EAST BENGAL REGIMENT AND THE 1965 WAR
By
Usman Khan Yousafzai
“… Mujib, who addressed massive crowds at his meetings, lashed out mercilessly at the central government and succeeded in spreading hatred against all non-bengalis. Even the soldiers openly participated in his political meetings and fell prey to his propaganda. Meanwhile, the Bengali officers in the formation had withdrawn into a shell of their own and rarely mixed with their West Pakistani brethren. Their Families kept aloof. Every evening they would get together in small groups among themselves…….. Even during my short tenure at Jerssore, the attitude of the Bengali Officers had caused me concern. Therefore, I shared my apprehensions with the commanding officers of the West Pakistani units, and ordered them to keep half of their personal weapons and ammunitions in the barracks with the troops, to guard against surprise attacks. The suspect loyalty of the Bengali troops, particularly the pure Bengali battalions...