The Bangla version of a book titled “Operation X” written by Capt MNR Samant and Sandeep Unnithan has been launched.
The book tells a tale of naval commando operations, jointly undertaken by the Indian Navy and Mukti Bahini during the Liberation War.
The event to launch the Bangla edition of this remarkable book was graced by AKM Mozammel Haq, Liberation War Affairs Minister as the chief guest.
Swapan Bhattacharjee, State Minister, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives attended as special guest besides Indian and Bangladeshi veterans who were part of these heroic operations and co-author Sandeep Unnithan.
The operation was conceptualized by then Chief of Indian Navy, Admiral SM Nanda and Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mihir K Roy and executed by Capt MNR Samant, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Monday.
Over 450 naval commandos were trained and infiltrated into erstwhile East Pakistan to disrupt the Pakistani military and logistics lines of supply by destroying watercraft, jetties and marine infrastructure so that Pakistani forces could not resupply themselves, which ultimately led to their swift capitulation in 13 days of War.
Along with Commando operations, the book also talks about the raid on Mongla port by gunboats Padma and Polash, the two gunboats provided by Indian Navy with a mixed Indian and Bangladeshi crew.
The Naval Commando Operation X or NCO(X) was part of ‘Operation Jackpot’, which entailed covert training and equipping of the Mukti Bahini.
Overall, between August and November 1971, the commandos sank or disabled 100,000 tons of enemy shipping and completely blocked the ports of East Pakistan.
In sheer scale, this is the largest cover operation undertaken anywhere in the world after World War II.
The story, which remained untold for 48 years, was first released in English in 2019.
It has been compiled from personal notes of Capt MNR Samant and first hand accounts of Indian Naval Personnel and Muktijoddhas who participated in the operations.
It was co-written by noted author and journalist Sandeep Unnithan in a readable, excitingly paced language.
Source: United News of Bangladesh