Latif Bahini

Last updated
Latif Bahini
লতিফ বাহিনী
Also known as
  • Polashdanga Youth Camp
  • Mirza Abdul Latif Bahini
FounderAbdul Latif Mirza
Dates of operation1971
CountryFlag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh
HeadquartersSirajganj District [a]
Active regions Bangladesh
Notable attacks
  • Attack on Faridpur Police Station
  • Attack on Tarash Police Station
  • Attack on Sathia Police Station
  • Attack on Gurudaspur Police Station
  • Attack on Kachikata Razakar Camp
  • Attack on Rayerganj Brahammagacha Pakistan Military Camp
  • Attack on Sirajganj Boraitola Pakistan Military Camp
Size8,000 - 10,000
Allies
OpponentsFlag of the Pakistani Army.svg Pakistan Army
Battles and wars Bangladesh Liberation War

Latif Bahini (Also known as Mirza Abdul Latif Bahini) [b] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] was a militia during the Bangladesh War of Independence. Abdul Latif Mirza was a member in the Bangladesh Forces. He planned to build a force in Vodroghat village under Kamarkhand Police Station in Sirajganj District, Rajshahi Division. [1] [4]

Contents

Formation

Initially, Abdul Latif Mirza organised a team filled with youths, and named it 'Polashdanga Youth Camp'. [4] The force had only 7 rifles and 15 fighters. Later on, the group became significantly larger, with around 8,000 to 10,000 fighters in the militia. It later became known as the Latif Bahini. In addition to the branch of military training, the force later had political, intelligence and reconnaissance branches. [1]

Military engagements

Latif Bahini fought Pakistani troops and Razakar militias in various districts in North Bengal including Natore, Bogra, Rajshahi, Pabna and Sirajganj and attacked various Pakistani military camps and Razakar positions, This force fought in notable battles like, The Battle of Kashinathpur Bhab Bagan, The Battle of Ghatna, The Battle of Ullapar. One notable raid was on Tarash Police Station in Sirajganj. Numerous Pakistani troops and Razakars were killed in the raid, a Pakistani officer was captured and 13 troops were also captured, No casualty was reported on the Bengali side. [1] On 11 December 1971, 630 fighters fought with Pakistani troops and on 13 December 1971, Tarash was liberated, 150 Pakistani troops were killed in the battle and 9 surrendered, including an officer and 2 members of the Latif Bahini were wounded in the result of the battle. [4] Later on December 13, the national flag was hoisted in Tarash Upazila. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajshahi Division</span> Division of Bangladesh

Rajshahi Division is one of the eight first-level administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of 18,174.4 square kilometres (7,017.2 sq mi) and a population at the 2022 Census of 20,353,119. Rajshahi Division consists of 8 districts, 70 Upazilas and 1,092 Unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Kader Siddique</span> Bangladeshi politician and freedom fighter

Abdul Kader Siddique is a Bangladeshi politician. He served as a Mukti Bahini member and organizer of the Bangladesh Liberation War. He fought with an estimated 17,000-strong guerrilla force in the Tangail region against the Pakistan Army. The army was called Kaderia Bahini. At the end of the war in 1971, Siddique's forces entered Dhaka along with the Indian forces, signaling the end of the war. He was awarded Bir Uttom by the Government of Bangladesh. Since 1999, he has been serving as the leader of his newly formed party, the Krishak Sramik Janata League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sirajganj District</span> District of Bangladesh in Rajshahi Division

Sirajganj District is a district in the North Bengal region of Bangladesh, located in the Rajshahi Division. It is the 25th largest district by area and 9th largest district by population in Bangladesh. It is known as the gateway to North Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sirajganj</span> City in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Sirajganj is a city in north-western Bangladesh on the right bank of the Jamuna River, located in Rajshahi Division. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirajganj District, and with a population of 450,000 is the 14th largest city in Bangladesh.

The Razakar was an East Pakistani paramilitary force organised by General Tikka Khan in East Pakistan.

The Al-Badr was a collaborationist paramilitary force composed mainly of Bihari Muslims, which operated in East Pakistan against the Bengali nationalist movement during the Bangladesh Liberation War, under the patronage of the Government of Pakistan.

Hemayet Bahini was a guerrilla militia force of Bangladesh in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. This small force was known by the name of its leader and organizer Mohammad Hemayet Uddin Bir Bikrom.

Kader Bahini was an independent militia created during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the other being Mukti Bahini. It was named after its leader, Kader Siddique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kamalpur</span> Battle fought during Bangladesh War of Independence

The Battle of Kamalpur, launched against the Pakistan Army is one of the most significant military engagements fought by the Mukti Bahini in 1971 during its war of independence from Pakistan. The Pakistani Army set up a military camp at Kamalpur which was attacked by 1st East Bengal Regiment of Z Force several times. The first attack was made on June 12, and a second attack was made on July 31, 1971, also another attack at 22 October 1971 and in total, there were 18 battles in Kamalpur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh Ansar</span> Paramilitary force in Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party is a paramilitary auxiliary force responsible for the preservation of internal security and law enforcement in Bangladesh. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the government of Bangladesh. It has 6 million active and reserved members. It is the largest paramilitary force in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukti Bahini</span> Bengali guerrilla movement in East Pakistan

The Mukti Bahini, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary and civilians during the Bangladesh Liberation War that transformed East Pakistan into Bangladesh in 1971. They were initially called the Mukti Fauj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Z Force (Bangladesh)</span> Military unit

Z Force, also known as the Tura Brigade, was the first military brigade of Bangladesh Forces, formed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 under Major Ziaur Rahman along with the consent of the revolutionary government of Bangladesh in exile. The brigade was formed with the 1st, 3rd and 8th Battalion of East Bengal Regiment on 7 July 1971. It is the first ever complete brigade formed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

Abdul Latif Mirza was a Bangladeshi Awami League politician. He was the member of parliament from Pabna-4 in 1979 and Sirajganj-4 in 1996.

Baten Bahini was an armed guerrilla force formed in Tangail district in support of independence during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. It was named after its leader, Khandaker Abdul Baten. Throughout the war, it conducted a number of successful guerrilla campaigns in Tangail, Manikganj, Pabna, Gazipur, Sirajganj and some parts of Dhaka District. They were operated under 21 companies, 63 platoons and 100 sections. Abdul Baten led a number of guerrilla attacks.

The NAP-Communist Party-Students Union Special Guerrilla Forces was an armed force active in the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was organized jointly by the National Awami Party (Muzaffar) (NAP), Communist Party of Bangladesh and the East Pakistan Students Union. Its commander was Mohammad Farhad, with Pankaj Bhattacharya serving as deputy commander. Per the account of Moni Singh, the NAP-Communist Party-Students Union Special Guerrilla Forces had some 5,000 fighters at its peak.

Akbar Bahini was a volunteer force during the Bangladesh War of Independence. Akbar Hossain Miah was the Chairman of Srikul Union in Sreepur PS of Magura District. Immediately after the outbreak of war in East Pakistan, Akbar Hossain devoted himself in organising a group of fighters. The majority of the members of Akbar Bahini were extracted from amongst the locals of Sreepur area, but also included members of the East Pakistan Rifles. Akbar Hossain Miah, formed a group of fighters called 'Akbar Bahini'. Akbar Hossain was the commander, and Mollah Nabuwat Ali was its deputy commander.

Khalil Bahini was a militia during the Bangladesh War of Independence.

Mujahid Bahini was an East Pakistani paramilitary force during the Bangladesh Liberation War, that fought against the Mukti Bahini and aided the Pakistan Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968–1971 East Pakistan communist insurgency</span> Armed conflict in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)

The 1968–1971 East Pakistan communist insurgency was an armed conflict between several communist groups and the Pakistani government for the independence of East Pakistan, it was also later part of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hossain, Major General Md. Sarwar (26 March 2019). "The irregular forces of Bangladesh Liberation War". The Daily Star . Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  2. Anam, Mahfuz (29 March 2024). "The war that we need to know so much more about". The Daily Star . Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  3. Sheren, Syeda Momtaz (2012). "War of Liberation, The". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN   984-32-0576-6. OCLC   52727562. OL   30677644M . Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tarash Free Day today". Bangladesh Post. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  5. লতিফ বাহিনী. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 2 December 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2024.

Notes

  1. Initially, It was raised in Vodroghat Village, near Kamarkhand Police Station, In Sirajganj District
  2. Bengali: লতিফ বাহিনী, romanized: Latipha bāhinī