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Published : 16 Dec 2025, 01:39 AM
In the summer of 1971, amid the Liberation War, one of the boldest operations in Chattogram targeted the Madunaghat Substation, a critical node distributing electricity from Kaptai Hydroelectric to the region.
For the freedom fighters, this was more than sabotage -- it was a strike at the lifeline of the Pakistani forces.
The operation saw fierce confrontation with Pakistani troops. Mannan, a valiant freedom fighter, lost his life during the assault and was posthumously awarded the Bir Bikram for his bravery.
The mission, carried out in mid-September, was led by Flight Lieutenant Sultan Mahmud. Among the courageous participants was Shahabuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, then a novice in the Pakistan Air Force who returned home to join the liberation struggle.
Shahabuddin, in a recent conversation with bdnews24.com, recounted the attack on Madunaghat Substation, his early days at Karachi Air Base, and his journey back from Pakistan to join the fight for independence.
FROM KARACHI TO CHATTOGRAM
After completing his higher secondary education at Brajalal College, Khulna, in 1969, Shahabuddin joined the Pakistan Air Force. By March 1971, the war had erupted. In early June, he took leave and returned to East Pakistan, joining the liberation effort.
Reflecting on conditions at Karachi’s Masroor Air Base, he noted the tense atmosphere on Mar 26, when East Pakistani personnel were barred from duty under the “Out of Bound for East Pakistani” sign.
“We couldn’t speak to anyone about our predicament. Armed soldiers surrounded our barracks, leaving us effectively under house arrest,” he said.
News from BBC and Akashbani offered fragments of the nation’s plight. Shahabuddin recounted hearing a young Army major announce his rebellion on the BBC the next evening, igniting hope among imprisoned Bengali officers. Some officers attempting to flee Pakistan were caught, escalating the peril for those remaining.
JOURNEY TO THE FRONTLINES
In May 1971, Shahabuddin sought leave after learning of cyclones along the coast. By June, his leave was approved, allowing him to return home. From his residence in Kattali, Chattogram, he set out on Jun 14 to join the resistance, accompanied by Sergeant Nurul Haq.
“At 10pm, we departed from Banshbaria, Sitakunda, by boat. There were no oars, only a sail. Instead of heading to Mirsharai, we were diverted to Sandwip, before finally returning to Mirsharai.
“We stayed at Mosharraf Bhai’s house before moving to the Feni River in the rain, crossing over to reach Harina Camp in Tripura. There, Maj [Rafiqul Islam], the Sector 1 commander, met with us at length and completed our paperwork,” Shahabuddin recalled.
PLANNING MADUNAGHAT ASSAULT
Shahabuddin recounted that after several days at the camp, he approached Maj Rafiqul, requesting deployment back to East Pakistan to join the fight. One evening, the major summoned them and outlined a proposed operation in Chattogram. Spreading a map, he indicated the location of the Eastern Refinery, noting that disrupting the enemy’s fuel supply would weaken communications. Nearby naval installations and local residential areas were also highlighted.
“I suggested targeting the Madunaghat Substation after considering the collateral damage post-operation. Flight Lieutenant Sultan Mahmud immediately approved, saying, ‘Good idea’,” Shahabuddin recalled.
Major Rafiqul forbade discussing the plan with anyone else. The next day, they received confirmation from headquarters. Through a subedar, Shahabuddin and Sergeant Nurul were sent to the armoury and briefed on the weapons -- some American-made, others Russian for combat use.
Two days later, they were dispatched by truck to the Ramgarh border with weapons and Tk 300 each. There, they met Flight Lieutenant Sultan Mahmud, who led the operation.
Teams under Chhatra League leader Md Mohsin were positioned in Hathazari, Katirhat, and Nazirhat. After traversing Fatikchhari and Rauzan, Shahabuddin and Sergeant Nurul were tasked with reconnoitring the substation, reporting back on enemy positions and finalising operational preparations.
THE OPERATION
Although he could not recall the exact date, Shahabuddin believed the assault took place on Shab-e-Barat. At night, the team departed Rauzan by boat under Captain Karim, comprising roughly 30 freedom fighters. At dawn, the attack commenced.
“There were two shellings. During the second, everything went dark,” he said. Amid the exchange of gunfire, their comrade Mannan was fatally wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Bir Bikram for his valour.
“After the successful mission, Sultan Mahmud transported Mannan by boat, while Shahabuddin and Nurul were tasked with hiding shells and weapons, which local civilians willingly helped conceal.
POST-OPERATION COORDINATION
Shahabuddin said, following the success at Madunaghat, he returned briefly to the house before heading back to Harina Camp, where he met former MP Dr Foyez, who instructed him to lead a guerrilla team into Chattogram city.
As Shahabuddin was unfamiliar with the city, Maj Rafiqul paired him with Lokman Gani, a local, to form a 30-member unit, designated “Chattogram City 137 FF Group”.
From a sub-camp in Banshbaria, teams led by “Dr Mahfuz and Engineer Harun” converged, dividing into groups to move into the city. In his book “Muktijuddhe Chattogram Shahar o Operation Madunaghat Substation” (Chattogram City in Liberation War and Operation Madunaghat Substation), Shahabuddin notes that Afsar Uddin headed a six-member “City High Command”, coordinating FF and BLF group commanders for integrated guerrilla operations.
The High Command planned attacks on electricity transformers and petrol stations across three police precincts -- Double Mooring, Kotwali, and Panchlaish -- stretching from City Gate to Oxygen. The operation was executed in the early hours of Nov 30.
Reflecting decades later, Shahabuddin lamented that political neglect has led to the marginalisation of many freedom fighters, while the Liberation War’s narrative remains inadequately conveyed to younger generations.
