Pak army killed 7,000 Mar 25
Says British journalist Simon Dring
Pakistan Army killed at least 7,000 people on the dark night of March 25 in 1971, said eminent British journalist Simon Dring, who covered the liberation war of Bangladesh.
“It is without dispute that in that night at least 7,000 people, as far as I know, lost their lives not because they were fighting the Pakistanis, rather the Pakistanis chose to kill those people and to give the people of this country a lesson,” he said.
When the then Pakistan government asked the foreign journalists to leave the East Pakistan, Simon Dring hid himself in the then Hotel Continental (now Ruposhi Bangla Hotel) on March 25.
Simon Dring was speaking at a function titled "Smriti 71" at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital organised by Mohammadi Group and Ha-Meem Group.
Another British journalist Mark Tully, who covered the liberation war for BBC, and major general (retd) KM Shafiullah, one of the sector commanders of the war, were present at the programme. Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com moderated it.
Simon Dring, the then correspondent of UK-based Daily Telegraph, was the first to break story on Pakistan's crackdown. He said he would standby what he saw 41 years ago if he can contribute to the trial of war crimes.
“I think the facts will speak themselves. People must be held accountable for what happened even forty years on,” he said.
Simon Dring said the reports of his and other journalists covering from inside the then East Pakistan substantiate the levels of crimes committed against the Bangalee people.
Mark Tully said it was imperative what an individual did as Bangladesh is trying the individuals.
He said Pakistani army made a “terrible mistake” perceiving that they could win the war. “The lesson is military answer to problems never works,” he said.
The two journalists said the infrastructure was totally destroyed by the war, but then gradually it was rebuilt, and that now Bangladesh has a stable democracy and good growth rate are all matters of pride.
Politicians, businessmen, journalists and cultural activists attended the programme.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments