Battle of Hilli The Battle of Hilli or the Battle of Bogra was a major battle fought in the Indo - Pakistani War of 1971 and Bangladesh Liberation War . It is generally regarded as the most pitched battle that took place in East Pakistan , now Bangladesh . The battle of Hilli took place between 23 November 1971 and 11 December 1971 , although the final surrender took place on 18 December 1971 . The battle . The main objective of the Indian Army was to control Bogra , thereby cutting off Pakistan forces in the north from the rest of East Pakistan . The best way of getting to Bogra was through Hilli . The frontal assault on the Pakistan fortifications took a huge toll on both sides before Indian forces finally broke through by establishing a block in the rear of Pakistani forces in Hilli , upon which the 4FF Battalion in Hilli withdrew for the defence of Bogra . Indian forces . The Indian side consisted of the 20 Indian Mountain Division led by Maj - Gen . Lachhman Singh . The constituent units of this division were 66 Brigade , 165 Brigade , 202 Brigade and 340 Brigade ( all infantry units ) , 3 Armoured Brigade , 471 Engineer Brigade and two artillery brigades augmented by 33 Corps Artillery . The ground troops were aided by aerial support provided by the Indian Air Force which had acquired air superiority in the east and were armed with rockets , guns and 100 lb bombs . Pakistani forces . On the Pakistan side , the Area of Responsibility ( AOR ) was on 205 Brigade of Pakistan Army led by Brigadier ( later retired as Major General ) Tajammul Hussain Malik . He had joined the brigade 4 days ago , when he volunteered to leave GHQ , Rawalpindi and command troops in the East Pakistan . He put up a stiff resistance that earned praise from many quarters . Major events of the battle . Malik had placed screens along the railway line nearby and at the Railway Station complex in the area . The defensive positions were sited in depth to cover all routes leading into East Pakistan . They fought the entire Indian division and the Mukti Bahini soldiers until the Indians decided to bypass Hilli and establish a block in its rear . Brig . Malik then withdrew the forces in Hilli to avoid being cut off and to defend for the Bogra itself . Bogra was surrounded from all sides by the greater numbers of the Indian army and the Mukti Bahini . Brig . Malik ' s resistance continued even after the Pakistani Eastern Command surrendered in Dhaka on 16 December . He , in his staff car with flags and stars uncovered went around the streets of Bogra motivating his soldiers to keep fighting . The Indian army had by then , surrounded the city of Bogra . The Brigade Major along with some 50 ORs surrendered but the Brigadier still full of vigour refused to give up . Brig . Malik ordered the rest of his brigade to break out in small groups to Naogong , where one of his units was still fighting on . However en route , his jeep was ambushed , severely injuring him and his orderly . Muktis captured both of them and subjected them to torture . They broke his arms and split his head after which he was taken semi - conscious to an Indian army hospital . Major General Nazar Hussain Shah , was especially flown in from Natore for the surrender of this brigade on 18 December 1971 , due to the refusal of Brigadier Malik . Upon return from captivity , he was the only brigadier out of 32 or so who fought the 1971 War in East Pakistan to have been promoted to Major General rank . Significance . The battle was a significant one as it involved great personal valour on both sides . This is highlighted by the fact that soldiers on either side won their nation ' s highest military honours . One of the infantry battalions of the 20 Indian Mountain Division 5 / 11 Gorkha Rifles distinguished itself here and later earned the battle honour Bogra for itself , the commanding officer of the Indian battalion , then Lt Col F T Dias later rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Indian Army . In fact other than the battalion commander one of the company commanders , then Maj J B S Yadava become Lieutenant General and Maj Abjeet Mamik rose to become a Brigadier and Capt B K Bopanna later become Lieutenant General in the Indian Armed Forces , which is a unique honour to the soldiers of an army . This battle was also unique in that it had started before the official start of the India Pakistan war but continued right until the formal surrender of Pakistan . Unlike other battles in the East where the Indian army dominated , Pakistan forces gave a very good account of themselves before the combined might of the Indian military managed to occupy the area . Awards . BANGLADESH INDIA PAKISTAN