Raushan Ara Battery: A Forgotten Part of Our History
We all know about the famous Mujib Battery or 1st Field Artillery Battery in the War of Independence of 1971, the first ever artillery battery formed to provide necessary fire support to the freedom fighters. But do we know about the Raushan Ara Battery? Most of us don't. Let's remember the almost forgotten history of this battery in the war of 1971.
The 2nd Field Artillery Battery of the freedom fighters were formed to provide fire support under the command of Z Force. This battery was also known as Raushan Ara Battery or Roshenara Battery to the freedom fighters which was known as the Mukti Bahini Howitzer Battery in the beginning. The battery was named after an imaginary character created by Bikoch Chowdhury, a famous reporter of Daily Sangbad published from Kolkata. According to his story, Roushan Ara was a student of Eden College. Her father was a police personnel and she was a relative of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In March 25, she was in her home at Natore in Rajshahi. When the war started, she formed a female brigade. One night, she was informed that the pakistani soldiers were headed to Rajshahi with tanks from Bogra Cantonment. She decided to stop them and wearing her favourite green saree, she came out with three anti-tank mines tied in her body. She jumped in front of the tanks and destroyed a tank along with 19 soldiers. The story became very much popular at that time and the female community of the country became very much inspired after it was published. The most famous newspapers of India as well as Bangladesh (at that time the main source of bangladeshi newspapers was the indian newspapers) covered the story with the biodata of Raushan Ara. Even poems, novels and dramas were written pointing the sacrifice of the girl. In India, hundreds of movements occured in her memory. After the independence, the prove of the story wasn't found. Bikoch Chowdhury then confessed that it was fake and he wrote it just for inspiring the freedom fighters. He was criticized a lot for this action. Bikoch Chowdhury said in his book 'Lokkho Muthite Jhorer Thikana' that the character's name was Fatema in the beginning. Ahmad Sofa, one of the most famous writers of Bangladesh, converted it to Roushan Ara. On the other hand, Ahmad Sofa mentioned in his book 'Olatchakra' that the initial name was Fuljan and he changed it later.
However, this battery included 6X Italian Oto Merala Mod-56 105mm pack howitzers. The operational activities of the howitzer started from September, 1971. Lt. Col. (Rtd) Kazi Sazzad Ali Jahir was the second-in-command and the forward observer of the battery. The battery operated successful operations in several areas of Sylhet including Baralekha of Moulovibazar, Juri, Shamsernagar, Kulaura, Fenchuganj, Monglabazar etc.
After independence, these guns were moved to the newly formed 2nd Field Artillery Regiment that time. This regiment was formed with these 6X Oto Merala Mod-56 105mm pack howitzer and. 12X Yugoslavian M56 105mm howitzer under the command of Major Rashid.
Pictures-1: Raushan Ara Battery's Oto Merala Mod-56 howitzer in action.
Picture-2: An operator of the howitzer battery.
Picture-3: Z Force insignia
All credits reserved by Ops Room.