Operation Jackpot

Operation Jackpot
Part of Bangladesh Liberation War
Map of Operation Jackpot, Indian Supply network for Mukti Bahini.
Date 25 April—15 August 1971[1] Location East Pakistan Result Bangladeshi operational success.[2] Pakistani tactical defeat.
Belligerents
Bangladesh	Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Col. M. A. G Osmani Lt. Col. Khaled Musharraf[3] Maj. M. A Jalil Lt.Com. Shahed Ali Khan Submariner Abdul Wahed Chowdhury Submariner Ahsanullah Submariner Badiul Alam Submariner Shahjahan (Mukti Bahinis, Sector 10)	Lt-Gen. A. A. K. Niazi (Cdr. of Eastern Command) Maj-Gen. Khadim Hussain (GOC 14th Infantry Division) Maj-Gen. R. Farman Ali (Mil-Adv. East Pakistan Police) R-Adm Mohammad Shariff (FOC of Eastern Command) Capt. Ahmad Zamir (CO, Pakistan Marines Corps East) 1st Cmdo Btn. (Yaldram), SSG 2nd Cmdo Btn. (Rahbar), SSG Pakistan Navy SEAL Team 1 (Alpha), SSG(N) SEAL Team 2 (Bravo), SSG(N) 1st Marines Battalion
Lt. Col Ziaur Rahman (CO, Z Force Brigade) Lt. Col Khaled Mosharraf (CO, K Force Brigade) Lt. Col K M Shafiullah (CO, K Force Brigade) Major Rafiqul Islam[3] * Major A.T.M Haider * Major C. R. Dutta * Major Mir Shawkat Ali
Units involved
Indian Army IV Corps 8 Mountain Division 23 Mountain Division 57 Mountain Division Mukti Bahini Sector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Z Force Brigade, K Force Brigade, S Force Brigade	Pakistan Army 14th Infantry Division 39th Ad Hoc Division 93rd Independent Infantry Pakistan Navy 1st Marines Battalion East Pakistan Civil Armed Force 6 Sector HQ wings, 17 operational Wings[4]

Operation Jackpot was a codename for three operations undertaken by the Bengali Mukti Bahini in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) against the Federation of Pakistan at the climax of the Bangladesh Liberation War.^[3][5]

After the Pakistani Army drove the Bengali resistance across the Indian border at the conclusion of Operation Searchlight, the Indian Army implemented a supply and training operation for the Mukti Bahini from 15 May 1971, with the goal of sending an ever increasing number of trained fighters to attack Pakistani forces and sabotage military and economic assets to demoralize Pakistani soldiers and disrupt their supply network. This enterprise was dubbed "Operation Jackpot".

Mukti Bahini Naval Commandos launched several sabotage efforts in the cities of Chittagong, Chandpur, Mongla, and the Narayanganj District against the operating combined forces of the Pakistan Soldiers, Pakistan Marines, Pakistan Navy SEAL Teams, and the East Pakistan Security Forces on the night of 15 August 1971.^[3][5] Bengali submariners who had defected from Pakistani submarine PNS Mangro (S133), then based in Toulon, France, led the attacks, and this is also known as part of Operation Jackpot.^[6] The Pakistani military initiated countermeasures to improve security by increasing door-to-door clearance and applied counterinsurgency tactics by the Army Special Forces and the Navy SEAL Teams, but this failed to suppress Mukti Bahini activity.^[7]

The third operation was designed by Lt. Gen Sagat Singh, commander of the Indian Army IV Corps, attached to the Eastern Command, and the Bangladesh forces operating in his operational area. These forces fought against the Pakistani forces in Sylhet, Comilla, and Chittagong as part of the overall campaign from 21 November to 16 December 1971.^[7]