DHAKA, Dec 15, 2024 (BSS) - Former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia is the first female freedom fighter of Bangladesh as in absence of Major Ziaur Rahman, she urged the Bengali army personnel not to provide weapons to 17th Baloch regiment soldiers from the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) of the Chattogram Cantonment and saved the 8th East Bengal Regiment from being disarmed.

Due to failure of the then East Pakistan political leadership to understand overall situation after March 23, 1971 and the strategic reasons for keeping President Yahya Khan's position intact, an unstable atmosphere prevailed in the activities of Pakistani officers of the military, especially in Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram.

However, on the next day, March 24, 1971, Yahya Khan left East Pakistan without meeting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the majority party Awami League, which won the general election. 

However, a unique and common incident occurred on the same day in the 8th East Bengal Regiment in Chattogram. At the root of the incident was Begum Khaleda Zia, the wife of Major Zia, the then second-in-command of the 8th East Bengal Regiment and the current BNP chairperson.
 
On that day, in the absence of second-in-command Major Zia, she (Begum Zia) did not think twice, but on the spur of the moment decided not to provide weapons to 17th Baloch regiment soldiers from the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) or 'Central Armory' of the Chattogram Cantonment, thereby saving the 8th East Bengal Regiment from being disarmed. 

Considering the context of that incident, it is certainly proven that she (Begum Khaleda Zia) was the country's first (female) freedom fighter. But alas! The fact is that the unique and common incident of that day has not been properly evaluated in the pre- and post- Liberation War period.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "If Begum Khaleda Zia will not be a freedom fighter, then who will be? Those who surrendered to the Pakistanis and fled to India! Will they be freedom fighters? Begum Zia is certainly a freedom fighter, she didn't appear suddenly. She has earned a place in the hearts of the common people due to her qualities". 

While talking to a correspondent of news agency BSS at LGED Bhaban (Level-12) in Agargaon in the capital on Saturday (December 14, 2024) afternoon, Mirza Fakhrul said many men of Awami League criticized the matter of calling Begum Khaleda Zia as a freedom fighter. 

In reality, on the day Major Ziaur Rahman proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh, Begum Zia was staying in the army camp with her sons Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman, he said. 

"When the Pakistani army entered the camp, the members of the Bengali army went to Begum Khaleda Zia to seek permission to know what to do. That day, she (Begum Khaleda Zia) told the Bangalee army personnel that none of you will surrender without permission of Ziaur Rahman, the second-in-command," said Mirza Fakhrul.

He said on that day, Begum Zia came to Dhaka from Chattogram with her children without telling the army and was captured by the Pakistani army.
 
"Begum Zia was imprisoned until December 16. While in captivity, she (Begum Khaleda Zia) supported the 'liberation war' throughout the war," he said.

On the other hand, citing from Volume-9 of "Liberation War of Bangladesh: Documents", Liberation War researcher and security analyst Major (Retd.) Syed Abu Bakar Siddique said in an interview with BSS that on March 24, 1971, around 4 pm, Habildar Quader and then Sepoy and later Habildar Nurul Haque, were guarding the central armory of the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) of Chittagong Cantonment.

 At that time, a team of 17 Baloch regiment came to 'COD' in Sholashahar of Chattogram Cantonment, he said.

They said they had come to fulfill the order to deposit the weapons of the Bengali units of the Chattogram Cantonment and other cantonments of the then East Pakistan, including the RR 77 and 76 in the Western Unit, Major (retd.) Syed Siddique said.

"At the order of Lt. Col. Abdur Rashid Janjua, soldiers from 17 Baloch came in a group to take the weapons of this arsenal. When they arrived, at the order of Habildar Quader, Nurul Haque rushed to the house of Major Zia, the second-in-command of the 8th East Bengal Regiment, to bring the order. But Zia was not there," he said.

"Begum Khaleda Zia wanted to know - what happened? After hearing the incident, she (Begum Zia) clearly said, "Not a single needle will go out of Sholashahar without the order of Major Zia. When Nurul Haque returned to 'COD' and informed Quader about Madam's order, he (Quader) became alert. By then, seeing that the Baloch soldiers had loaded '76 and 77 RR rifles' into their vehicles, Habildar Quader, following Begum Khaleda Zia's order, took the initiative to shoot at the Baloch soldiers' vehicles so that the Baloch soldiers were forced to leave all their weapons behind,"

Major (retd.) Syed Siddique said Lt. Col. Janjua had ordered to remove the weapons but the commanding officer's order was also ignored by Begum Khaleda Zia's order that day.

He said that due to the immediate decision of Begum Khaleda Zia's farsighted vision by taking over the responsibility of the second-in-command, it can be said that 1,100 soldiers of the 8th East Bengal and Major Zia were saved that day. 

If her (Begum Khaleda Zia) immediate decision had not been taken that day, the entire 8th Bengal Regiment would have been disarmed, he said. 

Even the proclamation of independence by Major Zia, conducting the Liberation War and the gaining of Bangladesh's independence - all of these would have been thwarted, if she didn't take the stance, he said.

"This incident is a milestone in the history of Bangladesh's independence and liberation war. Despite not being a commander, a housewife, Khaleda Zia took on the role of a commander," he said 

Therefore, Begum Khaleda Zia has to be saluted as the first freedom fighter of Bangladesh, he said.