Appendix
TOP SECRET IMMEDIATE
C-in-C
BANGLADESH FORCES
GUERILLAS – ORGANISATION, EQUIPMENT
AND EMPLOYMENT
AIM OF INSTRUCTION
To ensure guerillas coming out of training establishments are inducted on a planned basis in all sectors, these instructions covering the following, are issued:
(a) Organisation, Arms and Equipment of Guerillas
(b) Phased Induction of Guerillas
Organisation
Basic Organisation. The basic organisation is a section of 1 Guerilla leader and 7 guerillas, having a total of eight who can be split into two cells each of three to four guerillas on an as required basis. Several Sections would be constituted into a platoon under a platoon leader who will be assisted by a deputy leader. Similarly several (3 to 5) platoons would be constituted into a Guerilla Company which will be led by a Company Leader. A company leader would have a political adviser carefully selected by the Bangla Desh Forces Sector Commander on the advice of the Civil Liaison Officer attached to him. The political adviser will advise the Guerilla Company Leader on all political and internal developments inside the areas of operation and also motivate guerillas in meeting day to day developments. Indoctrinated locals will normally be used for courier duties. Intelligence net-work will be organized through local agents. At a selection level there will be no separate intelligence cell, but at platoon level there will be an intelligence cell of 3 well-trained guerillas. In addition, there will be a trained Nursing Attendant. Similarly at a company level there will be eight well-trained guerillas to form an intelligence section, besides a doctor and 3 nursing attendants. For specific areas requiring it, an anti-tank detachment and other supporting light weapons detachments shall be attached. All guerillas, including their units/sub-units, shall come under the command of the Bangla Desh Forces Sector Commander concerned who will coordinate operational tasks. The only exception will be those operating under HQ Bangla Desh Forces on special tasks who will be provided with special identity cards for identification in friendly areas. For organisation see Appendix ‘A’ attached.
Arms, Equipment and Dress
Arms
(a) Individual Weapons
Leaders
Pistol, firing single and automatic shots, preferably 9 mm with a magazine enabling it to be used as a carbine also
Deputy Leaders
Pistol 9 mm
Guerillas in a Section
Four with carbines machine sten 9 mm which must be capable of firing single rounds also
Two with Rifles
One with LMG
Nursing Attendants with platoon and Company HQ
Rifles
Guerillas on intelligence duties at Platoon and Company HQ
25% Pistols 9 mm
75% Carbine Machine Sten
9 mm (Must be capable of firing single rounds also)
Anti Tank Detachment - 4 Guerillas
50% Pistol
9 mm
50% Rifles
Every Guerilla
Two hand grenades and a double edged knife with a 6 in to 9 in double edge blade
(b) For each company: A detachment of 4 guerillas equipped with 2 rocket launchers (3.5 in or 40 mm of equivalent to deal with gun boats, bunkers, fuel/amn dumps, etc., shall be provided in areas where it is considered necessary.
Equipment
(a) Section:
One complete demolition kit preferably US origin.
One first-aid box.
(b) Platoon: Adequate medical and surgical (dressing/cleansing/kit for the Nursing Attendant to provide preliminary attention to the casualties at a hidden ‘safe house’. Medical kit must include anti-venum serum and syringe for administration in case of snake bite.
(c) Company: Adequate medical/surgical equipment and supplies for treating casualties at a well-hidden ‘safe house’ which should serve as a temporary hospital.
Dress
Guerillas will be dressed in ordinary civilian clothes of a coarse type conforming to those commonly worn in the locality. Uniformity in colour or design must be strictly avoided. Mosquito/insect repellant oil shall be carried for use at night. Scale of clothing/necessaries to be issued shall be restricted to:
Civilian type ground sheet
1
Vests
2
‘Gamcha’
1
Lungi
1
Pyjama
1
Civilian type water proof sheet (to cover oneself against heavy rain)
1
Cheap rubber shoes (pair)
1
Soap
1
Shirt or ‘Kurta’
1
Supplies: Apart from the pay Rs 50 (fifty) per month guerillas will be provided with rations. Whenever necessary, edible items of the type of haversack pack rations shall be provided.
Phased Induction of Guerillas
General Instructions
(a) Immediately on completion of training, guerillas should be grouped keeping in view areas with which they are fully conversant (preferably they should have their homes in the area). The area of operation of different guerilla units/sub-units/individuals should be clearly defined using Stich natural features as rivers, ‘Khals’, hills, etc.
(b) Guerillas will be launched and all their operations conducted through the Bangla Desh Forces’ Sector Commanders in conformity with these instructions. To assist in the training and in the training and in the conduct of guerilla operations, a GW Team from HQ Bangla Desh Forces, consisting of one or more of the following officers shall tour and maintain regular liaison with training centres and Sector Commanders and offer advice on the organisation employment of guerillas:
(i) Capt Shariful Haq, Arty
(ii) Lieut Matiur Rahman, E Bengal
(iii) Lieut S.H.M.B. Nur Chowdri, E Bengal
(c) Guerillas will be issued with arms/equipment as prescribed in these instructions by the Sector Commanders, prior to employment on tasks.
Phased Induction
(a) Phase I: Establishment of Firm Bases Inside.
Time: Task to be completed earliest. Progress will be intimated by Sector HQs through GW LOs being sent from Bangla Desh Forces HQ. Supporting HQ will be kept in picture.
Task to be carried out:
(i) Area analysis or detailed analysis of the terrain and situation inside the area.
(ii) Establishment of own intelligence network and clanaestine communication system (with alter native arrangements) to higher headquarters end other guerilla sub-units in the area.
(iii) Establish contact with own cells operating inside on similar mission.
(iv) Establishment of secure clandestine routes of infiltration and exit.
(v) Organisation of logistics for own operations based on local resources.
(vi) Selection of ‘cache’ sites and ‘safe houses’.
Notes:
During this phase it is essential to maintain absolute quiet (lying low and underground) and peace in the area to avoid suspicion and detection by enemy agents. Hence liquidation of enemy agents must NOT be attempted inside the area at this stage but all information about them collected. Nor should any force be used in the interior during this phase. Instead, diversionary activities combined with elimination of enemy agents should be carried out far away, along the border areas.
There must be several alternative secret bases, alternative communication system and clandestine routes organised to prevent detection of any one.
(b) Phase 2: Unbalancina and Weakening the enemy.
Time: Task to be completed soonest, after completion of Phase.
Tasks to be carried out: In this phase the enemy’s liability to operate has to be destroyed by a series of well-planned and vigorous (daily growing in tempo) guerilla strikes over a wide area in which there will be great need for the utmost pre-thought, secrecy and skill as the enemy will be
in control of the area at the beginning of the phase. The specific tasks to be completed by the guerillas will include:
(i) Liquidation of enemy agents, informers and collaborators.
(ii) Destruction of the enemy’s means of communication including destruction of telecommunications, rail/road bridges, removal of fish plates from railway lines, removal of navigation marks on inland water ways/rivers, disruption/denial of ferry’s on roads, destruction of river ports and jettys and ambushing enemy while trying to disembark troops/stores on river banks.
(iii) Denying the enemy all resources by destruction of POL depots, refineries power supply (by destroying pylons/sub-stations).
(iv) Destroying the enemy’s fighting power and transport by planned ambushes on his road/rail/river lines of communication, and raids on small targets like arms/ammunition/POL/supply depots, river and road transports and small posts.
(v) Destroy or render ineffective air base facilities and aircrafts.
(c) Phase 3: Knocking out the last breath (from the enemy)
Time: As soon as the enemy has been incapacitated and he no longer has the ability to strike.
Tasks to be carried out: In close conjunction with the, regular forces to destroy the already bled and incapacitated enemy and secure liberated areas. In this the guerillas’ particular tasks (to be coordinated by the Bangla Desh Forces Sector Command concerned) will be to attack the enemy’s flanks, rear, his supporting arms and destroy his communications so that he is disabled from concentrating his fire power or switching his forces, thus facilitating the task of his destruction.
(d) Phase 4: Consolidation and Restoration
Time: On collapse of the enemy government.
Tasks to be carried out: The main task will be one of consolidation of liberation and restoration of own civil government and administrative authorities. In this the guerillas’ main tasks will be to carry out the following in close conjunction with the regular forces:
(i) Elimination of any enemy elements still holding out.
(ii) Assist the quick restoration of normal public life.
(iii) Conversion from a guerilla force to a People’s Army (2nd line Army) and resettlement of personnel (not desirous of continuing in regular forces) in civil life, to include resumption of education by those whose education was disrupted by the war.
For c-in-c
Distribution List:
Copy No. Addressee
1.
Comd Sector 1 through LO
Comd Sector 2
Comd Sector 3
Comd Sector 4
2.
Comd Sector 5 through LO
Comd Sector 6
Comd Sector 7
3.
Comd Sector 8 through LO
Comd Sector 9
4.
Files for the use of Staff own HQ
5.
Comd Alpha Sector—Supporting Forces
6.
Comd Bravo Sector—Supporting Forces
7.
Comd Charlie Sector—Supporting Forces
8.
Comd Delta Sector—Supporting Forces
9.
Comd Echo Sector—Supporting Forces
10.
Comd Foxtrot Sector—Supporting Forces
11.
Comd Own Supporting Forces.
Letter appointing Kao to the Indian Police, issued from London
The rules and orders for Indian Police probationers issued with the appointment letter
Kao (back row, third from left) with other officers sometime in the early 1940s
Kao in a rare smiling photo
A pledge by the 16 Indian Police officers, including Kao and Sankaran Nair, who formed the nucleus of the newly formed IPS
A serious, almost reluctant, Kao posing for a photo at home. Notice an artistic painting behind him
Kao at the ultra-secret Special Frontier Force (SFF) facility. IG SS Uban also seen in both pictures
Handsome as ever even in old age
The stylish gentleman
Kao taking a rare guard of honour at an undisclosed location
Mrs Gandhi with Kao, G.C. Saxena (later, a R&AW chief) and G.B.S. Sidhu
Kao at the ground breaking ceremony for the new R&AW building. Sankaran Nair to his right in the second photo
Working for a salary of Re 1 as senior advisor between 1981 and 1984
Kao kept in touch with many of his former colleagues. He had particular fondness for Balachandran as these letters show
At one of the R&AW’s functions after retirement. To his right, Sankaran Nair
The rarely photographed P.N. Banerjee alias Nath Babu (extreme right) with Sheikh Mujib’s family in Dhaka. Banerjee’s son Soumitra is standing on extreme left
Photo courtesy: Soumitra Banerjee
A medal of honour given by the Government of Ghana after Kao passed away
With Gary Saxena (centre), one of his worthy successors
With former PMs I.K. Gujral (top) and A.B. Vajpayee (below)
Kao in his prime
Kao with women officers of R&AW. Two of them are still serving
With two of his successors, A.S. Dulat (left) and C.D. Sahay (centre)
Kao in his 80s
Perhaps his last public appearance. Kao with Vikram Sood, the then R&AW chief in December 2001
R N Kao Page 19