Operation Searchlight

Basis for Planning

1. AL action and reactions to be treated as rebellion and those who support or defy ML action to be dealt with as hostile elements.
2. As AL has widespread support even amongst the EP elements in the Army the operation has to be launched with great cunningness, surprise, deception nd speed combined with shock action.

   Basic Requirements for Success

3. The operation to be launched all over the Province simultaneously.
4. Maximum number of political and student leaders and extremists amongst teaching staffs, cultural organizations to be arrested. In the initial phase top political leaders and top student leaders must be arrested.
5. Operation must achieve a hundred per cent success in Dacca. For that Dacca University (DU) will have to be occupied and searched.
6. Security of cantonments must be ensured. Greater and freer use of fire against those who dare attack the cantonment.
7. All means of internal and international communications to be cut off. Telephone exchanges, Radio, TV, Teleprinter services, transmitters with foreign consulates to be closed down.
8. EP troops to be neutralized by controlling and guarding kotes and ammunitions by WP troops. Same for PAF and EPR.

   Surprise and Deception

9. At higher plane,   it is requested that the President may consider the desriability of continuing the dialogue—even of deceiving Mujib that even though Mr. Bhutto may not agree he will make an announcement on 25 March concceding to the demands of AL, etc.
10. At the Tactical Level
    
    1. As secrecy is of paramount importance, preliminary operations given below should be carried out by the troops already located in the city:
       1. Breaking into Mujib's house and arresting all present. The house is well-guarded and well-defended.
       2. Surrounding the important halls of the Universities — Iqbal Hall DU, Liaqat Hall Engineering University.
       3. Switching off telephone exchange.
       4. Isolating known houses where weapons, etc. have been collected.
    2. No activity by the troops in the cantonment area till the telephone exchange has been switched off.
    3. Nobody should be allowed to go out of the cantonment after 2200 hrs on the night of operation.
    4. On one excuse or the other the troops in the city should be reinforced in the area of the President's House, Governor's House, MNA Hostel, Radio, TV and Telephone exchange premises.
    5. Civilian cars may have to be used for operation against Mujib's House.

    Sequence of Actions

11.  
    1. H Hr—0100 hrs
    2. Timings for Move Out
       1. Commando [one Platoon] — Mujib's House — 0100 hrs.
       2. Telephone exchange switched off — 2455 hrs.
       3. Troops earmarked for cordon University — 0105 hrs.
       4. Troops from the city to Rajarbagh Police HQ and other Police Station nearby — 0105 hrs.
       5. Following places surrounded — 0105 hrs:
          Mrs Anwara Begum's House, Rd No. 29 & House No. 148, Rd No. 29.
       6. Curfew imposed — 0110 hrs by Siren (arrange) by loudspeakers. Duration 30 hrs initially. No passes for the initial phase. Due consideration to be given only to cases of delivery and serious heart attack etc. Evac by Army on request. Also announce that there will be no newspapers brought out till further orders.
       7. Troops move out to respective sectors with specific missions — 0110 hrs. (For troop alert a drill to be evolved.) Halls occupied and searched.
       8. Troops move to University area — 0500 hrs.
       9. Rd blocks and riverine block estb — 0200 hrs.
    3. Operations during the Day Time
       1. House to house search of Dhanmondi suspected houses, also Hindu houses in old city (int to collect data).
       2. All printing presses to be closed down. All cyclostyling machines in the University, Colleges (T&T) and Physical Training Institute and Technical Institute to be confiscated.
       3. Curfew imposed with severity.
       4. Other leaders arrested.
12. Allotment of Troops to Task
    Details to be worked out by [the respective] Brigade Commanders (see below) but the following must be done:
    1. Kotes of EP units taken over, including Signals and other aministrative units. Arms to be given only to WP personnel.
       Explanation [by S. Salik?]: We did not wish to embarrass the EP troops and did not want them to be used in tasks which may not be pleasant to them.
    2. Police stations to be disarmed.
    3. DG EPR to ensure security of his kotes.
    4. All Ansar Rifles to be got hold of.
13. Info Required
    
    1. Whereabouts of the following:
       

       i) Mujib	ix) Oli Ahad
       ii) Nazrul Islam	x) Mrs Matia Chaudhry
       iii) Tajuddin	xi) Barrister Maudud
       iv) Osmani	xii) Faizul Huq
       v) Sirajul Alam	xiii) Tofail
       vi) Mannan	xiv) N. A. Siddiqi
       vii) Ataur Rahman	xv) Rauf
       viii) Professor Muzaffar	xvi) Makhan and other student leaders.

    2. Location of all police stations and of Rifles.
    3. Location of strong points and arsenal houses in the city.
    4. Location of training camps and areas, etc.
    5. Location of Cultural Centres which are being used for imparting military training.
    6. Names of ex-service officers who are actively helping insurrectional movement.
14. Command and Control — Two commands be established:
    
    1. Dacca Area

       Comd	— Maj Gen Rao Farman Ali
       Staff	— Eastern Comd Staff/HQ ML
       Troops	— Located in Dacca

    2. The Rest of the Province

       Comd	— Maj Gen K H Raja
       Staff	— EHQ 14 Div
       Troops	— Less those in Dacca

15. Security of the Cantonment
    Phase I De-escalate. All arms including PAF deposited.
16. Communication
    1. Security.
    2. Layout.

ALLOTMENT OF TROOPS TO TASKS

Dacca

Troops:
HQ 57 Brigade with troops in Dacca, i.e. 18 Punjab, 32 Punjab (CO to be replaced by Lt Col Taj, GSO I (Int)), 22 Baluch, 13 Frontier Force, 31 Field Regt., 13 Light Ack-Ack Regt., company of 3 Commando (from Comilla).

Tasks:

1. Neutralize by disarming 2 and 10 East Bengal, HQ East Pakistan Rifles (2500), Reserve Police at Rajarbagh (2000).
2. Exchange and transmitters, Radio, TV, State Bank.
3. Arrest Awami League leaders—detailed lists & addresses.
4. University Halls, Iqbal, Jagannath, Liaqat (Engineering University).
5. Seal off town including road, rail and river. Patrol river.
6. Protect factories at Ghazipur and Ammo Depot at Rajendrapur.

Jessore

Troops:
HQ 107 Brigade, 25 Baluch, 27 Baluch, Elements of 24 Field Regt. 55 Field Regt.

Tasks:

1. Disarm 1 East Bengal and Sector HQ East Pakistan Rifles and Reserve Police incl. Ansar weapons.
2. Secure Jessore town and arrest Awami League and student leaders.
3. Exchange and telephone communications.
4. Zone of security round cantt., Jessore town and Jessore-Khulna road, airfield.
5. Exchange at Kushtia to be made inoperative.
6. Reinforce Khulna if required.

   Khulna

   Troops:
   22 Frontier Force

   Tasks:

   1. Security in town.
   2. Exchange and Radio Station.
   3. Wing HQ East Pakistan Rifles, Reserve Companies and Reserve Police to be disarmed.
   4. Arrest Awami League students and communist leaders.

   Rangpur–Syedpur

   Troops:
   HQ 23 Brigade, 29 Cavalry, 26 Frontier Force, 23 Field Regt.

   Tasks:

   1. Security of Rangpur-Syedpur.
   2. Disarm 3 East Bengal at Syedpur.
   3. If possible disarm Sector HQ and Reserve Company at Dinajpur or neutralize by dispersal Reserve Company by reinforcing border outpsts.
   4. Radio Station and telephone exchange at Rangpur.
   5. Awami League and student leaders at Rangpur.
   6. Ammo dump at Bogra.

   Rajshahi

   Troops:
   25 Punjab

   Tasks:

   1. Despatch CO — Shafqat Baluch.
   2. Exchange and Radio Station Rajshahi.
   3. Disarm Reserve Police and sector HQ East Pakistan Rifles.
   4. Rajshahi University and in particular Medical College.
   5. Awami League and student leaders.

   Comilla

   Troops:
   53 Field Regiments, 1-1/2 Mortar Batteries, Station troops, 3 Commando Battalion (less company)

   Tasks:

   1. Disarm 4 East Bengal, Wing HQ East Pakistan Rifles, Reserve District Police.
   2. Secure town and arrest Awami League leaders and students.
   3. Exchange.

   Sylhet

   Troops:
   31 Punjab less company

   Tasks:

   1. Radio Station, Exchange.
   2. Koeno Bridge over Surma.
   3. Airfield.
   4. Awami League and student leaders.
   5. Disarm Section HQ East Pakistan Rifles and Reserve Police. Liaise with Sikandar.

   Chittagong

   Troops:
   20 Baluch, less advance party; company 31 Punjab present ex Sylhet; Iabal Shafi to lead a mobile column from Comilla by road and reinforce S.T. 0100 hrs (H hrs) on D-Day.
   Mobile Column: Brig Iqbal Shafi with Tac HQ and Communications; 24 Frontier Force; Troop Heavy Mortars; Field Company Engineers; Company in advance to Feni on evening D-Day.

   Tasks:

   1. Disarm EBRC, 8 East Bengal, Section HQ East Pakistan Rifles, Reserve Police.
   2. Seize Central Police Armoury (Twenty thousand)
   3. Radio Station and Exchange.
   4. Liaise with Pakistan Navy (Commodore Mumtaz).
   5. Liaise with Shaigri and Janjua (CO 8 East Bengal) who have been instructed to take orders from you till arrival Iqbal Shafi.
   6. If Shaigri and Janjua feel sure about their outfits then do not disarm. In that case merely put in a road block to town from Cantt. by placing a company in defensive position so that later EBRC and 8 East Bengal are blocked should they change their loyalties.
   7. I am taking Brig Mozumdar with me. Arrest [Lt Col A. R.?] Chaudhry (CI EBRC) on D-Day night.
   8. Arrest of Awami League and student leaders after above accomplished.

Last updated: July 2005