Thakurgaon was freed from Pakistani occupation forces on December 3 during the Liberation War of 1971. The freedom fighters, alongside the allied forces, liberated Thakurgaon from the clutches of the Pakistani forces.
In 1971, Thakurgaon was a sub-division of Dinajpur district. Ten thanas (now upazilas) of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh (now districts) were part of the Thakurgaon sub-division. Until April 14, the Pakistanis had not entered Thakurgaon.
However, on April 15, 8 jeeps and 10 trucks loaded with army forces and heavy artillery entered Thakurgaon. The forces then moved into Panchagarh but were unable to enter Tentulia Thana, an area of around 150 square miles, where a liberated zone was established. Tentulia remained liberated throughout the war.
Thakurgaon fell under sector no. 6 during the Liberation War, with Squadron Leader M. Khademul Bashar of the Air Force serving as the commander. Around 10,000 freedom fighters, supported by 120 guerrilla bases, fought valiantly in the sector. As victory drew near, the Pakistani occupation forces began to retreat. On November 29, Panchagarh Thana was liberated, and the occupation forces set up camp at Thakurgaon EPR (now BGB) camp.
During their retreat, the Pakistani forces blew up Bhulli Bridge on November 30 and laid hundreds of underground mines in the Salandar area near Thakurgaon town. The freedom fighters and allied forces, after quickly repairing the Bhulli Bridge, attempted to enter Thakurgaon but faced obstacles due to the mines. Two tanks from the allied forces were destroyed by mine blasts. Under the leadership of freedom fighter commander Mahbub Alam, the mines were eventually cleared.
On December 2, after heavy shelling, the Pakistani forces retreated further and set up a base at the 25-mile point on the Thakurgaon-Dinajpur highway.
On the morning of December 3, 1971, a large contingent of freedom fighters and allied forces, coming from Tetulia, entered Thakurgaon town in a victorious mood. Along with them, thousands of local people also entered the town.
After defeating the Pakistani army and breaking their defenses at Panchagarh, Maidandighi, Boda, and Bhulli, the freedom fighters entered Thakurgaon from the northern side. Other contingents, coming from Atwari, Ruhea, Akhanagar, Baliadangi, and Lahirihat, entered from the western side. They paraded the streets of Thakurgaon town, chanting victorious slogans, and hoisted the victory flag at Thakurgaon Chowrasta (the main square of the town). The Pakistani army had retreated from Thakurgaon on the night of December 2, after the fall of their headquarters at the Thakurgaon EPR (now BGB) camp.
