At 5-30 a.m. on April 15, enemy guns opened up on our positions at Ashuganj, Lalpur and Bhairab. It was evident that pre-H hour bombardment had started. I guessed, it was from the vicinity of Khana Bari railway station that the guns were firing. The enemy flotilla again appeared in front of Lalpur. Heavy bombardment continued which kept our heads done. My troops at Lalpur under the command of Matin caught sight of the enemy advancing cautiously over the Meghna. The enemy was heading towards Lalpur for a landing under the cover of their artillery fire. It was virtually a flotilla that carried the enemy on board, approximately a battalion plus strength. The fleet consisted of two gunboats, two landing craft tanks and four launches. Troops of chafe’s PT 76 with their upright hulls were ominously lurking at Lalpur. I must congratulate my boys for exercising extreme restrain and control on fire. With their eyes on the enemy and fingers on the trigger, they were measuring up the range.
In the meantime another enemy battalion stole on Bhairab Bazar along the railway track. I had no means to influence the battle across the river. Matiur was instructed to contain and to impose maximum delay on the enemy and ultimately fallback on the home bank over the bridge and by boat.
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