantry Brigade - [[Comilla District|Comilla]], [[Moulvibazar]]
* 27th Infantry Brigade - [[Akhaura Upazila|Akhaura]]

==Objectives==
===Pakistan===
Pakistan adopted a fortress strategy. They converted the towns and cantonments into fortresses with the help of mines and [[Pillbox (military)|pillboxes]]. Re-enforcement of additional troops securing their defences.

In accordance with this strategy, ten cities, [[Jessore]], [[Jhenaidah]], [[Bogra]], [[Rangpur, Bangladesh|Rangpur]], [[Jamalpur, Bangladesh|Jamalpur]], [[Mymensingh]], [[Sylhet]], [[Bhairab Upazila|Bhairab Bazar]], [[Comilla]], and [[Chittagong]], were converted into fortresses.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sālik |first1=Ṣiddīq |author1-link=Siddique Salik |title=Witness to Surrender |year=1977 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=0-19-577257-1 |page=125}}</ref>

According to this plan, if Indian troops attacked the cities they would suffer heavy casualties and if they tried to bypass them they would be surrounded.

In both the cases the it would ease the defence of Sylhet and buy time to build international pressure on India.

===India===
India adopted a Maneuver style of warfare throughout the war. Consequently, in this strategy, an all out effort is made to threaten, capture, destroy the critical vulnerability of enemy. Critical vulnerability include specific selected areas which are attacked to create gaps for specific logistics corridors. of Once critical vulnerability is threatened the forces regardless of their strength rendered ineffective.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Panag (retd) |first=Lt Gen H. S. |date=14 December 2018 |title=Dhaka & Pakistan's psychological defeat: How Indian military commanders won 1971 |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/dhaka-pakistans-psychological-defeat-how-indian-military-commanders-won-1971/163216/ |access-date=1 December 2023 |website=[[ThePrint]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The India objective was to get absolute victory. Indian forces exploited the gaps and abandoned the Highways and used the byways to attack enemy strongholds.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 December 2022|title=How India-Pakistan War of 1971 started, how we won & significance of Vijay Diwas |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-india-pakistan-war-of-1971-started-how-we-won-significance-of-vijay-diwas/articleshow/96271054.cms |access-date=1 December 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

Initially in November, the Karimganj Bulge was viewed as a stronghold for Pakistani sabotage groups, thus clearing them would clear the area to the right. Hence, to achieve this Indian forces were tasked to capture Atgram and [[Zakiganj Upazila|Zakiganj]] the area east of road connecting the spaces.<ref name="bharat-rakshak.com"/>

The advance towards Sylhet was started along three axis:-
* 5th Gorkha Rifles with Bangladeshi forces to advance through Atgram – Jaintiapur – Sylhet axis
* 59th Mountain Brigade to advance through Gazipur – Kulaura – Tenchu ganj – Sylhet axis
* 81 Mountain Brigade to advance through Shamshernagar – Moulvibazar – Sylhet axis.
After Indian troops captured Gazipur and Kalaura. A heliborne Operation was planned to capture Sylhet. 4 / 5 Gurkha Rifles were airlifted to Sylhet on the night of 7 December

==Battle==

Following the Indian intervention of [[East Pakistan]], 202nd infantry Brigade of Pakistan army was the sole defence of [[Sylhet]]. Unknown to the Indian and Bangladeshi forces, Iftikhar Rana transported his brigade and retreat to Sylhet in order to support Salimulah Chohan the commander of 202nd brigade at [[Jalalabad Cantonment]]. On Indian formation, both of Gorkha Battalions divided their operations through four companies. On 7 December after aerial surveillance, 14 [[Mil Mi-4]] helicopters took off with 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles landing at pre-selected spots. Around 384<ref>{{cite book | last1=Cardozo | first1=Ian | title=1971: Stories of Grit and Glory from the Indo-Pak War | date=21 June 2021 | publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited | isbn=978-93-5492-028-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JAwxEAAAQBAJ&q=sylhet }}</ref> Gorkha troops were airlifted to Sylhet.

Around 3 pm that day, the Charlie company and Bravo company was airlifted followed by small portion of Bravo company 40–45 minutes later. The Charlie company men, along with commanding officers somehow managed to hold the enemy attack as they were engaged in small arms fire soon after the landing.

Pakistani troops mounted heavy [[medium machine gun]] (MMG) fire upon them throughout the operation. On 8 December at 4 p.m, the Alpha and Delta company landed at [[Sylhet]]. In the twilight hours, a wave of helicopters came with two mounted guns and bringing 9 Guards and the rest of Bravo company as reinforcements. The company was consisted of 60 to 75 troops and was deployed in the depth along the banks of [[Surma River]] the troops were aided with 300 rebel Bangladeshis. The mounted guns lacked a suitable deployment area at a closer range as Alpha and Delta companies were present on the forward areas. After the last light of that day, Pakistani troops launched a counterattack supported by artillery and heavy MMG fire. The Gorkha troops quickly repulsed this counter-attack. On 9 December, the Gorkha battalions deployed Alpha and Delta companies through [[Companiganj Upazila, Sylhet|Companiganj]]. That day, the Charlie company was tasked to conduct a combined patrol with 8th [[East Bengal Regiment]] in the morning and lay an ambush through [[Khadim Nagar National Park|Khadim Nagar]]. They ambushed a Pakistani convoy. Then the Alpha Company sent a patrol towards rail-road bridge leading from Sylhet and attacked Pakistani troops who were deployed alongside of the bridge.

On 10 December, Gorkhas at Sylhet received air support from the Indian Air Force and received a news that a transport aircraft would be dropping supplies and ammunition. At 12 p.m, Indian Air Force dropped supplies and ammunition which was scattered across the dropping zone. The [[Pakistan Army|Pakistani troops]] immediately opened fire, which caused the battalion, party under [[Ian Cardozo]], delays in collecting supplies and artillery ammunition. Nevertheless, replenishment of small arms and ammunition was retrieved.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alexander |first=Deepa |date=15 July 2021 |title=Ian Cardozo, who amputated his own leg on the battlefield, writes about the 1971 Indo-Pak War -IN |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/major-general-ian-cardozo-interview-book-1971-indo-pak-war-grit-and-glory/article35339873.ece |access-date=27 November 2023 |work=[[The Hindu]] |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> As the day comes by, in the morning [[Hawker Hunter]] jets of the Indian Air Force engaged the Pakistani battalions at Sylhet. At dusk, the Pakistan army again countered with heavy artillery and MMG fire, The contact between Alpha and Delta broke down and only way remained to establish contact was through their commanding officer. The Gorkhas retaliated with full charge anyhow with few casualties. A day later, the firefight continued, and two helicopters arrived with some ammunition and evacuated some of the dead. The battalion was able to survive for a week without any link up and countering major attacks. While broadcasting the war theatre around Sylhet, journalists from the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] cited that a whole Indian brigade was dropped on Sylhet. The following day, 6th Rajput battalion linked up with the companies of 4th and 5th Gorkha, while approaching from Tenchu ganj in the south, followed by a column of 8th Mountain brigade linking up on 15 December. Major Malik, the commander of Charlie company with the 4th Gorkha rifles was the first to be informed about the surrender of Pakistani troops. As the Bangladesh troops and Indian officers encircled city, a temporary cease-fire was declared by Rao later at night of that day.

On 16 December Pakistani army troops consisting of 107 officers, 219 [[Junior commissioned officer]]s, and presumably 6,190 soldiers surrendered to the Bangladeshi-Indian troops as a part of [[Pakistani Instrument of Surrender]]. The Indian troops remained at Sylhet till 25 December of 1971 while apprehending Pakistani military personnel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle of Sylhet - Bharat Rakshak - Indian Army & Land Forces |url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/history/1971war/431-battle-of-sylhet.html |access-date=27 November 2023 |website=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zorawar |date=13 November 2020 |title=Mention-in-Despatches III: Battle honour Sylhet |url=https://der-wille.medium.com/mention-in-despatches-iii-battle-honour-sylhet-4c89e7205e33 |access-date=27 November 2023 |website=Medium }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Battle of Basantar]]
* [[Battle of Longewala]]
* [[Battle of Hilli|Battle Of Hilli]]

==References==
'''Footnotes'''
{{Notelist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

{{Bangladesh Liberation War}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}

{{coord missing|Bangladesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sylhet 1971}}
[[Category:Battles of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:Battles of the India–Pakistan war of 1971]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of India–Pakistan wars and conflicts]]
[[Category:December 1971 in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:History of Sylhet|Battle, 1971]]
[[Category:Helicopter history]]
[[Category:Sieges involving India]]
[[Category:Sieges involving Pakistan]]
[[Category:1970s sieges]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in 1971]]
[[Category:Battles involving airports]]
[[Category:Attacks on air bases]]
[[Category:Attacks on airports in Asia]]

Battle of Sylhet - Revision history

Corel Bazaar at 06:50, 19 March 2026