Emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 was a unique event in the history of South Asia. This book reflects a Bengali soldiers’ perspective of the War. The author was an officer in the Medical Corps of the Pakistan Army in 1971 when the people of Bangladesh became a target of atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army. He writes about the dilemma of a Bengali soldier at the initial stages of the liberation struggle in the face of the Pakistan Army onslaught on the unarmed people of East Pakistan. In particular he describes, in fair detail, the rebellion in his unit, the 4 East Bengal Regiment and provides substantial new information. He followed the subsequent events closely from the ‘Mukti Bahini’ camp and about the formation of ‘Mukti Bahini’ and its leadership. The author goes on to narrate how the War had changes lives and values of the soldiers and the ordinary people – the loss of innocence and the impact of victimization. But he also sees sparks of morality and humanity surviving even through a bloody war of attrition. Finally, there is an epic account of the collective human spirit that transformed a small medical unit into a large professional hospital for the Freedom Fighters.

Contents:

1. Introduction / 2. Before the War / 3. Going to War / 4. In India / 5. Growth of Sector 2 and medical Services / 6. Winds of Change / 7. Shaldandi October- December  ’71 / 8. The War / 9. Homecoming / 10. Epilogue / 11. Reflection