Pahartali Boddhobhumi
Statements taken to identify mass grave
Members of Pahartali Boddhobhumi Sonaktokoron Committee (committee to identify mass graves in Pahartali) visit Foyes Lake in Pahartali in Chittagong city yesterday to identify a mass grave.Photo: STAR
Pahartali Boddhobhumi Sonaktokoron Committee (committee to identify mass graves in Pahartali) visited Pahartali Boddhobhumi here yesterday to take statements of those who witnessed the mass killings there during the War of Liberation in 1971. On November 10, 1971, passengers of two trains bound for Dohajari and Najirhat were slaughtered and buried by Biharis (non Bangalees) on the spot, said Prof Gazi Saleh Uddin, central committee member of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee. Many more were brought there earlier to be killed and buried, said Prof Gazi, who lost his father in the incident. “Higher court directed to stop the construction work of University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC) there and formed the committee to identify where the mass grave is located,” said the Pahartali committee President Maj Gen (retd) KM Safiullah Bir Uttam. Following a writ petition on December 14, 2008, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court gave the directives on June 6, 2011. As per the directive, USTC stopped constructing its business administrative building there. Noted writer Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, Prof Gazi, eminent historian Prof Muntasir Mamoon, Projonmo 71 Dhaka division President Md Azizur Rahman and Mili Rahman, widow of Bir Sreshtha Matiur Rahman, filed the petition against USTC to preserve the land. “Hearing the witnesses, it seems to me that I am standing on the killing field where hundreds of people were killed by Biharis during the War of Liberation period,” said Safiullah, also commander of S-Force in the War of Liberation. When the committee asked USTC Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Jafar Alam, present there yesterday, about the spot, he said he heard about it but was not sure. However, USTC Vice Chancellor National Professor Dr Nurul Islam, speaking to the committee, said they left out 20 kathas from the 1.75 acre land to mark the presence of a mass grave. One member of the committee, Shahriar Kabir, also executive president of the nirmul committee, said it is imperative to identify the mass graves since the present government started the war crimes trial. “Some influential quarters are trying to erase the history of genocide and the War of Liberation and the mass grave is being occupied as part of that plot. “If the mass graves are located on private property, the government should purchase them so that the new generation can learn about the country's true history,” he said. Prof Muntasir, a member of the Pahartali committee, said, “We will submit our report to the higher court through liberation war affairs ministry after collecting all statements of witnesses, locals and the defenders (USTC).” The committee would be staying at Chittagong Circuit House till morning today to take the statements and submit the report within October 9. The other members of the Pahartali committee are War of Liberation researcher Dr Mahfujur Rahman, USTC Registrar Dr Md Shamsujjoha, Additional Secretary Syed Mujibul Haque and Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Fayez Ahmed.
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