Meghna Heli Bridge, codenamed Operation Cactus Lilly, was an aerial
operation
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
of the
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Dec ...
, commencing India's involvement in
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali ...
. It took place on 9 December, when the
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
(IAF) airlifted the IV Corps of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four ...
and
Mukti Bahini
The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...
fighters from
Brahmanbaria
Brahmanbaria ( bn, ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া, Brāhmaṇabāṛiẏā) is a city of Bangladesh and the capital of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila as well as Brahmanbaria District. It is the second largest city after Cumilla ...
to Raipura in
Narsingdi over the River
Meghna
The Meghna River ( bn, মেঘনা নদী) is one of the major rivers in Bangladesh, one of the three that form the Ganges Delta, the largest delta on earth, which fans out to the Bay of Bengal. A part of the Surma-Meghna River System, ...
, bypassing the destroyed Meghna Bridge and Pakistani defences in
Ashuganj.
Operation
When the war broke out, ''IV corps'' went into action in the
Agartala
Agartala () is the capital city of the Indian state of Tripura, and is one of the largest cities in northeast India. The city is governed by the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The city is the seat of the Government of Tripura. It is located on ...
sector. At the start of the Dhaka Campaign, Dhaka was set as an objective for ''II Corps'' and ''IV Corps '' had been tasked to capture the fortress of
Comilla
Comilla (; bn, কুমিল্লা, Kumillā, ), officially spelled Cumilla, is the fifth largest city of Bangladesh and second largest in Chittagong division. It is the administrative centre of the Comilla District. The name Comilla wa ...
. By 8 December, troops of the ''57 Mountain Division'' and the ''IV Corps'' had already achieved their initial objectives of occupying the territory leading up to the
Meghna
The Meghna River ( bn, মেঘনা নদী) is one of the major rivers in Bangladesh, one of the three that form the Ganges Delta, the largest delta on earth, which fans out to the Bay of Bengal. A part of the Surma-Meghna River System, ...
. The only way across the river was over the Ashuganj Bridge, which very soon became a fortress where a Pakistani division had consolidated itself. The strategic importance of breaking down resistance at Ashuganj soon became apparent to
Lt Gen Sagat Singh, leading the IV Corps, who realised that his troops could, with a push, threaten Dhaka. Once a significant force had been built up, there was no recognisable enemy force between the helidropped force and Dhaka. Ashuganj Bridge was the only bridge that spanned the huge Meghna River which at its narrowest point was more than 4,000 yards wide. With his troops at Ashuganj, Singh however, realised his formation would be joining in the race to
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
. As would later turn out, ''II Corps'' was
held at Kushtia by Pakistani defences and did not make it to Dhaka.
However, Aerial photos also showed that the bridge had been destroyed and it would require the Army Engineers to construct a new bridge over the sprawling Meghna for Indian troops to advance. Anticipating high casualties in the attempt to take the bridge by force, Singh, along with Maj Gen
B F Gonsalves, leading the 57 Mtn Div, made the decision to airlift the troops.
Brilliant in its conception, the idea was fraught with risks and dangers. The move had to go un-opposed, or at the worse, face minimal opposition from Pakistani troops north of Raipura. The Indian troops that were helidropped did not have artillery or armoured support. On the 9th, troops began to be airlifted to Raipura, south of the Ashuganj Bridge. Once this position was consolidated, the troops were to be airlifted to Narsingdi. From Narsingdi the road to Dhaka would lie bare for IV Corps to take. To provide support for the heliborne troops, PT-76 Tanks were told to ford the Meghna River.
The
IAF's operation was led by
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
Chandan Singh and utilised
Mi-4 helicopters that had already been involved in the
Sylhet air-lift on the night of 7 December. Through the night of 9 December, the IAF air-lifted the entire 311 Brigade. The first troops, numbering around six hundred were landed through the night of the 9th, immediately making contact with Pakistani troops north of Raipura. They however held their positions, with the IAF flying in reinforcements. Over the next 36 hours, over 110 sorties were flown. The Mi-4, which normally carried 14 troops, carried as many as 23 on board. The troops were initially airlifted to Raipura, south of the Ashuganj Bridge. At the same time as this operation was on, 73rd Brigade moved across Meghna on boats and riverine crafts.
After consolidating their positions at Raipura, the troops were helilifted to Narsingdi. After securing Narshingdi, Indian forces captured Daudkandi and Baidder Bazar on 14 and 15 December respectively, both with helicopter assault. From Narshingdi, the metalled road to Dhaka lay undefended for IV Corps to take.
Aftermath
The Pakistani Army had left the roads to Dhaka undefended moving their defences at the bridge-heads and defensive strong-points, expecting to hold the Indian Army at these positions long enough till the
UN and international pressure halted the Indian advance. The Meghna Helibridge along with the
Tangail Airdrop
The Tangail Airdrop was a successful battalion-size Para Commandos (India) operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Battalion (Special Operations) (2 PARA) of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment and the 49 Squadron of the India ...
on 11 December ensured that these positions were by-passed, capturing the approaches to Dhaka. Moreover, the Pakistani garrison at Ashuganj was effectively put under
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...
, facing the Indian Army at Brahmanbaria and at Raipura. The Tangail Airdrop a day later denied the Pakistani 93 Brigade the sanctuary of Dhaka. Dhaka now could only be defended by troops within the city.
Popular culture
Hindustan Ki Kasam a
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
war movie directed by
Chetan Anand and released in 1973 was based on the incidents of ''Operation Cactus Lilly''.
See also
*
Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War
*
Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War
*
Mitro Bahini order of battle
*
Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971
*
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army was a corps-sized military formation headed by a lieutenant-general, who was designated the Eastern Command Commander. After the partition of India by United Kingdom, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan wa ...
*
1971 Bangladesh genocide
The genocide in Bangladesh began on 25 March 1971 with the launch of Operation Searchlight, as the government of Pakistan, dominated by West Pakistan, began a military crackdown on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to suppress Bengali call ...
*
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was the codename for a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the operat ...
*
Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
Since the Partition of British India in 1947 and subsequent creation of the dominions of India and Pakistan, the two countries have been involved in a number of wars, conflicts, and military standoffs. A long-running dispute over Kashmir and ...
References
{{Narsingdi District
Brahmanbaria District
Narsingdi District
Battles of Indo-Pakistani wars
Battles of the Bangladesh Liberation War
History of the Indian Air Force
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
December 1971 events in Asia