Remembering 1971 and other things
I was deeply moved by the very wonderful and sensitive 'Remembrance' "A daughter remembers" by Qumrun Nahar (Daily Star, November 26th, 2011) and it brought many poignant memories of 1971 back to me but made me also think about other people.
At the end of November 1971, when I was based in Kolkata for Oxfam administering a relief programme for approximately 500,000 Bangladesh refugees, we sensed that all out war was possible as the whole city was under a complete black-out at night, prepared for the unlikely event of a bombing mission by the Pakistan Air Force. At that time there was a lot of propaganda coming over the air waves and one evening sitting outside in complete darkness I listened to the Pakistan Radio English service which told us that the Pakistan planes that day had scored a direct hit on the Kolkata telephone exchange and that the Howrah Bridge was floating down the Hooghly River!
As I remember the events and experiences of 40 years ago, I often break down in tears and suffer sleepless nights when I remember the number of men, women and children, particularly children, who died in front of me, sometimes in my arms and I wonder why we could not save them so that they could return home to their Golden Bengal. Of course, Oxfam's programme saved the lives of so many but those who did not survive are the ones I remember.
Thinking about the horrors of war, I think of my own maternal grandfather who died at the end of the First World War in 1918 at the age of 33, leaving a wife and three small children behind. Every year in the days leading up to Remembrance Day, November 11th, I wear a Poppy on my shirt or jacket and explain the reasons why to my Bangladeshi colleagues who take great interest as many of them lost their nearest and dearest in the Liberation War of 1971.
There were many remarkable people who visited the work of Oxfam in the refugee camps of 1971. Senator Edward Kennedy is probably the most well-known and his contribution to Bangladesh's cause has been very well documented, but one 'giant of a man' who I remember is Richard Wood, who, in 1971, was the British Government's Minister of Overseas Development. He visited the refugee camps during the monsoon when they were very muddy. He strode around showing particular concern for those who had been wounded or had become disabled as a result of injuries received during their arduous journey from Bangladesh. One of the Government of India officials, accompanying the Minister, expressed his concern about how muddy and wet Mr. Wood's feet and shoes were getting. The Minister laughed and with his walking stick banged his own leg and a tin-like hollow sound rang out. "No problem," he said, "I do not feel a thing!" He had lost both his legs 30 years before in the Middle East in the Second World War and yet many would not have known. When he later visited some amputees in hospital, he gave them great hope when he showed off his artificial legs.
I am so grateful to Qumrun Naher for reminding us of the great sacrifices made by the Freedom Fighters and their families in 1971 and for reminding all of us to make sure that members of the younger generation are fully aware of what happened in 1971 and how and why it happened. I hope that Qumrun Naher's writing will also be published in Bangla to reach a larger number of Bangladeshi families.
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