“The Indian Republican Army, Chittagong Branch, hereby solemnly declares its intention to stand against the age-long repression by the British people and their Government which they have followed as a cruel policy to keep the three hundred millions of Indian people subjugated for unlimited time and to eradicate the slightest trace of nationalism and national originality amongst them.”
-Pamphlet issued by Indian Republican Army under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen
On April 18, 1930, a group of fearless revolutionaries, led by Masterda Surya Sen, launched the historic Chittagong Armoury Raid, a bold and successful assault against British colonial rule. Their mission was to capture key military installations, disrupt communication, and attack British establishments, all while rallying the people for a revolt. They seized the police armoury, captured weapons, destroyed the telephone exchange, dismantled railways, and attempted to attack the European Club. This act of defiance marked the first successful armed resistance since the 1857 revolt, and for a brief moment, Chittagong was declared independent.
However, the British forces quickly retaliated, leading to intense confrontations, including the Battle of Jalalabad, where the revolutionaries inflicted heavy casualties on the British. After this, many revolutionaries were eventually captured, including Surya Sen, who continued the struggle in secret. Surya Sen and his comrades endured torture before being hanged in 1934, but their sacrifice sparked a new wave of resistance. The events of April 18 and the ripple it created remain a powerful symbol of India’s fight for freedom and resistance against imperialism.
