“Never forget the 18th April, 1930, the day of Eastern Rebellion in Chittagong. Keep ever fresh in your memory the fights of Jallalabad, Julia, Chandernagar and Dhalghat. Write in red letters in the core of your hearts the names of all patriots who have sacrificed their lives
at the altar of India’s freedom. …
Long Live Revolution!
Bandemataram!”
– Excerpt from the last letter written by Masterda Surya Sen, from Chittagong Jail on 11th Jan 1934 – one day before his hanging.
18th April 1930 was the day of historic Chattagram/Chittagong Armoury Raid, the day when a band of fearless young revolutionaries from a small village in East Bengal shattered the whole British colonial rule. Since the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which was also known as the first war of Independence, this was the first successful attempt where freedom was snatched from British imperialist power through direct armed confrontation, the national flag was hoisted, and a provisional revolutionary government was proclaimed, at least for a few days. This article is a small attempt to briefly recall the events of that day and the aftermath.
The spread of socialist ideology in British-India after the success of Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917), the subsequent working class movements in India, the disillusionment among the revolutionary fractions within Indian National Congress (INC) after the sudden withdrawal of non-cooperation movement, the growing frustration among the educated middle class in the midst of an ensuing global economic crisis – all of these were silently bringing a qualitative transformation in the anti-colonial struggles in India. Starting from Punjab to Bengal, everywhere, either new young leadership was emerging within underground organisations preceded by bitter debates with the old leadership, or fresh secret organisations were created with new work principles. Satish Pakrashi from Dhaka, Surya Sen and Ambika Chakraborty from Chittagong, Jatin Das and Binoy Roy from Kolkata, Niranjan Sen from Barishal, Prabhat Chakraborty from Tripura were the active revolutionaries of this phase and were associated with a 1929-planning of simultaneous attacks on more than one enemy targets in three districts – Chittagong, Maymansinha, and Barishal – on the same day, at the same time. However, on 18th December 1929, Satish Pakrashi, Niranjan Sen and Ramen Biswas were arrested from Mechhuyabazar, Kolkata, with several documents, bomb-making formula etc. Around 32 revolutionaries were arrested from different districts, with whom the ‘Mechua Bazar Bomb Case’ was initiated. In a situation like this, the revolutionaries from Chittagong, under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen (a schoolteacher, thus known as ‘Masterda’), decided to execute their part of action as early as possible.
Starting from day selection, the events of Chittagong Armoury Raid and simultaneous attacks on various enemy targets, were perfectly planned and executed. The day – 18th April, 1930 – was selected because it was the day on which the Irish Republican Army, the underground military organisation of Irish freedom fighters that was waging armed struggle against the British rulers, tried to capture the capital of Ireland – Dublin, in the year 1914. Moreover, it was Good Friday, which was another tactical reason for selecting the date. With the enemy busy with celebration and merry-making, it was considered to be the best time for the attacks. Surya Sen and his comrades meticulously planned:
1) to capture the police line of Chittagong along with its armoury
2) to destroy the auxiliary force barrack, capture arms and bring those to police line
3) to destroy the telephone exchange in order to disrupt the communication of Dhaka and Kolkata with Chittagong
4) to dismantle the rail line that connects Chittagong with outer world
5) to attack the European Club and imprison British men and women present there.
The whole band of the revolutionaries was divided into several groups to execute these different tasks, and brave hearts like Ananta Singha, Ganesh Ghosh, Loknath Bal, Nirmal Sen, Ambika Chakraborty were entrusted with the leadership of these different groups. A leaflet was circulated in the evening of 18th April 1930, on behalf of ‘Indian Republican Army’ declaring an armed struggle against the British rulers, with an appeal to the people to join the struggle for Indian independence.
Under the leadership of Ananta Singha and Ganesh Ghosh, several dozens of comrades, dressed in military attire attacked the police line in the darkness of night, with just a few revolvers and pistols. The sentry was shot, and he slumped to the ground. The surprise attack completely shattered the morale of the policemen present in the barrack and being panic-stricken they all fled from the spot. The revolutionaries captured the armoury, quickly armed and loaded themselves with as many guns and bullets as possible. The simultaneous attack on the auxiliary force armoury, under the leadership of Loknath Baul and Nirmal Sen, was also successfully executed, although armed confrontation took place between a few sentries and the revolutionaries. The European sergeant major, who was residing inside the compound, was killed in the confrontation. Here also the revolutionaries captured the rifles and the machine guns; however, unfortunately they could not find the bullets. On the other hand, the telephone exchange and the telegraph office in Chittagong town were destroyed by the designated group under the leadership of Ambika Chakraborty. The Superintendent of Police, the District Magistrate, and other high officers came to know that something terrible had happened, but they were unable to communicate with one another. Meanwhile, the groups which were tasked to dismantle rail lines, did their job successfully in the outskirts of Chittagong town. Only the plan to attack the European Club, to avenge the killings of Jallianwala Bagh, Chauri Chaura and other places, was not successful because of the delay in procuring vehicles. By the time the revolutionaries reached the Club, the Europeans had gone back to their homes. After executing all the plans, the different groups of revolutionaries, without having any casualties till then, all assembled at the police line for further planning.
As President of the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong Branch, Surya Sen hoisted the national flag, replacing the Union Jack – the symbol of colonial slavery. Independence pledge was read and Chittagong was declared as independent land. While the revolutionaries were busy with further planning inside the police line, they suddenly faced a spurt of firing from some Europeans who had got hold of a machine gun. The revolutionaries replied to the attack with their weapons. The Europeans soon fled after realising the strength of the revolutionaries. After this incident it was decided to destroy the police line by fire. During this one revolutionary Himangshu Sen was severely burnt. Ganesh Ghosh, Ananta Singh, Makhan Ghosal, and Ananda Gupta took him by car for emergency medical treatment. However, when they did not come back within time, the remaining comrades began to move towards the hills, and thus separated from those four members. In the next few days, 57 revolutionaries under the leadership of Surya Sen, accompanied by hunger and thirst, walked through the hills, and finally took shelter in the Jalalabad Hills, where they waited for the enemy attacks. After rigorous searching, on 22nd April the British military finally tracked down the revolutionaries on Jalalabad Hills, and direct armed confrontation took place between the two sides. The British forces retreated at night after huge casualties at their end (approximately 74 British soldiers died and 150 wounded). In this battle, which is famously known as ‘The Battle of Jalalabad’, around 10 revolutionaries became martyrs. The next day, British forces even started bombing and firing from planes. The revolutionary leaders realised that in this way it will be difficult to sustain in such an unequal battle. Thus, they decided to spread over the nearby villages and to launch sudden guerilla attacks whenever necessary. After sending most comrades to the town, Surya Sen and a few other revolutionaries took secret shelters in villages.
Among Ananta Singh and Ganesh Ghosh, who were separated from the main group, the first one surrendered in Kolkata on 28th June with some specific tactical objectives, and the last one was arrested along with another revolutionary hero Loknath Baul on 31st August from their secret shelter in Chandannagar, after an armed confrontation with the British police. They were taken to Chittagong and a trial was initiated against them. Ambika Chakraborty, who was wounded in the battle of Jalalabad, was also arrested. All of them, along with several others arrested, were sentenced to life imprisonment and deported to Andaman.
Meanwhile, Surya Sen and his close associates continued their secret revolutionary activities. The battle of Dhalghat and the attack on the European Institute were two burning examples of that. On 14th June 1932, Surya Sen and his comrades were attacked while residing in a shelter at Patiya village in Dhalghat thana. In the armed conflict between the revolutionaries and the police force, Nirmal Sen and Apurba Sen – two close comrades of Surya Sen sacrificed their lives while helping Surya Sen, Pritilata Waddedar and Kalpana Dutta to flee from the place. Later, Pritilata – the fearless revolutionary – attacked the European club with arms and bombs. Several British and Anglo-Indian officers were wounded in the attack. Pritilata herself got wounded and realising that it will be difficult for her to escape in such condition, she died by suicide by swallowing cyanide capsule.
One write-up, containing her statement, was found with her dead body. Some lines from her statement are as follows: “Long Live The Revolution. I solemnly declare – I belong to the Chittagong Branch of the ‘Indian Republican Army’ whose lofty ideal is to liberate my mother-country from the yoke of the tyrannical exploiting and imperialistic British Government and to establish a Federated Indian Republic instead. … Females are determined that they will no more lag behind and stand side by side with their brothers in any activities, however dangerous or difficult. I earnestly hope that my sisters will no more think themselves weaker and will get themselves ready to face all dangers and difficulties and join the revolutionary movement in their thousands.”
Surya Sen was finally arrested in February 1933 from one of his secret shelters at Gairala village near Chittagong town, after a long armed conflict. His another close associate Tarakeswar Dastidar, who also took part in the Chittagong Armoury Raid and was arrested in May 1933. Both Surya Sen and Tarakeswar Dastidar were hanged to death on 12th January 1934. They were tortured in an inhuman manner by the British police. His last remains were thrown into the sea to avoid an outburst of public anger.
