Dinajpur Celebrates Liberation Day

No memorial yet for martyrs

14 December 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Dinajpur

No memorial has been constructed in 38 years of independence in honour of the 17 Liberation War martyrs who were buried at a mass grave at Bohla in Biral upazila of Dinajpur, bottom, two children dry paddy on the premises of the neglected memorial near Rohonpur Railway Station Bazar in Gomostapur upazila in Chapainawabganj district.Photo: STAR

People observed Martyred Intellectual Day as well as 38th anniversary of 'Dinajpur liberation day' yesterday, as usual without any memorial for the Liberation War martyrs. On December 14 in 1971, valiant freedom fighters freed the district from Pakistani occupation army and celebrated by hoisting the flag of independent Bangladesh and chanting 'Joy Bangla' slogan. The day before, Pak army committed a massacre at Bohla village in Biral upazila. On April 22 in 1971, the enemy soldiers entered the upazila with heavy shelling. The occupation forces with the help of their local collaborators started loot, arson, killing and rape, forcing many people to leave the district for shelter, especially in India. The freedom fighters also got organised and made several attacks. As the Indian allied forces joined the fight against the Pakistani troops in early December, the enemy faced a total disaster. But before making the final retreat, the Pak army entered Bohla village near Kanchan camp and shot dead 37 villagers after lining them up at gunpoint in the evening of December 13 in 1971. The barbaric army also rejected the villagers' plea to spare them during the evening prayers. Anisur Rahman, then a Class 7 student, is one of the villagers who escaped the tragedy. Pakistani force targeted Bohla village as it was one of strong bases of freedom fighters in the district, he said. The 37 martyred were Fakir Bura (imam of the local mosque), Mohsin Ali, Rakitullah, Shahabuddin, Kalu Mohammad, Jaher Mohammad, Ohab Ali, Akhi Mohammad, Khamir Uddin, Achir Uddin, Moslem Uddin, Shafi Uddin, Abdur Rahman, Rahim Uddin, Bolam Mortuza, Barek Mohammd, Abdul Karim, Munna Miah, Amin Uddin Akbar Ali, Tasir Uddin, Nur Mohammd, Abdus Sattar, Ibrahim Ali, Abdul Mojid, Abdul Latif, Chendedu Mohammad, Bhuta Mohammad, Sohrab Ali, Omar Ali, Mofiz Uddin, Shafi Uddin, Mozitullah, Abdus Sattar, Abdul Halim and an unidentified one. As this correspondent visited the area, distraught members of the martyrs' families expressed their dissatisfaction as the government has not built any monument 38 years after the massacre.