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Lt Col Dilbag Singh Dabas (Retd)
THIRTEEN days before the declaration of war in 1971, Pakistan army launched its biggest attack on the eastern front. The action took place near Garibpur village, some 7 km inside south-western East Pakistan, wherein one battalion of the Indian Army, with support from the artillery, armour and engineers, successfully took on the might of the enemy’s two infantry battalions supported by matching artillery, armour and recce and support combat elements.
In the early hours of November 21, under cover of dense fog, Pakistan’s 107 Infantry Brigade’s 6th and 21st Punjab battalions, supported by 49th and 55th Field Regiments (artillery) and 3 Independent Armoured Squadron (Chaffees), attacked Indian Army’s 14th Punjab Battalion (Nabha Akal) while it was in the process of organising its defences between Garibpur and Jagannathpur villages in Jessore sector.