Kamanna Day passes off silently

On this day in 1971, 28 brave sons of the soil made their supreme sacrifices at Kamanna battlefield in Jhenidah to free their beloved homeland from the clutch of the Occupation Army of Pakistan.

Story goes that freedom fighters took shelter at the houses of Madhob Chandra and Shamela Begum at village Kamanna in Sailakupa upazila, Jhenidah. In the early hours of the day, the occupation Pakistani soldiers suddenly attacked the village bordering earstwhile Jhenidah and Magura sub-divisions.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

All the patriots except one hailing from Magura fell martyrs there.

However, it is a matter of great regret that the memory of the great event is being lost into oblivion, according to martyrs' relatives and other freedom fighters here. No befitting programmes were organised to mark the day. Not even any discussion meeting was held in memory of the heroes on the occasion.

While talking to The Daily Star, Rawsan Ara Begum widow of a Kamanna martyr, Sahidul Islam she expressed her utter disappointment. She said government sanctioned a meagre amount of money as allowance to the Shaheed family.

Golam Rasul, a freedom fighter who bravely fought at Kamanna battlefield also echoed the same tone. He said a monument in memory of Kamanna heroes was built at village Hazipur in Magura Sadar upazila in 1999. That year a discussion meeting was held at the alter of the monument. But during the last five years no programme was arranged in memory of Kamanna martyrs.

The martyrs are Riat Ali, Solaiman Sikder, Nirmal Kumar Biswas, Abdul Aziz, Moniruzzaman, Anisur Rahman, Hossen Ali, Sariful Islam, Masim, Alamgir Hossain, Gourchandra, Abdur Razzak, Shahidul Islam, Adhir Kumar Sikder, Mominuddin, Wahidur Rahman, Munsi Alimuzzaman, Abdul Motaleb, Golam Kawsar, Guljar Rahman, Khondokar Abdur Rashed, Selim Sikder, Abdul Kader, Abdus Salek, Anser Ali and Golam Akbar.

Kamanna warriors who are still alive are Golam Rosul, Kamrul Islam, Surman Ali, Abdul Jalil, Abdus Samad, Liakot Ali, Abdur Rahman, Bishnupada Sarker, Abul Hossain, Nobed Ali, Lal Khan, Abdul Aziz, Abdur Rashid, Abdur Rashid (2), Nama Munshi, Abu Bakar Siddik, Khalil Molla and Subedar Shamsher.