Rafiqul Islam Khokon, a former leader of the East Pakistan Students Union, formed a formidable guerrilla force during the Liberation War in Chirulia Bishnupur, on the opposite bank of the Bhairab-Dartana River from Bagerhat town.

The force, which later came to be known as the Rafiq Bahini, consisted of followers of the Communist revolutionaries of the Purba Bangla Samannay Committee.

As unbelievable as it may sound, but the truth is Rafiq Bahini was able to keep nearly 150 kilometres of the Bagerhat region free from enemy control throughout the nine months of the Liberation War.

The initiative began in April 1971 with only 11 freedom fighters and a pistol. What started as a small initiative turned into a remarkable effort in the following months. Over the following months, the force expanded to more than 500 freedom fighters and secured a wide range of weapons.

After the brutal Pakistani attacks on 25 March, members of the Rafiq Bahini left Bagerhat town and took shelter in Khalishpur village of Bishnupur, which became their wartime headquarters. They also operated from two additional bases at Santoshpur Primary School and Surigati village of Chitalmari Union.

At the beginning of the war, the Bahini owned only one revolver, obtained by freedom fighter Asadul Haque in exchange for his wristwatch, and it had no bullets. By late April, they began gathering arms through various means.

On 27 April, under Rafiqul Islam Khokon, fighters seized six rifles from four police officers and two Ansar members patrolling near Fine Art Press in Bagerhat. Another group, led by Fazlul Haque Khokon, captured 19 rifles from an armory in May, significantly boosting their strength.

Their first operation took place on 30 April, when they attacked Bagerhat Sadar Thana to rescue Syed Ajiar Rahman, the local Awami League general secretary who had been detained. On 24 July, the Bahini struck a special train carrying Rajakars from Rupsa to Bagerhat, killing or injuring over 50 and seizing a large quantity of weapons and ammunition.

One of their most significant battles took place at Madhabkathi. After Pakistani forces killed two brothers of a freedom fighter and set fire to part of Bishnupur village, the Bahini surrounded a local madrasah with about 150 fighters on 6 August.

The battle continued until noon on 8 August, ending with the Pakistani troops retreating by river. Three Pakistani soldiers and sixteen Rajakars were killed.

Mid-war, weapon shortages left the Bahini vulnerable. On 24 August, while attempting to collect arms near the Indian border, Rafiqul Islam was injured in a Pakistani attack.

A subsequent battle at Debibazar that same day left three Pakistani soldiers and five Razakars dead. Although Pakistani forces burned the Santoshpur camp in late August, the Bahini regrouped on 30 August.

In early September, the army launched a major assault on Chirulia and Bishnupur. On 9 September, the freedom fighters fortified a 200-yard stretch of the Bhairab River, forcing troops advancing by both river and road to retreat. Sixteen bodies were later recovered under curfew.

Other notable engagements included the battle at Dopara Bridge on 13 September, a clash at Baburhat Bazar on 30 October, and the 9 November encounter in which freedom fighter Bijoy Paul was martyred.

Throughout the war, the Rafiq Bahini maintained its own command structure under Rafiqul Islam Khokon, with Sheikh Anisur Rahman serving as second-in-command.

Sources: “Ekattorer Bagerhat Muktijuddher Ancholik Itihas” by Swarochish Sarkar, “Chirulia Bishnupurer Muktijuddho” by Shahadat Hossain Bachchu, “Ekattorer Dinponji” by Prothoma, and “Bangladesher Swadhinota Juddho – Sectorvittik Itihas” by Bangladesh Muktijoddha Parishad.

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