The following interview with an officer of the East Pakistan Rifles was obtained in a telephone call from Calcutta to the East Pakistan town of Kushtia last night by Reuter correspondent Ram Suresh.

Calcutta, March 29.--Troops of the East Pakistan Rifles are leading civilians in battle against forces from West Pakistan and have hoisted the flag of Free Bangla Desh in the important town of Khulna after bitter fighting, the officer said.

The officer, who identified himself as a Major Osman, commander of Shaikh Mujibur Rahman's forces in Kushtia, 80 miles west of Dacca, said thousands of civilians were fighting pitched battles with the Army for control of several towns in the east.

The major said he was commanding "liberation army" forces in Kushtia—a town of 15.000 to 20,000 people about 30 miles west of Khulna—and hoped to be in control of the town by tonight.

The major said heavy fighting was in progress in Jessore, Khulna and Kushtia. Many had died in the fighting for Kushtia, where thousands of civilians were being led in a three-pronged attack by soldiers of the East Pakistan Rifles, he said.

Liberation forces had managed to set up a direct line to Calcutta, although the telephone exchange, police station and radio were still in army hands.

Quoting reports he had received from other areas, the major said heavy fighting was going on in Jessore and civilians had hoisted the flag of Bangla Desh in Khulna after bitter fighting, although the battle there was still going on.

Major Osman said Dacca radio had been off the air since this afternoon—indicating that the people had launched an attack on the provincial capital. He expected Dacca to be captured by the "liberation army" in three days and believed heavy fighting was now going on in the city.

Major Osman said jubilant Bengalis carried the flesh of Punjabi soldiers killed in battle as they staged victory processions in the town of Pabna captured by the people today.—Reuter.