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Cumilla district was freed from the occupation of the Pakistani occupation forces this day (December 8) in 1971.
To mark the day, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad, Cumilla District Command, Cumilla brought out a rally and paraded the main thoroughfares in the city.
The district administration also chalked out a set of programmes, including rally, placing of floral wreaths on martyrs' graves, discussion, cultural programmes, on the occasion.
The Cumilla district was under Sector No 2 during the Liberation War.
Major Khaled Mosharraf and Major ATM Haider commanded the sector headquartered at Melaghar.
In the run up to the Cumilla freedom, there were several battles between the Mukti Bahini, liberation forces of Bangladesh, and the Pakistani occupation forces. Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams were the local collaborators of the occupation forces.
On August 14 in 1971, the Pakistani forces had attacked Mazigachha area under Cumilla Sadar Upazila, killing more than 450 people, including women and children. They also set afire villages and looted valuables during the grisly attack.
Later on November 11, the Pakistani occupation forces and their collaborators attacked the freedom fighters at Betiara under in the district's Chauddagram upazila. The battle continued the whole day in which nine freedom fighters embraced martyrdom.
The battle at the Cumilla airport area was another event worth remembering. On the night of December 7, a fierce fight erupted between the Mukti Bahini and the Pakistani forces. The Pakistanis soon started fleeing the area as the freedom fighters took control of their main base at the airport.
Freedom fighters the following day declared Cumilla district free when the district's first administrator advocate Ahmed Ali hoisted the national flag of the independent Bangladesh from the Town Hall field.